Leo was happy he could get a place to stay, at least for a while. Leo let Runa, Irune and Emily sleep in the guest rooms while he slept in the barn. Despite having to sleep on hay, he really didn't complain. He's slept on worse. The next morning, Leo was awakened by Applejack shouting into his ear.
"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty!" Applejack screamed only a couple of inches from Leo's ear.
"MY EARS!!!" Leo screamed as he sat up and covered his ears with his hooves and some hay. He looked to his new landlady and groaned, the pain in his ears still not going away.
"Applejack, what was that for? The sun's not even up yet!" Leo groaned as he got to his hooves.
"Ah know. We gotta get up early to finish applebuckin' fer this season. And with yer help, we could be finished by next week!" Applejack cheered. Leo sighed. It's been a while since he's met someone with a work ethic like this. It was refreshing, but it was annoying if it was too enthusiastic.
"Alright, but what will Runa, Emily and Irune be doing?" Leo asked.
"Irune'll be running the stall. Runa and Emily'll be keepin' the Crusaders outta trouble." Applejack responded.
"Crusaders?" Leo asked.
"They're known fer their crazy schemes that almost always get them into trouble. Yer bound ta see 'em runnin' around tryin' ta get their cutie marks." Applejack said and Leo chuckled. He could remember a couple of kids back in Angel Division that were trying to find ways on how to get their wings.
"I suppose I should get to work?" Leo said and Applejack nodded. He walked out of the barn to get to work. It hadn't even been an hour and he had already cleared about fifty trees, thanks to the help of his wings. By noon, they cleared half the entire orchard.
"Ah think ya earned yerself a break. Why don'tcha head into town and get yerself a bite ta eat?" Applejack offered the sweaty stallion.
"Oh, thanks." Leo said as he made his way to town.
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Leo headed into town and received a few awkward stares.
I should be used to this by now... Leo thought. He wasn't seen as the most popular person back home, seeing as he was an angel and all. Though, the others never knew. It wasn't long until he reached a building that looked like a gingerbread house.
What the hell is with this place? Leo entered the strange building to be greeted with a pink pony letting out a loud gasp as she dashed out the back door, much like when lightning struck. Except this one was pink.
"Did I do something wrong? Do I smell?" Leo asked to nopony in particular as he sniffed his armpits.
"Oh no, dearie. That's just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie." Came the voice of a mare that seemed to be the owner of the store.
"My name is Mrs.Cake. And yours?" Mrs. Cake asked.
"Leo. Can I get a muffin?" Leo said. He had always liked muffins. They were often the first things he would eat when he was in a hurry in the morning. This afternoon just demanded a light snack like this.
"Of course, that'll be two bits." Leo handed over the bits and took a bite into the muffin. Leo walked out of the store to see a rainbow-maned pegasus heading straight for him.
"Get outta the way!" The pegasus shouted. Leo flared his wings and took flight towards the pegasus. He caught her and wrapped both of them in his wings to soften the crash.
"Oww... Thanks for that?" The pegasus said, asking for his name with her tone.
"Yeah. And it's Leo, by the way." Leo said as he and the mare got up.
"Leo? Oh! You must be one of the new ponies in town that Applejack was talking about! Name's Rainbow Dash. A.K.A The Best Flier in Equestria!" Rainbow boasted and Leo grinned.
"Oh yeah? Care to defend that title?" Leo wanted a challenge, not a monotone life. It kind of reminded him of a team mate in Angel Division. Really boastful and probably gets real mad when they lose. It was nice to see someone like this here. Gives him hope in how much fun he can have here in Equestria.
"You're on! But how are you-" Dash cut herself off when she took a look at Leo's wings. They were a glistening black and had feathers that looked like they were as long as griffin feathers. They were also huge. They looked like they were almost the size of Princess Celestia's.
"Nice wings!" Dash complimented and she quickly tried to hide her blush when she remembered an old saying.
You know what they say about big wings... Dash promptly shoved these thoughts out of her head. She just met the guy. How could she think like that?
"Thanks. I preen them when I have time. I still don't understand how you pegasi are able to fly with such puny wings, though." Leo said and Dash answered with both her hooves in front of her face.
"Magic. Let's have that race some other time. I gotta fly." Dash said and Leo nodded.
"Yeah." Leo said as Dash bolted away in a rainbow streak.
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Leo decided to call it day, but not before visiting Irune at the stands.
"Hey, Irune. How was the day?" Leo asked as he approached the cart.
"Hey Leo, I got a few stares and some pink pony gasping and running off, but other than that it was good." She said with a somewhat tired sigh. He knew that sigh. It was that sigh that meant 'I have no idea. This is getting annoying.'
"I know that sigh, Irune." Leo said with a knowing tone.
"It's that sigh that meant you're annoyed. Are you alright?" Leo asked as he leaned on the cart.
"Leo, I'm fine." Irune said as she looked away to hide her expression. Although, it was done in vain. Leo had the uncanny ability to sense another person's emotions. He could tell that she was frustrated and she just wanted to end the day. He understood her plight. He wanted to know more, but he knew he shouldn't pry. She would tell him when she was ready.
"How are your wings?" Leo asked and Irune stared at him.
"Leo, we talked about this." She said in a reprimanding tone. Leo flinched. She would tell him that when she was ready as well.
"I know and I'm sorry. Let me help you pack up the cart and let's head back." Leo said and they began packing up the stall. Leo and Irune walked back to the farm together. Leo opened the barn door to be greeted by a blinding light and and somepony shouting."SURPRISE!"
"AAAAHHHH!!!" Leo flew upwards and hit his head on the top of the barn. He crashed and rubbed the site of his injury.
"Oww...What the- what is this!?" Leo was answered by a pink pony in his face.
"So were ya surprised!? Huh, huh, huh!?" The pink pony practically screamed in his face.
"GAAAHHHH!!!" Leo fell backwards in shock.
What kind of drugs has this pony been taking? Leo asked himself as he got to his hooves.
"Yes I was surprised! But not surprised that my head is throbbing." Leo said rubbing his head to try to relieve the pain.
"Pinkie, I think he got the message." Said Twilight as she trotted up next to Pinkie.
"Ugh, what's this all about?" Leo asked.
"It's sort of a tradition for Pinkie to greet every new pony in town with a surprise party." Twilight said and Leo sighed. He met this type before. The overly energetic type. He really didn't mind them, but this was taking it to the limit. He would have to remember to avoid this Pinkie.
"Now that everypony's here, lets get this party started!" Pinkie shouted.