//------------------------------// // Act I: Crash Landing // Story: Responsibility // by Silbern //------------------------------// Crash Landing By: Silbern “Applejack!” The orange earth pony dropped the last bucket of apples onto the cart before turning her head sharply at the call. Her ears perked up and she could tell instantly that it was Uriel and by the tone of his voice, not in a great situation. She took off from the main dirt road that lead through the Sweet Apple southern orchard dodging trees as she went deeper until she was confronted with the menace. Before her was a cyan pony dragging away poor Uriel by the tail, his hoofs digging in as they displaced the soil. “Applejack!” the distressed Alicorn called out with relief seeing that possible rescue was only moments away. “Now what in tarnation is going on here?” AJ could only ask as she relaxed knowing that her new friend wasn't being eaten by parasprites or sitting in poison joke. Rainbow Dash had already gained some altitude as her wings pumped furiously just to gain mere inches from the Alicorn below. “Uriel is wasting his time with this ridiculous apple bucking! He needs to learn how to fly!” Rainbow Dash shouted after spitting out the blue and red mane from her mouth. Uriel just stayed still on the ground not knowing if he would need to hold onto a nearby tree or not. “Imagine how fast these suckers could go!” Rainbow quickly landed and with one hoof extended a white wing far just to hammer in her point. “Ah'm sorry Dash but with Big Mac gone ah only have Uriel ta help.” Applejack simply refused as she shook her head once but when she gazed back upon the pegasi pony she simply found large puppy dog eyes. AJ only rolled her eyes and turned to head back to the cart she had left on the dirt path. “Ah'll give ya thirty minutes tops then it's back ta work with the both of ya!” the Earth pony gave in knowing she had another chore to keep her occupied until she would have to call the Ponyville doctors because Uriel landed on something hard no doubt. This orange pony knew what happened when Rainbow Dash tried to instruct any pony on any thing. Uriel stretched out one of his forelegs towards AJ but neither his pouting face nor movement stirred any rescue from his new instructor Rainbow Dash. With a sigh he simply gave in to his fate, he got to his four hoofs as he examined a beaming smile directed at him. “Time to see these bad boys in action!” “Rainbow Dash, why are we on a cliff face?” Uriel asked as he kicked a pebble off the edge and watched it descend until it finally hit the bottom which was over a hundred meters below. The Alicorn cringed as the thought of becoming that pebble seeming highly unsought for. “I want to reenact your time with AJ and the train. You said that you jumped off a cliff and then began to glide which is amazing considering you have no experience.” Rainbow started to explain as she flapped her wings in exercise. “For starters we will see if you can really flap those wings correctly like I showed you. Go!” She shouted as if it was a race. The white Alicorn only let out a sigh before the stallion closed his eyes and began concentrating on his task. The two feathery wings stretched to a comfortable position as Uriel opened one eye to spot Dash giving him a head nod. “Now flap! Give it all you got!” Rainbow ordered and with a bright smile she found that her student not only was executing perfect form but the gust he was pushing backwards was amazing. It was defiantly something you wouldn't want to do in fragile glass shop. A small smile started to grace Uriel's face as he could feel his muscles working in unison. Each beat of his wings seemed to lift his spirit ever higher. Each inch that he was rising in the air that much more free from any earthly shackles. This however was when Uriel's eyes opened in sudden shock as he looked down to see he was now hovering a few meters from the ground. “Ah crap! Help Rainbow Dash!” He simply shouted in panic but when he looked around for the cyan pegasi he found himself in despair. “You're doing great!” A sudden Dash appeared close to his face as the pony grabbed a hold of Uriel's fore hoofs. “Now angle your wings slightly, that's it!” Rainbow instructed with cheer as the white Alicorn found himself slowly propelling himself forward. “It usually takes Pegasi a few days at least to get to this process! I guess there is a special knack in you that you've kept hidden away there eh Uriel?” Rainbow joked as she let go of her student to his dismay. Between panicking and just trying to comprehend anything Rainbow Dash was saying was his simple want. The want to simply bind his wings to his sides, never to try flying again and the other want to soar all across Equestria. It was simple to see which was winning as the stallion narrowed his eyes and leaned slightly forward. The large white wings soon began to pump quicker and Rainbow only watched as her expression went from overjoyed to worry. “Ok there tough colt, foal steps at a time” The mare tried to warn him but soon found her student flying not only pass her but picking up an incredibly amount of speed. “Uriel wait!” She shouted before picking up speed herself “Oh my gosh, AJ is going to freak!” Twilight Sparkle was trotting down the road towards Sweet Acres with a smile on her face and a bounce in her step. With only slight overcast in the skies and a nice breeze that rolled over the hills it was starting to seem like a fantastic day. A sudden blur of white streamed past her as the studious unicorn waved her hoof in greeting “Hello Uriel!” She said as she kept up her speed until coming to a dead stop turning her head sharply to the Alicorn flying away. “Twilight!” a voice shouted out as a cyan pegasus pony landed nearby. “Have you seen Uriel?” Rainbow asked quickly as she motioned her head everywhere as if to be expecting a blue and red tail sticking out of a nearby bush. “Please tell me you haven't been instructing Uriel, a possible Alicorn royal, in how to fly. The ability of flight that is now directing him straight to the center of town?” Twilight asked before turning and getting ready to run. Dash had already went into a hover before placing a hoof on her mouth trying to think of a way to make it sound less critical “Umm. Yes?” She shrugged. Twilight didn't even bother answering in any manner except for a dead on run towards the center of town. This feeling was indescribable! Uriel could only hold a large grin on his face as he sped over the soft packed dirt road beneath him. Small dust tornadoes would raise and die just as quick but the white pony didn't pay them any mind. He had already conquered slight turning but at his speed he found it harder to even move from his current flight path. “Must. Slow. Down!” Uriel now let some fear into his tone as he lowered his wing speed but that moment found him stumbling. Turbulence soon turned his steady flight into a continuous cork screw. “Help!” “I'm telling you Thunderlane, the only way you will have any chance with that mare is if you go and talk to her!” A light tan pony said sternly to the black coated stallion beside him. The two had been waiting for the mayor for a good twenty minutes but both also knew she already had plenty to deal with. “That may work for you bud but for me it's like trying to figure out a one thousand piece puzzle in under a minute. Damn confusing.” Thunderlane admitted his mare problems. “My tongue knots up and my left wing does this nervous twitch that makes me look like a complete Arse!” Thunderlane almost shouted as if the embarrassment from past experiments lived in his head. “Hey!” A donkey shouted in annoyance. “Sorry!” Thunderlane said lowering his head slightly as if to avoid any imminent objects flying his way. “How about if I take you out for a night of drinking huh?” Starburst asked as a large grin graced his face. It was that same grin that made Thunderlane squint his eyes with distrust to his best friend's idea. “I swear we won't end up in Manehatten again!” Starburst said followed by a nervous chuckle. Thunderlane was about to say something until the stallion heard what sounded like a plea for help. Raising an eyebrow in confusion he looked around for only a second until there was a sudden crash that filled the room with dust and debris. The two stallions coughed furiously until the cloud of dust settled and their eyes adjusted to the sight before them. “That can't be.” Thunderlane stuttered as his eyes were wide in shock. “What in the hay is going on here?” Mayor Mare slammed her office door open in anger to the disruption only to let her jaw hang open. She spotted the large hole in the town hall ceiling first and then the culprit second. “Is is is that?” The mayor stammered as the older mare tried to comprehend what was going on. “Well don't just stand there! Help the Prince up!” The Mayor ordered the two pegasus ponies who were standing dumbstruck until the Mayor caught their attention. Thunderlane and Starburst only nodded as they bolted to the white Alicorn's aid. After a few moments of getting the poor thing to it's hoofs and a slight shake of it's head did they get to see him fully. Standing taller then even the resident giant Big Macintosh and wing span that would make any mare pegasus flutter, he was defiantly Prince material in their eyes. The thought brought on their wave of bowing as the mayor took a hoof step forward before bowing herself. “Are you ok my Prince?” The Mayor asked as she stood from her bow, a slightly confused look still gracing her face. Thunderlane and Starburst walked up beside the Mayor with equal expression of awe and confusion. 'Play it cool Uriel' the white Stallion thought to himself as his vision started to regain normality. “Why yes!” Uriel slammed one of his hoof's down as if to hammer his point down. “Could one of you please point me to the nearest bathroom?” the Alicorn asked with the best royal voice he could muster and to his desperate delight he was shown to a door only a few hoof steps away. “Well that was odd, especially for a prince.” The Mayor noted out loud as both pegasus ponies nodded their head in agreement. “Did any of you happen to catch his name?” the elder mare asked but instead of the answer she wanted, the town hall was soon filled with the sound of a certain pony vomiting from within the bathroom. “Ah trusted you to keep watch over him for less then thirty minutes!” the Earth pony shouted in anger as her legs carried her in haste to Ponyville. “Hey! We were doing fine until your coltfriend got cocky and bolted towards town!” Rainbow Dash tried to shift the blame on the missing Alicorn. She hovered slightly over her running friend making sure to keep the same speed. AJ gave the flying mare a quizzical expression as Ponyville was coming into view. “Uriel is not ma coltfriend! Jus' a friend Dash.” Applejack shot back her remark in a defensive tone before picking up speed, her head lowered so her hat could cover her face. “I may not be a egg head but I have noticed the looks you would give him when that stallion looks away.” Rainbow said as a small grin was slowly appearing knowing she hit the target. Rainbow Dash has known Applejack for a long time and knew that stubborn earth pony only loved one thing beside her friends and family, the apples. “Heck, it might do you some good to focus on something besides the farm for once. Maybe wrap yourself in some nice Alicorn attention.” “Rainbow!” Applejack shouted as her level of embarrassment had peaked. With cheeks a blazed with red she simply lowered her head again as her eyes focused hard. The two ponies entered town and to their astonishment it was slightly deserted. “It's almost lunch time, where is every pony?” Dash asked as she spun in the air until she witnessed a pony trotting close by in excitement. “Junebug!” Rainbow shouted as she flew to the mare, AJ following right behind her. “Where is everyone?” Dash asked the orange earth pony who simply smiled back. “Heya Dash, Applejack!” Junebug greeted. “You haven't heard? There's a Prince at Sugar cube corner attending one of Pinkie Pie's parties!” She explained as she trotted to Sugar Cube Corner herself. “Uriel!” AJ and Dash said in unison as their eyes widened in realization. Without even saying goodbye they ran towards the famous bakery only to see a large crowd of ponies waiting at the door. Out of them all they already spotted Twilight, Rarity and Fluttershy. “Girls!” AJ shouted as their heads turned to see their friends. “He's inside but we have a slight problem.” Twilight explained as she raised one hoof to point towards the door. AJ tipped her hat downwards as she let her serious eyes come out to play. “Not fer much longer we won't.” AJ simply said as she pushed through the line as the ponies tried to reject the new comer. When they turned to see AJ however they thought better of it as they simply moved aside. AJ found herself inside as streamers soon were caught in her hat and some dance music played almost covering up the pony chatter. “Uriel!” Applejack shouted at the top of her lungs while simultaneously slamming one of her hoof's down. The white Alicorn stopped mid dance as the music was also abruptly halted. All eyes soon focused on the farm pony but hers was solely on the stallion who was dancing adjacent to Pinkie Pie. “Ah need to borrow yer kitchen Mr. And Mrs. Cake. Come with me Uriel.” AJ asked nicely although her tone betrayed her. “Uh go right ahead Applejack.” Mrs. Cake just nodded her head unsure exactly what was going on. After the door shut behind the slightly frightened stallion he knew he was in for it. “Ah trusted ya not to do something foolish Uriel!” AJ had lowered her voice but the anger was still present as it showed in both her eyes and tone. Uriel reeled slightly knowing he was in the wrong. “I'm sorry Applejack but I couldn't stop! You wouldn't be blaming me if you knew how flying feels!” Uriel tried elevate some of the pressure off of him but to no avail. “Ya don't understand Uriel!” Applejack rejected his statement flatly. The earth pony was looking deep into the Alicorn across from her and almost forgot about his situation. Letting in a deep breath then breathing out AJ tried to calm herself down. “Ah need your help at the farm Uriel. Ah trusted you because ah thought you knew what it was like ta have work come before anything else in life. Apparently ma trust was misplaced.” AJ said with sadness etched on the edge of her voice. Her eyes dropped to the floor before leaving out the back door of the kitchen. “Applejack!” Uriel shouted as he ran to the door but AJ didn't even bother to turn to look at him. The Alicorn planted his rear right on the door step and let his head droop. Her words stung deep, deeper then he had ever expected. Uriel raised his fore hoofs so he could look at them which turned to disgust and anger. “I didn't want any of this Applejack! I just wanted to go home!” Uriel shouted even though he knew no pony was listening. Storming off in the opposite direction of the earth pony went a confused and angry Uriel who fought with his inner thoughts. “I just wanted to throw a party to welcome Uriel to Ponyville.” Pinkie Pie pouted as she rested her head in her hoofs. Rarity placed a hoof on the pink pony's back as Twilight walked out onto the road looking at AJ walking off and Uriel walking off in the other direction. “Ok girls we need a plan. Uriel trusts only Applejack to any extent and we will need his trust if we are to protect him from Discord.” Twilight started to think as her eyes rested on the two Pegasi ponies. “Dash! Fluttershy! Go catch up with Applejack and try your best to cheer her up. The rest of us will follow Uriel and try to convince him to return to Sweet Apple Acres. Let's move out!” Twilight finished her rough plan as the mares raised from their dreary state with confident faces. Fluttershy and Rainbow beat their wings as they took off after their distressed friend while the rest ran after their new friend with hope in their hearts. Uriel watched as the sun was setting on the horizon and instead of enjoying a dinner he was sitting under a tree. He wanted to scream but found no energy for it nor the will. All he wanted was a one way ticket back home where he would pick up his fathers empties in the morning and slip a fifty in his wallet to help with groceries. Hell, he even missed the snob that came in the morning for a coffee and a bagel! This pony reality was just something so vastly different he found himself torqued inside. “Ah beg yer pardon gentlecolt but are ya lost?” A voice spoke up from behind Uriel which made his eyes jump open in surprise and his wings fluttered for a moment. He recognized the accent and for a moment thought it was AJ but the voice sounded different. Turning his head he then noticed a small pony, probably a child, looking up at him with a big ribbon on her head. He was about to say something until the filly jumped in the air with surprise before bowing her her head to the ground, something Uriel recognized all too well. “Ah'm sorry fer bothering you yer majesty!” She said before taking a few steps back. “Wait!” Uriel spoke out not exactly sure what he wanted from the young one. “I'm no Prince. You don't have to bow your head to someone like me.” Uriel tried to put on his best comforting smile to try and convince the filly as he witness one of her eyes open up to see the laying stallion looking at her. “I promise I don't bite either.” Uriel added with a chuckle thinking that if it worked for kids on his planet then he assumed it may for this one. His plan seemed to work as the filly walked up beside the pony and gave him several funny looks tilting her head from one side to the other. “Then why do ya have both a horn 'nd wings? Doesn't that make ya royalty or somethin'?” She asked suddenly full of questions which made Uriel's smile grow slightly larger. 'Curiosity seems to be something ever child has no matter the species' Uriel simply thought to himself. “Granny Smith told me that if they have both a horn 'nd a pair of wings then their something special.” She explained and the thought bothered Uriel. Although he could see Princess Celestia and Aunt Luna being nice ponies to their subjects, what does being born with something make you better or worse then others? So what if you have no wings nor a horn? “I'll tell you what I think, miss?” Uriel asked raising an eyebrow at the filly who now laid beside him. “Name's Apple Bloom! Nice ta meet ya!” the mare introduced herself with excitement. Uriel was a little dumbfounded for a moment before it clicked in that this filly had to be related to Applejack in some way or another. “Well Miss Apple Bloom I think what makes a person,” Uriel paused for a moment as he thought his words out. “I mean pony. I think what makes a pony great is what's inside of them. If you want to fly with the birds then believe in yourself.” Uriel tried to sound as inspiring as he could considering he knew how impressionable youngsters can be. Apple Bloom laid there as she stared off into the sunset. “Ah don't really want to fly but ah think ah understand. Ah want ma darn cutie mark though if ya have anything special fer that?” Apple Bloom smiled with high hopes in her plea. Although Uriel had no idea what a cutie mark was he shook his head knowing he probably didn't have any. Apple Bloom let out a sigh of defeat but she knew it was a long shot. “What are ya doing out here then Mr.?” Apple Bloom followed suit as she asked for his name in a similar manner. Uriel could only chuckle as he watched the sun slowly disappear behind the mountain curtain. “My name is Uriel, glad to meet you.” Uriel answered the easier question first knowing the second one was slightly harder to explain. “Well, I made a friend upset due to me being stupid and not thinking everything through.” “Is this pony yer special somepony?” Apple Bloom fluttered her eyes feeling that she may be able to make use of her matchmaking skills once again! “Special somepony?” Uriel said confused until he made a few connections in his head. “Oh. Oh! No, no, no Apple Bloom. She is not that kind of pony to me.” Uriel tried to deflect the conversation subject away even though his embarrassment slightly flustered to his cheeks to betray him. “Ah ha! So she is something special to you!” Apple Bloom said as if finding the final and conclusive clue to a great mystery puzzle. “Whoa now Apple Bloom. She's kind and has a good personality about her but it would be way too sudden for something to happen.” Uriel put that idea of the Filly's to rest. He then raised his head high in confusion as he contemplated dating a pony. “Apple Bloom! Come on back!” A voice called out as the small filly quickly stood and cursed to herself. “Ah'm sorry Uriel but my big brother is calling for me. I hope you and your special somepony work things out!” the filly called out before running through some bushes. “Thanks I suppose?” Uriel asked the darkness as the sun was now hidden and the moon was high in the sky. After an hour has passed and the air grew with a slight chill did Uriel notice a soft glow coming from the trees. “Uriel! Dear, what are you doing out here?” Rarity ran up as she held a lantern with her magic so it was suspended slightly overhead. “You absolutely must come to my boutique to warm up. Hurry now.” the white mare ordered as if the Alicorn had no opinion in the matter. She poked and prodded him until he finally gave up and stood with the now victorious fashion designer. The two made their way out of the wooded area as they noticed two ponies who jumped with excitement upon seeing the stallion. “I'm sorry Uriel!” Pinkie Pie practically pounced Uriel but instead of wearing a frown he simply smiled to her as he continued walking with the pony on his back. “It's alright Pinkie Pie. You found me wondering the streets and invited me in to the shop. If anything, you helped me.” Uriel said trying to wash away any blame that may still linger in Pinkie's conscious. The last thing he wanted was any of these girls to feel like it was their fault. A sudden landing of blue and pale yellow diverted every ponies attention. “I'm so so sorry if we are interrupting” Fluttershy apologized before the other ponies could even say a thing. “Applejack is calm now but she isn't too happy no thanks to you!” Rainbow Dash trotted over to Uriel as she gave him a look directly in his eyes that spelled 'You're Scum'. Uriel however never backed away but instead held his ground, his eyes never trailed from Rainbow Dash's. “Where is she?” the Stallion asked with purpose and motivation in every word. Fluttershy took a few steps forward “She's in the south fields by one of the large hills with only one apple tree on it.” “Thank you Fluttershy.” he thanked as she gave a squeak for a thanks. “I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused you girls today. I know you have your own lives and looking after me is probably more then annoying.” Uriel turned to thank the other mares who simply smiled. “Don't mention it! Maybe next time we can throw an awesome party for all of Ponyville!” Pinkie Pie suddenly grew excited as she trotted in circles naming the supplies she would need and the ponies she would have to send invitations too. “Applejack is good at picking out the good apples from the rotten ones Uriel.” Rarity started as Twilight walked up beside her. “That includes ponies as well. Your a friend to us Uriel and if you need help we are never far from Sweet Apple Acres.” Twilight said as she gave the Alicorn a slight nudge. Uriel took that as his cue as he turned towards a mare that needed to hear his apology. His wings stretched far as the mares stepped back giving him some room before their manes were blasted back with the sudden gust of wing signalling Uriels lift off. “Don't crash!” Rainbow Dash shouted after the Alicorn before turning to Rarity. “Tag, your it. I'm done looking after the Prince.” AJ sat at the base of the tree as she gazed at the night sky. Not only had she over reacted on Uriel but she turned on her friends with pent up frustration. She didn't even get a quarter of the total work load she was expecting to get done today. So far Applejack could agree that the day was not one of her best by far as she kicked away one of the close by apples with her fore leg. The apple she had just kicked away landed in front of her as she looked puzzled for a moment before turning her gaze upwards to see a soft smile on Uriel's face. AJ replied in kind with a smile as Uriel had taken a seat beside the earth pony. There was a long moment as neither pony spoke but instead gazed upon the night sky. “I'm sorry AJ.” Uriel finally spoke to clear the air although he wish he had something better then a simple apology. On the flight over he had an entire speech ready for the earth pony but it didn't matter for squat when he saw her. Uriel waited for any kind of response from the hard working farm pony but instead got something he didn't quite expect. The orange pony simply moved closer so their sides were touching. Uriel turned his head to see the physical contact but simply got a hoof on the side of his face to push it back to looking at the sky. “Um Applejack?” Uriel asked slightly confused. Applejack just sighed before moving back to her original position. She didn't know why she even bothered but instead steeled her nerves to say her apology. Then it happened as she opened her eyes in surprise. Uriel sat right beside her now so his warmth could be felt through her coat. A wing then wrapped around her side as if a blanket was suddenly pulled over her. A soft smile graced her face along with a slight blush of red. 'Uriel you dog.' Was the only thing that ran through his head as he remembered movies where guys would stretch in the movie theatre and then reach around the girl. He simply copied the move with his wing and as he watched the earth pony smile at him he knew he hit the right chord. The rest of the night was something else as the two made their way back to the house with laughter. Uriel was just retelling the part where he crashed through the roof for the third time when the two ponies came up to the house door. “After you Madame Applejack.” Uriel said as he bowed while opening the door. AJ just chuckled as she walked in but was caught dead in her tracks as she witnessed something shocking. “What's wrong?” Uriel asked with a smile until he walked in after the mare to witness one old mare sleeping in a rocking chair and two others staring. “Uriel's special somepony is Applejack!” Apple Bloom shouted with surprise and cheer. “Eenope!”