//------------------------------// // Ch.3 three's a crowd (part 2) // Story: Where the Earth meets the Sky // by Pecan Pallet //------------------------------// “Applejack?... you still with me?” “uhm, oh, what?” “ummm, sorry, just making sure your still lessoning.” Terra nudged AJ with a hoof. “I’m not boring you, am I?” “Oh, Pardon me, I… I was just…thinking.” thinking about him to be honest. It’s been two hours since AJ greeted Terra, the two were just talking about whatever came to mind. Her thoughts must have trailed off when he started saying something about writers block. Since they’ve been talking for a while, they took a seat on the small steps of the Bakery, the very same steps Harmony busted Terra’s head on. Of course Applejack wasn’t aware of this, even while she sat on that very step. Terra was sitting on a higher one, his quill and paper ready for anything that jumped into mind. “Oh, ok.” He shrugs, looking off at the passerby. “Sorry for asking, I just feel like I talk too much sometimes.” he said, as two Pegasi flew passed them and into the shop. “You know, like when Twilight sparkle talks about politics or something like a photon beam. She’s just asking to be discounted.” AJ chuckled a little, being a little guilty to that… now that she thinks about it, what’s a photon? “well, ya don’t talk much to other folk.” AJ spoke up, opening the last of Terra’s dried apple chips. They already ate the other two, AJ eating most of them. Yes, it did belong to Terra and she was eating it, but Terra didn’t seem to mind, one bit. “You just like talking when you got the chance.” “Well… I only feel at ease talking to friends like you. Other ponies… their just harder to manage.” Like a little Fluttershy, Terra gets uneasy around anypony he didn’t know, but surround him with familiars and he should be fine. “I like expressing myself… but… I guess that’s everypony, right?” he said, jotting down a few words on a parchment. “If you can’t express yourself, than what are you living for?” “Maybe they’re just waiting for something good to happen.” AJ said, referring to Pecan Pallet’s Wishful thinking. “Anyhoof, you can count on me to give an ear, Sugar-cube. That’s what friends are for.” AJ said with a smile. “umm, ya… I…thank you, ‘Sugar-cube’? ” Terra said with a flushed face. “Ok, ok, that sounded WAY better in your head, AJ!” Confidence exclaimed in Applejack’s head, her face running rosy. “Tell me that was not awkward at all, please tell me.” The voice said, almost mockingly. Red-faced ones again, AJ took refuge beneath her sun stained hat. “opps. s-sorry, I just umm… it’s a… habit?” it was fairly regular for The orange mare to address friends with ‘Sugar-cube’, but then again, for the longest time the only friends she ever had were Mares. Excluding Pecan, who could be considered a mare. Terra wasn’t even her Stallionfriend! “Not a Stallionfriend, YET!” Confidence said to keep on her good side. “oh, no, I’m okay. It’s just… I never had a Mare call me that before, not even my mother.” The stallion shifted his seat to look at the hiding Mare. Too choked up, she evades his glances. “… and that’s another thing.” Swipe! Like a strong wind, her hat flew off her head and into Terra’s hoofs. She squints as the bright sun flooded her eyes. “Hay, my hat!” she shouted, reaching for it in Terra’s grasp. Laughing hysterically as he played keep-away, Terra placed the hat on his crown. “haha, I like your hat, I think I’ll look good in one!” he played around, keeping a hoof distance from her. “Give it back!” She shouted, now more playful than surprised. She lunged at the chuckling Stallion, falling awkwardly as the two fought for control over the hat. “How do I look, sugarcube!” he shouts. Her jaw took hold of the brim of the hat, pulling it off his head. “Gatcha!” his hoof seized her stomach, the Mare responding with in a fit of laughter. She fell into the dirt, her lungs having difficulty retrieving air. Terra, Caught in the moment, pounced her and continued to tickle the mare with a fake malicious laughter. “N-not fair, HA-HA-HA, Not, GAhahahaha!!!” she bellowed, her senses in a jumble. She pushed and squirmed to get herself free, Terra not letting up one bit. Even The voice in her head was out of it, laughing like mad either from watching them or feeling the effects, itself. Oh, crab-apples, she tells herself, I should have never told him that I was ticklish! Managing to get a footing under him, she pushes him on his side. Tackling him as he rolled on the floor, laughing. The two were crying out in laughter, as if they were young fillies ones again. Their bliss uproar attracting the attention of many bystanders, But at such moment, they could care less. After the Spirited interval, the two laid sprawled on the dust, still laughing hysterically. Terra struggles to gain his breath, having trouble juggling Words, Air, and mad laughter. “haha, man, that was fun! I *breath* I haven’t wrestled like that, Cough, like that since forever!” He snickered a few more times, smiling wide. “like… little filly, forever.” Laying in the dirt and letting the sun beat down on her, the orange mare slowly catches her breath, listening to her rapidly beating heart rate. Laughing between breaths and smiling contently at the stallion, she works out a sentence. “haha…huff…I’ll take more than a simple stallion, Huff, to break this pony!” she enjoyed the moment as it died away, finally picking herself up and dusting off. She tries to disregard the gazes aimed at them as she strides over to her friend. There he was, just resting on the dusty floor in all his brilliance. She took a moment and simply adored the stallion, Terra still chuckling cutely to himself. I cannot say why AJ was so attracted to such a… Normal pony, but love can work in strange ways… but not always merciful… She lends a hoof to her buddy, pulling him back on his hoofs. He was still smiling wide when he spoke. “haha, thanks Applejack.” He looks her in the eyes, his gaze making her warm. “There… that’s a little better.” “Come again?” “Oh, it’s nothing.” He picks up her hat, lobbing it to her like a Frisbee. She catches it with an ear, settling it on her noggin. “Just keep smiling, k?” Keep smiling…? “kew, kew, he likes your smile, ain’t that sweet! XD” Confidence established the meaning behind those words, snickering away as she hushed the voice. “well, I ain’t making no promises, but I’ll try my best.” She begins to walk over to the steps of the bakery. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Why aren’t you done, It’s just cake!” “But there are so many! How can I just choose one?” Lily blossom was being a knucklehead, looming over the displays of imaginative cakes. “This one has fruit, but this one’s pink! I love pink!” she squeaks with joy. I was getting so annoyed by this; I bet I was here for more than 15 minutes. I look around the bakery, sweets still piled on the shelves. “Just Please hurry up, I don’t want to be in this-“ “which one do you think I should choose?” she completely ignored me, Turning to ask the Pink Mare just beyond the counter. “I would choose everything!” the strange Mare shouted, “but I could eat all of them, anyways!” Her huge smile filled with glee and warmth. She laughed, fluttering around the room. Lily sighs, turning back to the colorful treats. Damn, I hate this. I collapse to the floor, Boredom really taking an edge off me. I wanted to see Terra, not be stuck in a bakery all day! Even with the warmth of the ovens in the back, the floors were still cold. Was it like this the other day, too? I was going to continue throwing Terra back and forth in my mind, but I heard Lily say something that broke the last straw of patience. “You have a beautiful Mane, did you do it yourself?” the pink mare stops jumping for one moment and looks at my sister, Lily beating her eyelashes. “YA, I do!” the Pink mare exclaims with great joy, “Actually, I don’t do anything to it, at all!” my sister laughs, making her cutest giggle. “ha ha, that’s so cute… and… and your eyes…” Ok, damn it, having to wait for her is one thing, But if she going to flirt with somepony, then- “I’m out of here!” I march to the door, Lily snapping out of “her mode.” “W-wait! Don’t leave me!” she darts back and forth to me and the cakes. I know I was being inpatient, but I can’t quite help that. Lily always hated being alone, her fear of clowns only taking second place. I was standing at the door, Lily still taking her time to decide. With a final huff, I open the front door, the bell chiming as I did. “see ya outside.” I swing the door wide, a path outside was clear as a runway. I dig my feet in, bolting myself out with tremendous force. the sun hit my face, the outside air brushing past my face. I open my wings, kicking off the top step. With the sun on me and my wings stretched… I crash to the floor. Well… it just so happened that a pony was walking up to the bakery as I bolted out. I think I kicked her right in the face… With my forehoof jolting my shoulders like a hundred watts, I tumbled forward. Man, hitting ones head on the ground was not enjoyable. At least I know how Terra felt, to an extent. I laid there in a daze. Vision hazy and head aching, I tried to untangle my wings, my feathers floating down on me like confetti. I heard a Pony shout out a name, “AppleJack!” the pony said, his blurred figure rushing past me. I could hear a clatter of hoofs, my sister’s voice cutting through the noise. “what the-??? …oh, way to make an entrance, Harmony.” “oh, shut it, sis.” I rub my snout, “it was an accident.” “wait, what did you say her name was?” the pony from before spoke again, my sister probably turning to him and said something. I didn’t hear what she said because my mind was preoccupied. That voice… I heard it before… as the figure moved over me and I blinked a few times, it became completely clear to me. “Is this some kind of habit of yours, ‘sugar’?” I couldn’t believe it, it was Terra! Out of all the ponies to run into, it was him! I couldn’t do anything but laugh. He shook his head, not believing it either. “It’s good to see you, too.” I could hear my sister help the Mare I knocked over, their voices mixing too much to identify any words. I blinked a few more times, my eye site clearing so I could see Terra fully. The stallion’s hair was drooping down as he looked down on me, seeing a very light smile. He was defiantly happy to see me. Seeing the ironic part in this, I couldn’t help but say, “Well, this is ironic, now I’m on the bottom and Your on top!” it takes him barely a second to get it before he jumps away in a cute blush. His reaction was priceless, I couldn’t help but laugh. “H-hay!” he shouted, his deep blush making me giggle even more. “Hahaha, I’m just pulling your leg, hotshot!” “Excuse me, face hoofed pony here.” My sister interrupts, reminding me why we met. From the floor, I look over at the Mare I hit. She was orange, having cute freckles on her cheeks. Her mane was a yellow like mine, but she tied hers up with a red band. For a Mare, she was also well built, but that could just be her being an Earth pony. Earth ponies are naturally stronger than Pegasi and unicorns. She had a hat on too, it was brown and very wide. On her flank were three red apples, which I thought was pretty lame, but that’s more than what I can say about mine. I turn over and got up, scattering more loose feathers. “eh, I’m soooo sorry, mis. I, umm,” The Mare brushes dirt from herself, speaking over me. “umm, it all fine. I recon it was an accident.” Her Accent was heavy, but I actually loved it. Accents where very attractive to me, but I’m only interested in Stallions. My sister on the other hand… Terra trots over to the freckle Mare, kneeling over to her side. “so, you’re ok, Applejack?” she nods, “I’ll live.” I say sorry again, and the mare, named Applejack, smile and said it was fine. “so… who is this?” Lily walked over to my side, “I didn’t catch the name.” I jump to the introduction, taping Terra’s shoulder for his attention. “Lily, this is Terra. Terra, this is Lily Blossom, my twin sister.” “3-seconds older, twin sister,” she said, “but besides that, Now I know you two have met, before.” She raised an eyebrow, “Could this be the reason you tagged along with me?” Fudge, I rat myself out! “so… Terra, you know this Mare?” The orange Mare asked Terra. He stumbled on words, searching for the correct vocabulary. “acquaintance.” He picked up. “Sweet ‘sora’ Harmony…” My sister was now being stern. Well, I guess I had to tell her, eventually. “well…” I look over at Terra, who was speaking to the other Mare. “It’s kind of a long story… but it started the day after the winter wrap-up…” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Note: I know I most likely mest up with Applejack, but I'm not good at making a Country accent. either way, I want to know if you guys like how I write Terra. a fellow brony told me I suck at it, but I was trying somthing new. do you like it? and sorry for the late post, I got it up the other day, but I forgot to publish it. ^^; sorry