//------------------------------// // Ch.4 wavering feelings // Story: Where the Earth meets the Sky // by Pecan Pallet //------------------------------// {note: sorry, sorry, sorry for the lateness! some much stuff was happening and I was grounded over winter break, so ya. sorry. besides, one of my few friends is leaving, so it's kind of hard... i also didin't reach my 2k word mark, and i feel i did bad on this chapter... forgive me.} It was like the time Big Macintosh unintentionally bucked Applejack during Apple bucking season. A small hit from the big stallion can really send you flying. Her head was spinning, but she could still make sense of things. Applejack rubbed the back of her head, where the pain seemed to gathering. It stung a little. “Hay, you all right there? Did my foal of a sister sprain anything?” Aj looks up through squinted eye. A gray-blue Pegasus began to approach her, her mane well groomed and neatly wavy. “Ugh, ah’m all right…” Aj said, “I’ve been through worst.” The Pegasus looked over AJ, her red-violet eyes tracing every inch of the mare. She smiles, giving back AJ’s hat back before speaking, “sorry, my sister can be… inpatient. You’re not too hurt, right? I know a little bit of first aid.” Applejack sits up, getting her bearings as she adjusts her hat. “Mah face kinda hurts but it ain’t not’en bad.” A sputter of laughter catches the Pegasus’ attention, her eyes locked to Terra and another Pegasus. Terra was, strangely, not beside AJ, but by the light-cyan Pegasus on the floor. “Excuse me, face hoofed pony here.” The Pegasus beside AJ said, the other Pegasus looking over at the orange mare. Their eyes lock, the two staring at each other. The Pegasus was laying on the floor upside-down, her eyes darting around as she looked at her. Her coat was similar to Rainbow Dash’s, but slightly darker and neater. She had a Blond Mane, her mane being a lot brighter than AJ’s, which was like a fresh bundle of hay. She had very nice and neatly kept wings, even while she was lying on the floor. Applejack has always been envious of Pegasi for having the ability to fly. Oh, how AJ would love to fly… anyways, the mare was wearing a leaf green collar; a small, gold pocket watch necklace was clipped on to it. AJ couldn’t see the pony’s cutie mark though, her plot being covered by a small dress-like cloth. She had nice green eyes; streaks of blue could be identified if you looked closely. Her feathers were falling on her, one falling on her snout before she turned over to get up. The Pegasus shakes off a few feathers before trotting near AJ. “eh, I’m soooo sorry, miss. I, umm,” she hesitates for a second. Her voice was nice, sounding very calming. Applejack interrupts the pony, knowing she would say something like, ‘it was an accident.’ “umm, it all fine. I recon it was an accident.” The Pegasus withdraws, feeling really bad about it. Finally, Terra began to walk back to AJ, kneeling beside her. “so, you’re ok, Applejack?” “oh, ya, I just got hit by a cannon ball, I’m fine.” She thinks to herself. The bluntness of Terra’s question encouraged her to smack him, but she can control herself, unlike some multi-colored pony she knows. She nods her head, “I’ll live…” Applejack’s happy smile from before has faded away, Terra not being all too happy about it. “I’m sorry, I’m reeeaaallly sorry.” The green eyed Pegasus said while approaching Applejack. AJ sighs. “Hay, at least she was saying sorry.” Confidence reassured in AJ’s mind. She tries to crack a fake smile, telling the Pegasus that it was fine. “Excuse me.” The violet eyed Pegasus walks past AJ and started to converse with Terra and the blond Pegasus, asking for Terra’s name. “Who in tarnation is this mare?” Applejack questioned herself, even though she knew she had no answer. “Well, ask Terra. He seems very comfortable with her.” Confidence points out, “Have you seen him so open with another mare before? I don’t think so.” AJ doesn’t get these moments often, but she was right. The first time she ever talked to him, he was as quiet as a dead rat. “So… Terra, you know this Mare?” The orange Mare asked Terra, who looked like he completely forgot about her. “What? Oh, ya I know her… umm, she’s a… an acquaintance!” “Acquaintance, my plot.” For timing, this was perfect. At such moment, the two other Pegasus, which she figured out that they were sisters, began to have a little conversation with themselves. Opening a window to ask about Terra’s “acquaintance.” “Acquaintance? So when did yawl met?” as Terra recites the event of the days before hand, jealous was actually beginning to boil up inside the mare. Terra seemed pretty chirpy as he rambled on, unaware of how AJ was feeling. Normally, this mare wouldn’t be bothered by such a thing, but the way he described their encounter, it made her envious… but discouraged. She ran him over, how does this work? As time flew by, these bad thought slowly dampening the spirit. Now things she never thought of began to flood her mind. “Maybe ah’m not what Terra likes…” Maybe, Terra only thinks of her as a good friend, maybe he doesn’t even have feeling for her. But she was doing it right, she remembered everything what Pecan told her, maybe he was the wrong one. Or maybe she didn’t look pretty; maybe she was too much of a country pony to look good. Sweet Harmony was cute to an extent, but maybe it was her… does he even like my freckles? “Are you nuts, AJ? What gotten in to you? You’re WAY better than that!” Confidence said, working against the currents of negative emotions. “But…maybe…” “AJ, you have nothing to worry about.” Confidence manages to find a foothold in the rushing flow, finding a detail in her mind she didn’t recognized. “Sweet harmony is a Pegasus.” It said, “You know Pegasus and earth ponies don’t mix. It’s like making apple cider with grapes. Now stop being a wet rag and pony up! Use your brain!” Confidence was right, she was being a weak pony, and no pony like that!... but Sweet harmony and the other Pegasus was right there, so maybe she can confess another time… ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After the four exchanged a few more words, Applejack had to leave, as she was supposed to be working. She hated the idea of leaving Terra with the two mares, but it was dusk and Big Mac would start to suspect some then. So with her good spirit drained and heart aching, she stomped her way home, barly saying her goodbyes. “Oh, cheer up, not all was lost.” Confidence salvages the last of her mind in the pile of mixed feelings. “Besides, think of it as this; he’s finally getting friends of his own.” AJ stares at the dusty floor, watching her shadow. If confidence could, he would have sighed and patted AJ on the back. "Stop being so depressing, your making me feel bad." Even the voice in her head was feeling the effects of her emotions. AppleJack sighs “AJ, please stop worrying, Terra is a good pony… he won’t end up like the others…” “Shut it, will ya.” Applejack said out loud, not really caring if any pony heard. She cursed Confidence for reminding her of “them,” but she could only blame herself. She failed to tell Terra her true feeling so she naturally thought about the others. She wanted to forget, but it was hard hiding away such hurtful memories. “But, Applejack-“ “Shut up…” she spoke out again, trying to forget. “Hay, Aj, I was just-“ “Ah said, Shut up!” “Whoa, ok fine, I just wanted to see if you’re ok. No need to hogtie me or anything.” Wait, that was a real pony! She lifts her head. There was a pony was sitting near a post, cheap bandages covering his body. The colt was white, his coat red from some blood. He had a simple black mane, his eyes being a golden hazel. A cut was open on his left brow, but he kept a smile with his minor black eye. It takes her a moment to recognize her injured friend, his “female snout” really confusing her for a second. “P-pecan!?! What in tar- What pony did this to ya?!?” The white colt looks at himself for a second. “What, this? Oh, it’s just a flesh wound.” “Your bleeden…” “I’ve been through worst, ha-ha.” “Ya know, Ah’m not going to ask anymore.” She sighs, not wanting to deal with him. But that would be evading the inevitable, now would it. Besides, other than Big M, he was the only one that knows that... she... "But, enough with me. You’re the main star, here." Pecan trots around her. "So, how things go with Terra?" "..." "... Mission complete? Level up?" There was nothing to be said, her grim silence proclaiming that clearly. AJ pulls her eyes away from Pecan, staring at the ground. "I guess not..." he muttered. "Ah, umm, just don't want to talk about it..." she tried to move on, her cart feeling heavier on her shoulders. He jogs up, matching her slow pace. "You don't need too, I... Kinda saw it. I didn't think a pony can fly so far." she lifts her head, only to be pushed down by her hat. "You also left this..." he removes his hoof, "It must have been bad for ya if you left your hat." "Oh...thanks." she tilts the tip, "Ah just-" "The blond Pegasus, I'm guessing?" she said nothing, but the message was clear. He sighed, "I don't think you'll have any problems with her." he said, "she's a Pegasus, she has no chance." "Ya just don't understand, Pecan..." Pecan scoffs, "Don't understand? Piff, I'm a lot more than you think, Aj. Don't say I 'don't understand' till you really know me." "What?" she ask, Pecan only evading the question. "Come on, let’s get our minds off of this depressing subject." he said with a peckish smile. "Here, I'll even take the cart." he tries reaching for the belts, but Aj steered it away. "Hoho there, tough guy, yer in no shape ta carry this thing. I can manage it fine." "Oh, I'm fine; I'll take care of it." "No, Pecan, your injured." "And? Come on, it's only a scratch. Your stressed out, anyways, I can take it." Applejack shakes her head, refusing again. She like how Pecan can be a gentlecolt sometimes, even though it can get annoying at times. But I guess it’s just his way of being nice. As he pesters Aj about the cart, the two travel back to the Apple family farm. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Oh, Aj, before it escapes me," Pecan says, after successfully acquiring the wagon. "Have you seen Rainbowdash? I’ve been around, and I didn't see her." "Hmm, I can't say I have." she kicks a small gravel rock "Terra asked the same thing early. Said ya were hunting for her, is there something up?" he shoulders the buckle again, "What? Oh it's nothing too important; I just need to speak with her..." "Really? It seems a little urgent. Is there something I should know?" He shakes, "Oh, no, it's fine. It's just nothing." he said, his voice getting low and odd. It's nothing... Just nothing...