//------------------------------// // Ch04: Dark Horse // Story: The Magick of Friendship: Spark of Something New // by Harmony Spirit //------------------------------// The day was beautiful, Rainbow Dash actually seemed to take charge this day, and not a cloud could be seen. Weather was less predictable here, than in Canterlot, as the Pagesus some times brought on rain or storms with no warning, just to keep things feeling natural. Something long lost to ponies, outside Everfree Forest. Ponyville was one of the places in Equestria that tried to rely less on magick and powers, and more on hard work, and traditions. Took Twilight some time to get use to these ways, but she also was fortunate that she was not one that needed to worry about doing much but study. She was on her way toward one pony that knew very well, the traditions and hard work it took to live as a Ponyvillian. Applejack and her family were all hard workers in some form or another. Be they farmers, or trader. All over Equestria, ponies knew the pride and quality that came from the Apple Family. Nearly everything about the family, was held in high regard by it's members. The Magick of Friendship Chapter 4 "Dark Horse" Twilight Sparkle, made her way down the streets of Ponyville. She acknowledged the greetings she received by friends, classmates, and other ponies that were just being friendly. Even though she had met them all in that party, neither she or most of them recalled each other too well. Ponies here were just friendly, to neighbors, or strangers. She was on her usual mission of getting some of Applejack's specialty, and as she moved through the doorway, and started toward her seat, she paused, seeing somepony else sitting there. She did not recognize him, not even a little bit. She decided he was either new here, or just one she could not recall. He faced away, all she could see from her position, was his coat was an off green, with a couple darken spots. He also had a dusty brown mane, that was loose and long. She noticed, that his hand and hooves were yellowish. He was an Earth pony, as far she could see, no wings or horn. Wore a brown leather-like jacket, and similar jeans, all looked well worn. He also had an old hat, much like Applejack's, hung up on the little pegs between booths. It may have been black at one point, but it too was faded. Despite it all, he did not look very old, not much older than her, maybe a bit younger than Big Macintosh. Thinking about that, she realized, he looked like he might be apart of the Apple family. He must have sensed her prolonged stare, and turned his head, looking right at her. She felt herself freeze up, getting stuck in his gaze. His eyes were red, but not like fire or blood, but like the sweetest apples. They were alluring, and hypnotic. Calling to her, if they were real apples, she would be driven to eat them, but as eyes, she could only be helpless in being trapped in their beams. She did not noticed that she was trotting toward him, till she looked down for a brief moment, seeing a bandana around his neck, black and marked with paisleys, looking like a bandit's. She stopped herself, and stood not far from him now. "Can I help ya ma'am?" He spoke in that same accent like the other Apples, and she was more assured that he was related to them. though his was slightly different, something almost dangerous about it. Maybe he was from a more Western part of the southern areas of Equestria that bred those with it. Like those in the newer settlement of Appleloosa She recovered herself, and shook her head. "Oh, I'm sorry, I was just..." She turned inward for a moment "Becoming entranced" Then spoke aloud again. "I usually sit here, so was a bit surprised to see any pony else here" She then thought again "Good save" He started to raise, he was definitely like the older brother of her best friend, tall, but not so built, more slender. He looked like he could move like the wind, if so inclined. She could see that those yellow areas around his legs and arms, also had a spot on his chest. Only showing a bit through a black button up shirt. "My apologies miss, twas just wait'n on my ol pal Mac" It took her a moment, still a bit lost in thought. "Oh, no, you don't have to leave, I can sit some place else" He plucked the hat off the pegs, and smiled at her, that may have been his most dangerous trait so far. "I can respect one who's favors consistencies, some times in life, things are just so random, one needs the little things" He made a fancy motion with putting his hat back on, finished with gliding his fore finger and thumb along the brim, then giving a tip of the hat. "Ma'am" He walked off toward the front counter, taking an empty spot nearest to the kitchen window. Twilight thought it best not to linger, and took a seat, trying not to look over at him. She tried to clear her mind, bringing it back onto thoughts of school, when Applejack came over. She was not looking much better, she seemed worn out, and had a distance in her eyes. "AJ?" Twilight asked, noticing her just standing there, as if waiting for an order. After a moment, the other mare snapped too, and looked down. "Oh, sorry Twi, just a bit... off today" The Unicorn nodded. "I can tell, the notebook is flipped over" With a quick glance, she turned it over, and opened it. "Damn, I hate when he comes around" "Who is that?" Twilight had an idea, but felt the need to ask any ways. "My cousin, he's a bit of a shadow on the family" She gave up trying to cover up the apprehension she felt, and slid into the seat opposite of her friend, with as sigh. "He's been gone for some time, but now he's back around. He and my brother get along pretty well, but me and him, not so much" "So, what did he do, that has you so uneasy around him?" Applejack did not answer right away, as if thinking of the unnamed advent in her past. "Best just leave it at, we've got some history" She clearly did not want to go into it, so Twilight just left it alone. She was about to try and change topics, but the other mare went on. "His name, is Temptation, though some times calls himself Adams Apple. He and his sister live out in Everfree Forest, tells y'all much right there" She was not fully looking, but her eyes were on him as she spoke. "Their mother comes from our family, but she was bucked out before I was around. She was a real trouble maker. Everypony in the family called her by her new given name 'Poison Apple' for she brought nothing but ill" Twilight listened on, as the other told the tale. "Out in Everfree, they say she made contact with the witches said to live there, none of the good ones neither, na, the bad ones. ‘Bubble Bubble’ and that mess" She was starting to sound like a crazy mare, telling tall tales. "None know who she mated with to spawn Temptation, or his younger sister Candy Apple, but when she disappeared, they came to the farm, looking for answers. I was less than Bloom's age when they came, and I saw my parents want'n to get rid of them, but my big brother decided to take em in" "That must have went over well" Twilight decided to try and make it clear she was listening. "Oh it was a big deal, but Mac made some real sense. 'They haven't done nothing wrong, aside being born by her. Any Apple should be allowed to fulfill their duties to the family. Tradition says that any of our kin must work on the farm a year, before they can be sent out into the world on their own. That should mean even if they are being bucked out'" Twilight nodded, as she went on. "So with that, they decided to let them stay. Neither of them had any farm sense. He was too scrawny to be a workhorse, and she was too easy goin' to focus much on what we gave her. They never caused trouble, but they didn't work as much as they should have" She did not go on, leaning back into the booth, looking a bit more aggravated. "So... why did they leave?" Twilight was a little hesitant to ask, but her curiosity had the better of her. "It was for the best, they all finished their year on the farm, and decided to go into the Everfree forest" She got up, probably a mixture of, not wanting to go on, and needing to get back to work. Seemed to be more to them leaving, but she was not about to go into it. "I'll see y'all in a bit" "Ok Applejack..." She wanted to know more, but also did not wish to press her friend into a topic she was clearly uneasy on. She considers asking Big Macintosh, or maybe Apple Bloom, but she felt that would be rude to do so. Twilight stuck around for an hour or so, but Applejack was not too talkative, so after a while, she decided to head on out. She made sure to let her friend know, and was off. Outside, she made her way back home, to get onto her studied. She heard the sound of a Pegasus rocketing through the air, and knew it had to be Rainbow Dash. As much of a show off as she was, she made sure that even flying, gained her attention. She was no where near as bad as Trixie, in her need to be the best. Instead of bringing others down, she worked to make herself the best. The blue mare spotted Twilight, and did a loop, then sped toward the ground. The Unicorn covered her head, fearing a crash, but with a quick mid-air flip, Dash landed skillfully. "Yo Sparks" Twilight recovered, and looked at her. "Hello Dash, enjoying the day I see" "As always" She grinned. "What'cha up too? Already leaving Jackie?" "Yeah, she is in a bit of a funk, her cousin is in town" "Temptation? Oh damn..." She looked toward the shop. "How is she acting?" Rainbow Dash, being one of Applejack's oldest friends, was not surprising she knew something. "A bit distracted and distant" "Thought so..." "D... Do you know anything about why gets so worked up around him?" Twilight was hoping she did, but also feeling a little guilty for going behind her friend's back. "No," That came as a mix of relief, and disappointed. "She never talks about it, and he doesn't either. Also Mac doesn't seem to know anything either. What ever it is, it's strictly between them" She turned. "I gotta go, maybe I can get her into a better mood" She snickered. "Maybe not better, but at least outta this one. Later Sparks" Living up to her name, she dashed toward Apple Cider's. She was fast, land or air, but air was clearly her element. *** Twilight hoped to get her mind off the whole thing, and buried herself in studying. She spent the rest of the day, well into the night, reading her lessons. She realized the time, and went for her Bay-B, to check messages and get ready for bed. She rummaged her bag, but found nothing in there. "Oh no..." She looked around her pockets, and anything else she had today, thinking where she last saw it. "Cider's" She declared, recalling having it out for a brief moment before leaving. She got up, and threw on some simple cloths she could go out in. She looked over at Pinkie, who had fallen asleep some time ago. The sight made her wonder if they would be open, or anypony was around. She decided to try any ways, help to wear her out, so she could get some sleep. She always seemed to be more awake after a long cram, than any other time. She made her way down the main streets, and looked around. She never been out at night in Canterlot, and never so late here. There were very few faces in the town, some ponies, but mostly, other visitors and neighbors who moved to Ponyville from various places. She noticed the majority of these creatures, were the near demonic looking Gargoyles. She heard stories of these beings, who were stone in the day, and flesh at night. This was the first time she had seen them. Day or Night, the citizens seemed no different. Some greeted her, as she passed them, as if she was no different. She was feeling nervous, but it really felt the same as the day. Darker, and new faces, but the same in nearly every other way. She passed some shops she had seen open in the day, and felt more hopeful that AC's would be one too. She also noticed some places that she now recalled, never were open before. She was only a bit worried at the sight of a couple stores that were not there in the day. She would have to look into this another time, she was on a mission now. She came upon Apple Cider's, and found it was open. She hesitated, not sure herself to why, but she did. After a moment, she walked in, and looked around. It was far less busy, but there were still creatures and ponies here. She moved toward the counter to see if anypony she knew was around. She did not know who would be around, when the four of the family she knew, worked the days. Then she realized it, by the time a glossy red mare walked over. She reminded Twilight of Pinkie Pie, for as pink as she was, this pony was red, even her eyes were a deep maroon, almost brown. Like an apple stem. "How do Miss, what can I do ya fer?" She was clearly an Apple, she had the accent, the little freckles around her eyes, and she looked like the one she met earlier. She surely was Candy Apple. "Oh, yes. I was here earlier, and think I left my Bay-B here" "Baby? Sorry, but ain't no babies around here" She was clearly not serious, as she had a smile, an almost unsettling. "Oh well... uh" "I'm only foal'n y'all, sure are a serious one partner. Well I ain't so sure, but I can go look" "It's ok, Applejack might have it..." She tried to back out, but the other was not letting go so easy. "AJ? Y'all a friend a hers? I'ma sure she'd have put it around her some where" She looked around, then disappeared under the counter. Twilight tried to look over, too see where she went, but she popped back up before too long, startling her. "This'n?" She held it up. "Mighty fancy one here, y'all must be somethin' special" She laughed, in a way Twilight was not sure how to take. "No, I just... like the model" She decided to lie, to avoid staying too long. She was tired, and feeling a bit uneasy around her. Was not sure if it was just her, or because of Applejack's feelings. "Well, you look like you want to git, so I won't keep y'all" She smiled, and for the first time, it did not seem to hide anything. "Thank you... take care" The other winked, and Twilight moved away. She was not far, when she bumped into another pony. She started to apologize, then she stopped, looking into the Red eyes of Temptation. "Pardon me Ma'am" He simply said. He studied her a bit, and smiled. "I remember y'all, that mare from earlier" "Y...Yes, that was me" She laughed nervously. "Applejack's friend, if'n I'm right" She only nodded slowly. "Any friend of hers, is a friend of mine" "I hate to seem rude, but I must be going... I have school tomorrow" He nodded, and stepped aside. "I wouldn't want to keep y'all. Some time, y'all should stop by. I'd like to talk with y'all some time about Applejack. She won't say much to me, and I'd like to know how she is doin'" Twilight started for the door, and nodded. "Yeah, uh... I'll see about it... Well... night" "Ma'am" He had no hat on, but he dipped his head a bit. He, like Applejack, and any of the others, dressed for the shop, and not how they were on the street. She made it home, a bit more confused then before. Neither seemed as bad as Applejack made them, but she also felt something hidden in their smiles. She did not know how to treat his request either. One hoof, she could go, and maybe learn about what he and her have in secret, but the other hoof, she does not want to end up hurting AJ. She sat on her bed, watching Pinkie sleep. She was now half on the floor, half her face into the floor, legs over the bed. She wished she could live so worry free as the pink pony, she did not care who it was, she would be friends with anything. Making the best of any situation, and try to get everypony happy. "I am going to try, maybe I can help fix something that was broken long ago... Something I have no idea as to what it is..." She laid into her bed, and tried to get some sleep. *** The rest of the week went on as pretty much normal, Applejack seemed okay, since her cousin had not been around. Both of them were doing the nights at the shop, so she did not have to see them. She learned the much from Big Macintosh. Friday came, and so Twilight thought it was the right time to go out and talk with Temptation. She chose to wait till Applejack was sure to be gone, since she would have a problem with this meeting, and she only was hoping to help out her friend, not cause a problem. She saw those same creatures for before, not so scary as she recalled. They acted as any pony did, just most not ponies, and it was night. She made her way to Apple Cider's, passing one of those ghostly shops, that seem to only appear at night. She could see inside, and was shocked by the sight of ponies that looked long dead, and some seemed to be impossibly alive, or at least moving. She was doubting they were living. In a slight panic at the sight, after one looked her right in the eye, with the one it had left, she started to back down the path. She was paying attention, till she bumped into something. She could not move, afraid to look at what it could be. She felt fingers lightly grip her shoulder, and she yelped, and jumped away. She looked at what was there, and saw Temptation standing there. "Howdy Ma'am" He said, and she calmed her self a bit. The other creatures were looking at her, when they passed. "Y'all seem rather jumpy, what has y'all in a freight?" She hesitated, and dared a glance toward the shop. "I... I just saw... dead ponies..." He moved closer, looking with her at the ghostly store. "Ain't never seen them before? They are about the night most often" "I do not... usually go out at night..." She was starting to find a good reason why. Gargoyles, and beastly creatures, but zombies? Ghosts? In all the world, she never imagined they were real. "Really now, y'all seem to be a night type. Might be just the colours" He looked at her now, then turned. "Well they ain't nothin' like I'm sure y'all heard. Right nice folks, just a bit smelly some" He paused again, studying her, she saw, and looked a bit nervous. "Would a taken y'all for a Necromancer" "What? Me?.." She knew just what they were, rulers of death and life, and more often then not, some of the most evil creatures. Often too, creatures that have given their own lives away for the eternal unending existence of the dead they control. She was unsure of the zombies being “normal” but she started to wonder about Necromancers being all bad. "Black magick? Anything?" She shook her head quickly. "Hmm, well guess I'm slippin', usually can pick up on ponies" He turned more, heading toward Apple Cider's. Twilight hesitated, then followed. She sat at her spot, watching the others around the store, half fearing to see an undead come in. That started her to wonder if they ate normal things, or if they only ate flesh and brains like the stories always said. "Ma'am?" She nearly jumped hearing the male pony trying to get her attention. She did not notice him come up. She looked at him, clearing her mind of the zombies, and then calmed down. "Sorry, just lost in thought..." "Not a problem little Missy, but what can I do for y'all?" If anything, he was a good employee, more and more, she wondered what he did, that cause her friend to be so averted to him. "Oh, sorry, I am so use to AJ just bringing me things" She laughed a bit. She wondered too, if she should have a coffee so late. "Well actually, was hoping we could talk, when you had some time" "Well sure. Just give me a moment" He walked off, and was gone not for too long, when he came back with a couple cups, and sat across from her. "Hope y'all like coffee" He pulled over the creams from the end of the booth. "I make it pretty dark, but if'n you want, plenty of this stuff to tame it" "Thank you, I love coffee" She too a drink, and her eyes widened. "Oh Mare, that is strong" "If'n it's too much..." "No no, it is good, just been a bit since I have had full coffee. AJ always gives me her signature brew" He leaned back, taking a drink of his. "She is fond of y'all then. She doesn't give that one out to much" Twilight nodded. "How is my cousin? Like I said, and sure she must've told y'all, that she doesn't speak to me" "Yeah, she has said that... She has been doing well, I have only known her a few weeks now. Why not ask Big Macintosh? She said you two were friends" "True, but as a big brother my self, I know he'd never tell me the truth, if something was wrong" He slacked his posture a bit. "Do wish we all could talk again. Not much of the family cares fer me or my little sister, all account of our mother" "I do not know much about it, she did not wish to speak much of anything, just bits about you two coming to work for Sweet Apple Arches and how Big Mac stood for you two" He nodded. "Well, out mother was a pretty evil pony. She manipulated others, and tried to use her ways to gain control over the family. She was bucked out of the family, and she lived out in Everfree for a time. That's why me and Candy live there now, just more at home" He paused to take another drink. "The whole family thinks we all are just like her, or are bandits, or criminals. So me and her just stay away" He took another brief pause, changing the topic a bit. "Big Mac asked me to come by, cause they wanted to extend the hours here to all night, and knew we all were more night types. He knew I could hoof this place, and it'd still be in the family" "If it is just you and Candy?" Twilight asked, after a quick sip. "We have a couple other helping, same as the day. I'm no here every night either, but we're the ones running the night shift" There was a silence, Twilight was not sure what to think. It all seemed like he and his sister just had a bad situation, and none of it their fault. Still was one lingering doubt, and she hesitated to ask. "Bet y'all wondering, why she hates me?" He could read ponies pretty well, or he knew that was what was always in others minds who knew something was up between the two. "Well... I uh..." He shook his head. "Don't worry about it, but I cannot tell y'all, she and I swore to keep it between us. But it's something that will always keep us apart it seems. Something I'll regret as long as it does so" He started to get up. "I should get back to work" She could feel the sadness in him, and that he was about at the end of wanting to think of the past. "Ok," She was not quite so pleased that it ended there, but she respected their pact, and how he felt. "Was nice to talk to you Temptation" He laughed. "Y'all can call me Adams Apple, though I'll wear the other, it’s the name my mother gave me" He paused. "Don't believe I have y'all's name" "Oh, it's Twilight Sparkle" This made him laugh again. "Sure y'all ain't a night pony?" She shook her head, and smiled. "Nope, just a regular Unicorn" He nodded. "Well even'n Miss Twilight" "Night, Adams”