> Silvermane > by Fanskapet > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 Silvermane? > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Whoowee it's hot today, hey Big Mac how 'bout a lemonade break?" Applejack asked, putting down the big wooden bucket she had been carrying out from the barn and wiping her forehead free from sweat. "Eeyup." Big Mac said, putting down a bucket himself, taking a longing look towards the house and the lemonade waiting for them both outside. "Is everything ready for applebuck season?" she asked, as they walked towards the house. "Eeyup and nope." he said chewing on his old straw. "Ya know it's easier if ya use more words." she said, with a small frown against her brother as they reached the house. "Heh jus' teasin' ya, but we might have a slight problem." Big Mac said, shaking his head a bit. "And that is?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at her brother as both sat down on the porch and begun filling up a glass of lemonade left out on a small table by granny Smith. "Caramel managed to break a leg last week." Big Mac said, with a barely noticable frown, taking the straw out of his mouth to take a sip out of the lemonade. "Aw no, what did he do?" Applejack sighed in annoyance. "'pparently he tried to show-off to his marefriend ....again." Big Mac said, with a shrug. "Amazing that he never learns." Applejack said taking a drink of the lemonade. "Mmm probably the fifth time he tries to show-off in front of her, still we got alot more apples to buck, even with Caramel we would be undermanned." Big Mac said looking back over the orchard, before shifting his eyes towards the road to Ponyville. "Ain't that one of yer friends?" he asked, pointing a hoof as he spotted a familiar yellow pegasus walking towards them. "Ah think yer right, but who's that walking next to her?" Applejack said, as she looked where he was pointing, seeing a light brown stallion with long messy silvery-white mane covering his left eye, with big packets, bags and quilts slung over his back obscuring his cutiemark, walking next to Fluttershy. "ah don't think ah have seen him before." Big Mac said, putting a big hoof to his chin in thought. "Hey Fluttershy!!" Applejack shouted, as she waved a hoof at Fluttershy. "Oh uhm hi Applejack sorry to disturb you, I-I can see you are busy, maybe I come back later instead." Fluttershy said, as she reached them and saw both of them sitting down on the porch. "Nonsense Fluttershy we were just taking a break, so who's this friend of yours?" Applejack asked, motioning a hoof towards the stranger who had followed Flutttershy. "Oh uhm hi-his name is Silvermane." she said looking at the stallion, who eyed both of the apple siblings with a tired eye. "Well howdy mister Silvermane, happy to make yer acquaintance." Applejack said with a nod, smiling as she extended her hoof towards the stallion. "Likewise." he said, as he shook her hoof. "So was it something special or did ya just want to show off yer friend here?" Applejack asked, as she turned back to Fluttershy. "Oh uhm I was just wondering if you, well if it was possible for him to get a job on the farm, w-we can always go somewhere else if you want." she squeaked out, trying to hind behind her mane, feeling uncomfortable bothering a friend. "Yer looking for work?" Applejack asked, as she turned towards Silvermane. "That I am, miss." he said, with a short nod. "Ever worked on a farm before?" "Can't say that I have." he answered, shifting his body a bit to make sure the load on his back stayed where it should. "Mhm are you good at physical work?" Applejack asked looking him over, seeing his muscles not quite as big as Big Mac's but atleast noticable. "Well I have always been better with physical work than thinking." he said, scratching his chin with his right hoof. "Hmm, well how 'bout this, come by tomorrow at 07:00 and buck a few trees with Big Mac here and we'll see if we will hire ya or not." she said, smiling towards Silvermane. "Agreed." Silvermane said with a nod. "Oh thank you so much Applejack." Fluttershy begun, before getting interrupted by Applejack. "No worries sugarcube, we need the manpower anyway." "And Fluttershy can we speak?" Applejack asked, looking back at Silvermane who had walked closer to Big Mac. "In private? "I guess." Fluttershy said, raising an eyebrow and looking back at Silvermane. "Big Mac we're going inside for a sec, why don't ya entertain Silvermane?" Applejack said, as both she and Fluttershy walked inside. "......................." "......................." "So ...... not a very talkative guy are you?" Silvermane asked, as he sat down and took off his load he had been carrying next to him. "Nope." Big Mac answered. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "So Fluttershy, who exactly is he?" Applejack asked, as she closed the door behind her. "W-what do you mean?" Fluttershy said, swallowing nervously. "No offence Fluttershy, but yer not exactly the kind of pony to just introduce a stranger, especially not a rough looking one like him." Applejack continued as she saw how uncomfortable Fluttershy looked. "Oh uhm h-he's not as rough as you think, he's actually quite kind and caring." She answered, fiddling with her mane nervously. "Still doesn't answer my question sugarcube." Applejack said, looking at Fluttershy nervously trying to comb her mane over her left eye. "Who is he?" > Chapter 2 A week ago > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Oh uhm l-like I said his name is Silvermane and uhm uhm." Fluttershy said, before she begun fiddling with her hooves and looking away from Applejack. "And?" Applejack said, as she sat down on her haunches and crossed her forelegs. "H-he has been staying at-at my house." Fluttershy said, ending in a barely comprehensive mumbling. "Didn't really hear the last part sugarcube." Applejack said, putting a hoof behind her ear. "He-he's staying at my place." Fluttershy said, trying to cover herself completly with her mane. "..............." "P-please don't be mad at me!" Fluttershy pleaded, laying down on the floor and covering her head with her hooves. "Why would ah be mad at ya? ya just let a total stranger into yer house, who could be an escaped convict or worse!!" Applejack blurted out a bit to loud, before cringing slightly as she saw Fluttershy beggining to tear up. "*Sigh* sorry sugarcube, didn't mean to scare ya like that, but *sigh* fine how did you even meet him?" "W-well *sniff* re-remember the big thunderstorm last week?" Fluttershy said, looking up at Applejack and wiping her nose. "Yeah, it knocked 3 trees down and lightning struck 2 other." Applejack answered, as she walked over and patted her friend on the head. "Well he-he kinda showed up during the middle of it, I didn't even heard him knocking w-when i was hiding under the couch." Fluttershy continued, as she loked into Applejacks eyes. "Why were ya hidin' under the couch?" Applejack asked, with a raised eyebrow. "My animal friends had already taken the spot under the bed, so it was only me and Angel hiding in the living room." "And he just waltzed in?" Applejack asked, furrowing her eyebrows at fluttershy. "W-well *sigh* yes he kinda did, b-but he was just seeking shelter from the storm since he had traveled long and didn't mean to scare me and get mud on my floor and and." Fluttershy blurted out as fast as she could, as she saw Applejacks looking like she would head over to Silvermane and give him a piece of her mind. "Whoa there, take a deep breath before ya faint." Applejack said, holding her hooves in front of her and reeling back slightly at the rapid pace of Fluttershy's words. "So let me get this straight, he sought shelter from the storm, but ya didn't hear him, so he walked inside and then what happened?" Applejack said, rubbing the bridge of her muzzle with her hoof. "Well, he walked inside and saw my uhm f-flanks sticking out from under the couch, so he kinda uhm uhm to-touched m-my ehm my *gulp* f-flank." Fluttershy muttered, blushing more and more before turning red in embarrassment and hiding her face with her hooves. "Which caused me to jump in surprise and hit my head when I ran out from my hiding place, I-I'm not really sure what happened after that, but I woke up in my bed and it was a sunny day outside and uhm a stranger making food in the kitchen." She continued after a taking a moments to calm herself. "So ya just let him stay with ya after that?" Applejack said, closing her eyes trying to her best to hold in a loud groan. "Well, he kinda uhm asked for a place to stay, but as you know there is no hotels in Ponyville since the Ursa Minor crushed it, he looked a bit sad and asked if he could sleep in my chicken coop." Fluttershy said, fiddling with her hooves before meeting Applejacks eyes. "Wait wait lemme guess, ya couldn't stand to see him doing something like that, so ya invited him to stay with ya instead?" Applejack said, releasing her groan and closing her eyes. "W-would you be mad if I said yes?" Fluttershy mumbled, averting her eyes and lightly kicking the ground with her hoof. "Sugarcube ya know ah can't be mad at ya, but are ya absolutely sure ya can trust him? ah know ya did the right thing with Discord and all, but this Silvermane looks kinda dangerous." "Y-yes I am sure I can trust him." Fluttershy said, with a nod. "*Sigh* okay, Fluttershy ah guess ah trust ya on this one, but Pinkie promise me that if he ever does something bad, ya come to me, okay?" "Cross my heart hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." Fluttershy said, smiling as she saw Applejack relax a bit. "Ahm glad we got it sorted out, come on Fluttershy let's go see how the boys are doing." Applejack said, putting a hoof around Fluttershy's neck, getting a nod in response before walking outside. > Chapter 3 The walk back > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "We're back." Applejack said, as she and Fluttershy walked out of the house. "Mhm, so are we done here?" Silvermane sighed, blowing a strand of his mane from his right eye. "Uhm y-yes." Fluttershy stuttered, as Silvermane gave her an annoyed look. "Good." He snorted, as he went over to pick up the quilts and other items he had been carrying, giving Big Mac a quick nod before he begun walking back towards Ponyville. "Thank you so much Applejack" Fluttershy smiled, at her friend before hurrying after Silvermane.. "Don't mention it, we need workers anyway, just remember what ah told ya!" Applejack shouted after her. "I will, w-wait for me!" Fluttershy waved back at her, before hurrying after silvermane. "What's up with that face?" Big Mac asked, as he saw Applejack scrunching up her face into a frown. "Ah don't trust that guy one bit." Narrowing her eyes at the pair leaving Sweet Apple Acres, putting a hoof to her chin before turning her head towards Big Mac. "Big Mac can ya handle the work yerself for a while?" "Sure thing sis, but why?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at his sister, as it was not exactly common for her to skip work. "Ahm goin to see Rainbow Dash for a second pair of eyes, don't really wan't to leave Fluttershy alone with that guy." She said, as she begun walking towards a familiar cloudhouse floating in the air not to far from Sweet Apple Acres. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15 minutes later at the edge of Ponyville park, on the road leading towards Fluttershys cottage. "Soohooo hot today." A mint green unicorn sat on a bench and whined as she leaned against her friend. "Oh stop complaining and just turn the other side, you're getting sweat all over me." The other mare moaned as she tried to push her away. "Aww don't be like thaaat." Lyra sighed, before turing her eyes towards a strange sight coming their way. "Hey isn't that Fluttershy? and she's walking with a stallion?!!" She continued, pointing towards Ponyville, causing her friend to bolt upright and look where Lyra was pointing, which in turn caused Lyra to fall off the bench as her leverage dissapeared. "Fluttershy?" "Oh uhm hi Bon Bon and hello Lyra." "Well I be ..... Fluttershy i would ever expect to see you with a stallion." Bon Bon winked at Fluttershy, causing her to blush and hide behind her mane. "Oh n-no I oh no he-he's just a friend." Fluttershy managed to stutter forth, while trying to make herself as small as possible. "Oh Fluttershy you know Bon Bon is only joking." Lyra smiled from her position on the ground, as Bon Bon tried to supress a giggle. "Oh i don't know *snort* they make a cute couple." Bon Bon giggled, as she saw Fluttershy blush even redder and desperatly trying to hide behind her mane, causing Silvermane to just sigh and roll his visible eye as he begun walking again. "He's a rude one isn't he?" Lyra said as he walked past, gulping a bit as he stopped in his track and slowly turned his head back at her, snorting and spitting in front of her before resuming his walk to Fluttershys cottage. "Oh oh my." Fluttershy stared holding a hoof to her mouth. "Did you see that?" "I-I'm so sorry." Fluttershy stuttered, as she saw both of her friends faces. "You're sorry? he spat at Lyra!!" Bon Bon growled, glaring daggers after Silvermane. "Yeah!" "I-I should have told you, h-he doesn't really uhm like unico-" Fluttershy said, before getting interupted by a shout from Silvermane "Fluttershy!! you coming or what?!!" "Oh uhm I-I better go." She said, nodding as a goodbye before once again hurrying after Silvermane, leaving the 2 mares to look at each other with worried looks on their faces. > Chapter 4 How about food? > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "So that takes care of the job and the materials." Silvermane grumbled, as he walked inside the cottage and shook him free of everything he had been carrying, scratching his neck and turning back towards Fluttershy, who stood in the doorway and looked a bit unhappy about the mess he just made. "What!?" "Uh oh uhm, m-maybe you could uhm not dump it all just inside the door?" She said, as she began picking up the items while keeping an eye on Silvermane, hoping she didn't make him mad, again. "Fine, where do you want it?" He sighed, as he begun picking up all the items again and gave her an annoyed look. "Oh s-sorry, y-you don't h-have to if you don't want to." She shrank back and mumbled out, causing him to give another sigh of annoyance. "Where!?" He leaned forward with a growl. "T-the closet?" she pointed a shaky hoof towards one of the doors behind Silvermane, who snorted and turned his head where she pointed. "Was that so hard?" He mumbled, as he walked over to the closet and pulled the door open, looking around the small space before putting the items on one of the shelves, slowly backing out of the closet and turning around, only to freeze mid step. "Uhm y-you okay?" Fluttershy asked, as he ran past here towards a window, pushing it open and poking his head outside and looked around wildly, before pulling his head back inside before closing it again. "Y-yeah, thought I saw somepony looking inside." He blinked, walking back towards Fluttershy. "Well anyway, what now?" "Uhm depends." She mumbled, glancing towards the kitchen, blushing a bit as her stomach gave a low growl. "Something to eat?" "W-well only if you want to." "I guess, been a bit hungry since we visited your friends farm." He said, as his own stomach growled a bit too. "Okay uhm do you like tomatoes?" "Never tried them." He shrugged. "Really? uhm how about I make a tasty tomato soup then?" "I guess." He shrugged again, as they walked inside the kitchen. "So you need help peeling them?" He continued as Fluttershy begun rummaging around the kitchen for the ingredients, only to stop and look at him, blinking a few times before answering. "Uhm you don't peel tomatoes, you just cut them up, b-but you can do that if you want to that is." "Mhm sure I always been good with sharp stuff." He said, mumbling the last part mostly to himself. "W-what was that last part?" "Oh nothing, where do you store your shiv- eh knives?" He shook his head as he begun opening some drawers at random. "Oh it's in the top drawer close to the fridge, use the one with a red handle." "Mhm red handle top drawer.......red handle, red handle, ah found it." He mumbled as he rummaged through the drawer and finding the red handled knife. "So do I cut it into slices or?" Smiling as he begun flipping the knife in the air, causing Fluttershy to squeak and cringe with each flip. "Oh p-please don't it's I-I please stop doing that!" She pleaded closing her eyes and fearing the worst when she didn't hear another flip. "As you wish." He snorted, spinning the knife around and jamming it into a cutting board with a loud thud. "T-thank you *sigh* c-can we please continue with the soup?" She put a hoof to her chest in relief. "Sure, just gimme the tomatoes and I'll cut them up." "O-okay just be carefull w-with the knife." She stammered, as she handed him the tomatoes, giving him a concerned frown as he took the knife again. "I make no promises." He snorted again as he begun cutting up the tomatoes, while Fluttershy begun preparing the rest of the ingredients, giving him concerned looks everytime she heard the chopping of the knife. "Guh so much goo in these, what of it is edible?" He grumbled after a few minutes of cutting, shaking his tomato covered hooves. "Uhm everything actually, do-do you need a towel?" She asked, as she saw he had managed to get tomato bits and pieces all over the table and his hooves. "Guess so." he took the towel and cleaned himself off. "What now?" "Oh now I can take care of the rest." she mumbled, taking the towelfrom him, sighing as she walked over to the chopped up tomatoes (which looked like they were the leftovers from a murderscene), scooping them up and putting them in a pot, readying the rest of the ingredients, before turning around and scratch her leg nervously. "Uhm m-maybe you could go see how Angel is doing? i-if you want that is." "Very well, it will take some time anyway right?" He asked, getting a nod in return. "Well where is the critter?" "Oh he should be out back with the other bunnies." Fluttershy answered, getting a nod in return as Silvermane walked out of the kitchen. > Chapter 5 The Soup > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Mm perfect." Fluttershy smiled, as she tasted the soup. "Just hope he likes it too."She mumbled, putting down the spoon and walked over to begin setting the table. *Slam* "Eep!" "I'm back." Silvermane mumbled, as he walked into the kitchen. "Oh my, y-you scared me there, d-did you find Angel?" She asked, as she sighed in relief. "Think so all bunnies look alike." He shrugged, turning himself sideways, letting Fluttershy see the bunny sitting on his back, all tangled up in his long messy silvery mane. "Oh my." Fluttershy said, putting a hoof to her mouth trying to hide her smile at the sight. "Angel how did you manage to get so tangled up?" She continued, as she begun to untangle him, getting a few grunts from Silvermane every time she accidently yanked his hair a bit to hard. "There you go." She smiled, as she pulled Angel free and gave him a hug before putting him down on the floor, getting a big frown and a glare as he hopped away towards his food bowl, frowning again as he saw it was empty. "Oh sorry Angel i will be right on it." "You spoil that little fuzzball." Silvermane snorted, as he scratched his long mane, ignoring the look he got from Angel. "Is the food ready atleast?" He asked, as he sat down at the table. "Oh yes it is, I just have to give Angel his carrots." She rummaged around pantry and pulling out a bowl filled with carrots, walking over and replacing the empty bowl. "Now don't eat it to fast Angel, you remember what happened last time." She said patting him on the head. "Are you done yet? can we eat now?" "Oh r-right sorry, here let me get you your bowl." She answered, walking over to the stove with his bowl, filling it up and putting it down in front of him, biting her lip as she watched him pick up the spoon and take a first taste of her soup. Please please please like the soup please She closed her eyes waiting for the sound of him swallowing. "So this is what tomatoes taste like?" "Y-yes d-did you like it?" "Can't say i did." He said, making Fluttershy flatten her ears to her head in disapointment. "But food is food and i'm not much for wasting anything edible." "Oh s-so you don't want me to make something else?" "And throw this away? are you mad? just sit down and eat already" He growled, as he begun eating the soup. "Oh o-okay." Fluttershy mumbled sitting down at the table oposite of him, deflating a bit from the harsh words, poking at the soup a few times with her spoon, the feelings of joy and pride over doing something good for her houseguest shattered, letting out a small sigh as she ate from her soup. "What?" He raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh u-uhm I uh n-nothing." She mumbled, blushing a bit as she hoped he didn't hear her dissapointment. "Just spit it out already." He growled, rubbing his left eye wth his hoof and giving her a tired sigh. "Uhm uhm w-what would make the soup better?" ".....garlic." "G-garlic?" She blinked, surprised at the answer. "Yes, garlic would make this edible." He nodded, taking another spoonfull of soup to his mouth. "Oh ....uhm I-I think I have some garlic, i-if you want that is." She gave him a hopefull smile, which fell as she met his eyes, which just looked bored. "S-sorry I-I nevermind." "I would like that." "Oh I go and uhm see if there is any in the fridge." She jumped down from her chair and walked over to the fridge. "Well?" He asked, after a moment of silence from Fluttershy. "Oh uh uhm t-theres no garlic.....sorry." She turned, around swallowing loudly and hiding behind her mane. "Ah well I'm pretty much finished anyway." Silvermane frowned, as he grabbed the bowl with his hooves, holding it against his mouth and devouring the last of it with a loud *slurp*. "Bleh, well I take an early night so don't make to much noise." He continued, wiping his mouth with his right hoof, placing down the bowl on the table, jumping down from the chair and walking out of the room without another word. > Chapter 6 First Tree Bucked > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sweet Apple Acres 06:53 in front of the barn "*Yawn* I'm here, now what am I supposed to do?" "Well I be... yer actually in time." Applejack smiled, as she heard him, taking a quick look on a small golden watch. "So are ya ready to buck some apples?" "I guess, wheres that big guy uh Big Mac?" He answered, looking around for the big stallion he had a very brief and few worded chat with the day before. "Well ah wanted to get to know ya better, since yer stayin' with mah friend and all." She smiled at him. "So you are saying I will work with you instead of Big Mac?" "Eeyup, ya ever bucked apples before?" She asked, as they begun walking towards the apple trees. "No, it's actually the first time I ever seen apple trees." He mumbled, as they walked through the trees, looking up every now and then at the big red apples hanging from the branches. "Really?" She stopped and looked at him in surprise. "Yes really!" Silvermane growled, giving her an angry look. "Whoa boy no need to get all upset, ah was just surprised that's all." She held up her front hooves in defense, surprised at his reaction. "Mhm" He snorted, shaking his head as they continued walking in silence. "Soo ehm why don't ya tell me a bit about yerself." She looked at him after a few minutes of silent walking. "What for? I'm just here to work, get paid and then return to Fluttershy." He gave her a look like she just said something stupid. "Well ah wanna know who ah will be working with." "Fine what do you want to know?" He walked over and sat down by one of the trees with a sigh. "Well where are ya from?" She sat down in front of him, eyeing him carefully hoping to not anger him again. "Stalliongrad." He said as his eye began to drift off over the juicy red apples hanging above them. "Stalliongrad? that's quite far from Ponyville, what brings ya here?" She scrunched her face togheter trying to remember the geography of Equestria. "Just wandering, didn't exactly have anything left for me in Stalliongrad anyway." He crossed his forelegs meeting her eyes with a surly expression. "What about yer family?" ".......they aren't around anymore." He mumbled averting his gaze again, giving a heavy sigh as he stood up and motioned her to keep moving with a hoof. "Oh sorry to hear that." She scratched her neck, feeling a bit bad for bringing up some bad memories for him, standing up and begun to walk again. "Uhm well here we are, we will buck the apples around these parts to see if ya can handle 'em, since these ones are a bit smaller and easier bucked than the rest." She said, after they had walked a few minutes in silence, finally reaching the part of the orchard with the buckets already in place under the trees. "And if I can't buck these trees?" He asked poking a nearby apple tree and looking at her like it is a lost cause. "Well then we just see what else ya can do." She winked as she walked over to the tree. "Now watch and learn." *WHack* Smiling at his surprised expression as all the apples fell off into the buckets with only one powerfull buck. "There ya go, now ya try it." "Like this?" He asked, as he walked over to another apple filled tree, turning around and putting himself in position for a powerfull buck like hers. "A bit more forward and be sure ya plant yer front hooves firmly in the ground so ya dont tip over from the kick." She pointed her hooves where he should place his. "Better?" He asked, after repositioning. "Yep, now give it a go." She gave him a quick nod, seeing him lean forawrd and deliver a hard kick to the tree. *Whack* "Close, but yer not quite there, you got the power but not the precision." She smiled as she saw only a few more apples hanged from the tree, but turning into a frown as she saw the deep hoofmarks on the tree. "Actually ya need less power and try not to hurt the trees." "Wouldn't I need to kick stronger?" "No, ya need to buck it more in the centre, to get the most of it." "Mhm." He mumbled, shaking his long tangled mane from his eyes, readying himself to try and buck it again. "More in the centre, not so hard grmrm." "Wuzzat?" Applejack raised an eyebrow hearing him mumble something she couldn't make out. *Whack* "Nothing." He said, looking behind him seeing the last apples fall down from the tree. "Mhm, well would ya look at that, much better." She walked over and begun picking up the stray apples that missed the buckets. "Applejack?" "Yesh?" She answered, holding an apple in her mouth. "How much will I get paid?" He asked, picking up an apple and tossing it into a bucket. "Well ah was thinking 100 bits a day, as we usually pay farmhands." She braced herself, expecting to get the same reaction like most others had done before him, getting angry and upset at the low pay. "Hundr- a hundred bits?!" "Yes ahm sorry we can't afford to pay ya more, but we really need some help now that Caramel is out of the picture." She scratched her neck and looking down on the ground. "Pay more?! I had to work a month to get that amount of bits." He stared wide eyed at her. "S-so ya agree to work for that pay then?" "Are you kidding me?! with that kind of pay you can ask anything from me." He said, as he grabbed her hoof and stared into her eyes. "A-ny-thing." He added with a wink. "Oh uh eh m-maybe ya start with bucking the trees first." She said blushing a bit as she registered what he just had said. > chapter 7 The Break part 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Apple Orchard 11:57 "Phew, yer getting good at this" Applejack said, wiping her forehead and looking up at Celestias sun high in the sky above them. "Almost time for lunch, how 'bout it?" "I don't have any lunch with me." Silvermane huffed, giving a hard buck to a tree. "Don't ya worry none, ahm sure granny wouldn't fuzz about having ya over." She said fanning herself with her hat, putting it back on top of her head, walking over to Silvermanes tree and helping him pick up some of the apples. "But I haven't gotten my pay yet." He said, giving her a weird look like she had forgotten something as basic as breathing, while picking up some apples with his hoof. "Uh no, ya haven't....why did ya bring that up?" She asked, tossing the apples into one of the buckets. "Well, I don't have the money to buy lunch." "Buy lunch? whoa wait just a minute here, ahm inviting ya to have lunch at mah house here." She pointed a hoof at her own chest. "....so you take it from my pay then?" He cocked his head to the side. "What?! no! ahm inviting ya Silvermane for a friendly lunch at mah home at Sweet Apple Acres, free of charge." She said, beggining to loose her patience at him not understanding "Oh...... you are absolutely sure it is okay? cause I really hate to get in problem with the family of my boss." He said after a bit of thinking. "Well that's very thoughtfull of ya, but ahm perfectly sure it is okay." She turned around, and waved at him to follow her back towards the farm house. "So how exactly are your family?" He asked after a moment of walking silently after Applejack. "Eh? what do ya mean?" She asked, stopped in her tracks, turning head head around, surprised by the question. "Just...just, ah forget it." He begun, before shaking his head with a sigh and turning his head away from her. "No please tell me, if there's something burdening ya it's only good to-" She begun before getting cut off from silvermane. "I said forget it!" He snapped, making her jump a bit, before taking a deep breath and slumped his shoulders. "It wasn't even important, let's just continue forward." "Okay, ah will not force ya to say anything, but if ya ever want to talk ah can assure ya it stays between us two." She said walking over and putting a hoof on his shoulder, giving him a warm smile as she turned around and begun to walk again, leaving silvermane to sit there, blink and then smile a bit as he got up and followed her. > Chapter 8 The Break part 2 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Well here we are, lemme introduce mah family, Big Mac ya met yesterday." Applejack said as they walked inside the kitchen, motioning a hoof towards the big red stallion sitting at the dinner table chewing on his straw. "Eeyup." He nodded in response. "And this her-" She pointed a hoof towards a small yellow filly with a big bow in her red mane. "Hiiya ahm Applebloom, what's yer name mister and are ya the new farmhoof?" The filly interupted as she hurried over towards her sister and the unknown stallion. "Applebloom! what have ah said about disrupting yer elders?" Applejack berated her little sister. "Oh right sorry sis, sorry mister." She said, before hurrying back towards an elderly green mare standing near the stove. "Uhm yer okay there Silver?" Applejack asked, as he looked really uneasy almost sickly as he looked at the little filly running over to the old mare. "Silver?" She asked again, putting a hoof on his shoulder making him jump and stare at her in surprise. "W-what?" "Ah said are ya okay?" She said again, putting her hoof back on the floor. "Yes! hrm yes of course, why?" He rubbed his eye blinking a few times, looking back at the filly smiling as she picked up a few bowls on her head and carrying them to the table, before turning back to Applejack with sigh. "Is there something bothering ya?" She looked back towards Big Mac straightening up and narrowing his eyes at the two. "No, no of course not, I-I just need some air." Shaking his head and backing out of the room as fast as he could. "What was that 'bout?" Big Mac asked, walking up to next to an equally confused Applejack and looking out through the front door. "Ah have no idea." "Has he been like this all day?" "Well he was kinda suspicious 'bout the lunch, but this." She shrugged. "He looked rather upset as he saw Applebloom." "Ya want me to speak with him?" He asked getting a weird look from his sister. "Ya know uh he might open up bit more with another stallion." "Oh, ya know that actually might work." She said wiping her brow and adjusting her hat. "Granny ahm goin' out fer a bit." "Huh? oh alright ya be back in five minutes ya hear?" The old mare said as he walked out of the door. "Silver!?" He shouted looking for the brown stallion. "Silver where are ya!!?" "Silv-" He shouted for a third time, stopping himself as he rounded the corner, spotting the stallion sitting at the enrance to one of the nearby barns, waving at him and making his way over towards him. > Chapter 9 Anger > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Silvermane?" Big mac asked, looking down at the silvery maned stallion hanging his head, getting only a tired sigh as answer. "Wanna tell me what that was 'bout?" "I-I just *sigh* I rather not." Hanging his head and shaking it slowly. "Just leave it at bad experiences." "Mhm then ah won't force ya to, but ah hope it won't be a problem from now on." Big Mac nodded, sitting down next to him. "....thanks." The smaller stallion mumbled after a few minutes of them sitting in silence. "For what?" Big Mac asked, surprised that he suddenly said something. "Not pushing it any further, I apprieciate that." Silvermane said, looking up at the bigger stallion. "..... so what do ya think ´bout Ponyville?" The bigger stallion asked, after a few more minutes of awkward silence, scratching his neck and asking the first thing he could come up with that didn't seem to nosey. "It's small and quiet, haven't been outside Fluttershys house much, yesterday was actually my first trip into town." He answered with a shrug. "And?" Big Mac raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. "Well.....it is alot smaller than canterlot and I mean ALOT." "Ya can say that again." Big Mac smiled. ".. It is alot smaller than canterlot and I mean alot." Silvermane said again putting his hooves a few centimeters from each other to emhpasize his point. "......uh hu, wait if ya haven't been to the town fer a whole week, where have ya been? jus' sittin' round at Fluttershys place?" Big Mac tilted his head to the side confused at him repeating it, looking at the smaller stallion. "Well I got a cold from the rain and how do you know about that?" Silvermane said, looking up towards the red stallion, giving him a suspicious look. "Applejack told me." "Mhm, well like I was saying, I got a cold stayed inside an-" Silvermane continued, only to get interupted by a female voice. "Yoohooo Big Maaac?!!" "Who?" "Over here!" Big Mac shouted back. "Big Mac there you are!" A pearl white unicorn with big purple curls of a mane said as she trotted closer. "...And this must be the new farm hoof." She looked down on his dirty hooves, and giving him a small smile. "Hmmpf." He snorted and looked away. "Ookay?" She looked at Big Mac looking for hints as she was unsure if she had just insulted the stallion. "Well anyhow Big Mac, the ponytones has been booked for this sunday and we really need to rehearse, please tell me you are available tomorrow ...and on sunday." "Ahm actually available now, we were just talking a bit before lunch how bout ya join us?" "You really gonna invite her to eat with us?" Silvermane asked, scrunching up his face in disgust. "What is that supposed to mean?" She frowned, giving him a hard look. "What do you think it means?" He growled, standing up and walking a few centimetres from her face. "Am I not good enough to eat at the same table as you?" Taking a step back and pointing a hoof at him. "Obviously you are waaay to good to eat with our kind! go back to your damn castle and go fuc-mnmhmnm!?" He growled, only to get silenced by a big red hoof over his mouth. "That is enough!" Big Mac said, removing his hoof and giving him a stern look. "Ah think it's best if we call it a day." "But-" "No buts! just go on and head home ah will not tolerate misbehaving on mah farm." "Fine." He snorted, as he walked away bumping Rarity to the side as he strode past. "Thank you Big Mac, some ponies just does not know how to behave around a lady." She brushed herself off and gave the offending stallion a hatefull stare to his back. "Ahm sorry 'bout that." Big Mac apologised. "Oh no apologies needed it wasn't your fault." She waved it off "Still ah apology, he is one of the new farm hooves so he is mah responsibility." Big Mac apologised, looking towards the farm hoof walking away. "He is just stressed ah think." "Well anyway we must plan for the performance, how about we go inside?" "O'course we were just about to have lunch like ah said and well now we got an ampty chair to fill." He smiled motioning her to follow to the house. "Oh I would be delighted to." she smiled back. "We have much to plan after all." > chapter 10 Relief > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Aaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!" He roared, after walking halfway to Fluttershys house, turning towards the nearest tree hitting it as hard as he could with his hooves. "Stupidstupidstupid!" "Why!" He growled slamming his head into the tree. "Must!" *whack* "I!" *whack* "Always!" *whack* "Fail!" The last word didn't have much of the same energy behind it, closing his eyes as he just stood there leaning his forehead at the tree and taking a few shaky breaths to calm himself. "Uhm, are you feeling okay mister?" Turning around to be met by a small white unicorn filly and an orange pegasus filly looking at him. "I uh .....yeah." Blinking a few times as he fully turned around towards them. "How long have you been standing there?" "Uh since we heard your scream, thought somepony was in trouble." The pegasus said. "Unh shoul't uh shodn't unh shouldn't you be at school?" Shaking his head trying to find the right word. "Nope we have summer break right now." The white one smiled. "Oh." Closing his eyes a second to block out the worst of the headache, before looking at them both again and putting a hoof to his chin. "That explains why that filly was home." "What filly?" The pegasus asked raising an eyebrow. "Noone, just continue on your way, I should head home anyway." Shaking his head and waving the question away. "Well we should move on too, come on Sweetie Belle." The pagasus waved her friend back to the scooter and red wagon, filled with who-knows-what. "But-" "Go with your friend." Silvermane sighed, shooing her away with his hoof. "But you are bleeding." Sweetie Belle pointed at his forehead, where a small trickle of blood where about to make a line across his face. "Huh? oh guess it was to be expected." He said putting a hoof to the blood and looking at it to see how much he was bleeding. "What are you doing?" He asked as Sweetie Belle ran back to the cart, taking a small green first aid kit and galloping back to him. "Mm hmmpm!" She beamed at him. "What?" Raising an eyebrow not understanding what she just mumbled. "Pwah, I said I'm helping, now bow down and be still." She said, spitting out the green box and opening it on the ground. "This is uneeded." He protested while bowing down, having to much of a headache to object. "Don't argue, now, you are bleeding, we got band aids and other uh stuff." Sweetie Belle said, holding up a roll of bandage and some band aids. "Bah, it will stop bleeding eventually." Trying to stop the little filly, but instead getting ignored as she rolled out the bandage. "You are not gonna leave me alone until you patch me up are you?" "Nope, dad always said to help a pony who is bleeding, also something else about not trusting anything that bleed for a week and don't die." She shrugged, looking a bit confused at the last part, before focusing her magic to levitate the bandage towards his head. "Come on Sweetie Belle! just patch him up and lets get out of here, we aren't even supposed to speak with strangers." Scootaloo groaned, tapping her hoof against her scooter. "Oh right! uhm mister I'm sorry but my sister actually forbade me to speak with strangers so uhm " Sweetie Belle said, as she finished wrapping the bandage around his head. "Yeah yeah I know, just be on your way, I have to get home anyway, I really need to lay down." He rubbed his forehead with his right hoof and shooing them away with the other. "Well, maybe we see each other sometime." She said putting all the thing back in the first aid kit and galloping towards her friend. "Yeah maybe, bye and well thanks." He waved, as the duo sped away towards Sweet Apple Acres. "Such cute little fillies." He watched as they disapeared out of sight until the whole situation sunk in, looking horrified before galloping as fast as he could towards Fluttershys home. > chapter 11 Trouble? > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- " And that is what you should give him to help him get a nice sheen on his feathers." Fluttershy smiled, placing a bottle of vitamins on the table, shoving it towards her alicorn friend. "Oookay, thank you so much Fluttershy, this will be perfect for him." Twilight said writing down the last words on a small notebook, taking a moment to look at what she wrote, nodding and putting the notepad down on the table and taking a sip from her tea. "But uhm I'm not here only for the tea and the healthcare tips for Owlowicious." "Oh? you're not?" Fluttershy asked, as she poured some more tea in her cup, holding it towards Twilight, who only smiled and shook her head. "No, you see Applejack and Rainbow Dash came by yesterday about something I wished to talk to you about." Looking Fluttershy in the eyes, and drinking the last of her tea cup. "Oh, oh you mean?" Fluttershy mumbled, shrinking back a bit and avoiding her friends eyes. "Silvermane, yes." Twilight nodded. "O-okay I-I guess Applejack told you everything." Fluttershy asked, doing her best to hide behind her mane and at the same time stroking it nervously. "Yes and I am curious how well it goes, since I heard you managed to get him a job at Sweet Apple Acres." "Y-you aren't mad I haven't told you or the girls?" Fluttershy stopped midstroke and looked back up at Twilight. "Mad? no, we are just concerned." She said, giving her an understanding smile. "W-well I understand you might be uhm concerned, but he is really nice and helpfull, he has helped alot around the cottage." Fluttershy said, nervously switching her gaze between the stove, Twilight and her tea cup. "He hasn't you know, been angry at you?" "N-no, why do you ask?" Hunching down trying to make herself as small a spossible, looking at her friend nervously. "Well I heard this morning from Lyra about a stallion of his description, had an incident yesterday at the park." "Oh no.... s-she uhm ....well are they uhm." "Angry?" Twilight asked with a raised eyebrow. "Yes." Fluttershy nodded. "Well that and shocked since they never had any trouble before you know with their relationship." "....W-well he is kinda ... how should I say it." Fluttershy said turning her teacup in her hooves. "Homophobic?" Twilight raised an eyebrow in question. "What? nonononono it-it's not that! he doesn't even know about their relationship." Fluttershy shook her head. "But then why did he get so angry?" Twilight questioned, grabbing the teapot with her magic and filling up her teacup. "I-I'm not really sure I can tell you.." Her friend answered holding out her teacup towards her friends. "Then I won't force you, but be sure to tell anyone of us if you ever get in trouble with him, okay?" Twilight said taking another sip of her tea, seeing her friend give a relaxing sigh and a small smile back. "More tea?" She continued still holding the teapot in her magic. "Yes, thank you." Fluttershy held up her cup letting it be filled, happy that the subject was dropped, atleast for now. "Is that Applejack? didn't she say she was busy today?" Twilight asked, putting down the pot as she looked out through the window lifting the curtain to the side to get a better view. "What?" Fluttershy leaned forward seeing her orange friend trotting towards her homestead. "Oh no, something bad must have happened." > Chapter 12 He Does What? > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Applejack!" Twilight shouted, opening the window, leaning out and giving her friend a wave. "Oh howdy Twilight, didn't expect to see ya here." Applejack smiled returning her wave and walking towards the window. "Could say the same about you." Twilight smiled back. "Well ah got some spare time, is Silvermane here?" Applejack asked leaning in through the window giving Fluttershy a quick nod. "Uh no shouldn't he be with you?" Twilight raised an eyebrow confused. "Well no, he kinda ran into some trouble with Rarity and Big Mac told him to leave." Applejack shook her head glancing over at Fluttershy shrinking down on her chair. "Ah just came to tell him he isn't fired but he needs to understand it will not be tolerated a second time." She continued, looking at Fluttershy whose ears perked up. "He got into trouble with Rarity?" "Yep, 'pparently he has no love for unicorns."Applejack nodded. "He's a racist?" Twilight asked shocked at what she just heard. "Oh no." Fluttershy mumbled as she shrunk down. "You knew about it?" "W-w-we-I-you-ju-I......" Slumping down and avoiding her friends eyes. "S-sorry I should have told you." "So ya did know, why didn't ya tell me?" "I-I was afraid you wouldn't give him a job, h-he really needed it and he's been so nice and helpfull." "Fluttershy I-we can't really be mad at you, we know you had the best intents, but please things like these might be important to know, especially if it's a stallion living with you." Twilight said, thinking for a few seconds before asking. "Has he done ...anything against you because you are a pegasus?" "I-i don't think so..."She mumbled, fiddling with her hooves a bit before looking at them again. "i can't say, he has been uhm a bit uhm.." "Scary?" Applejack raised an eyebrow. "N-no, well yes, but he hasn't been really uhm that mean I just ...." Fluttershy begun, taking a deep breath. "He...he uhm he has walked into my room at night, three times now." "To your room?!" Both Applejack and Twilight asked in union, staring at her wide eyed. "Mhm." Fluttershy nodded, confused at first at her friends stares before it dawned on her. "B-but not like that! he just kind of stand there at the doorway watching me for a moment before going back downstairs." ".......He just walks up to your room in the middle of the night stares at you for a while then goes back down to sleep?" Twilight shook her head staring at her friend. "Uhm yes..." "Ya do know how ...eh weird this sounds?" Applejack asked taking off her hat and scratching her head. "Yes I-I ...do you girls hear screaming?" Fluttershy hung her head, quieting down for a moment as she perked her ears. "Ahm - screaming?" Applejack repeated, turning around towards the the road, spotting a small pinto colt running at full speed towards them. "Twiii-hi-liiight!!" He shouted before coming to an abrupt stop as he dug his little hooves down to stop himself. "Pip? what's going on?" Twilight asked, quickly teleporting herself outside next to the little colt. "T-Twilight uh I mean princess Twilight sir er maam there's *huff* t-there's-" He gasped looking up at the princess. "Okay, Pip calm down take a breath and tell me what happened?." Twilight said patting the colt on the back and giving him a calming smile. "O-okay." Pausing and letting himself catch his breath before continuing. "There is trouble at the market, a grumpy long maned stallion is in a hoof fight with miss Dash."