We trotted back through town, and found our way to the market and finally back to the Sweet Apple Acres stall. Applebloom had been busy with a customer when we approached, so Applejack stopped and waited for the business to conclude before she finally reunited with her sister and smiled.
“Yer doin’ good, A.B.!” she said merrily.
“Isn’t she though?” chimed an elegant voice from behind us, and I turned to meet the eyes of a stunning white mare with a carefully groomed purple mane and deep sapphire eyes.
“Heya, Rarity! Ya need somethin’ from me?”
Rarity nodded and smiled.
“Oh yes, I could use some apples, in fact. I thought I’d try my hoof at making something special for Sweetie Belle,” the white unicorn replied.
“Sure thing! A.B., get her a basket ready, would ya?” Applejack called out to her sister.
“Yup!” replied the younger.
“So, Who is this gentlecolt you’re traveling with Applejack? Hm? A hopeful suitor, perhaps?” Rarity teased.
Applejack frowned and shook her head, turning to look at Rarity.
“This here’s Tempest, fella just came outta the hospital and can’t remember too much. He’s new here, but I dunno if he’s stayin’”
“Oh, I think I will,” I said without thinking.
Applejack paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded.
“Right, then he’ll be stayin’ here in town, but no, he ain’t no suiter!” she said to Rarity. I couldn’t tell if she was angry or simply joking back, but I supposed that Rarity would be able to tell. After a moment a basket of apples was set down on the stand, and Rarity deposited a bag of coins and then levitated the basket up in a blue aura.
“Thank you, darlings, I’ll see you later!” she chimed before she trotted off.
“Right,” said Applejack, “It’s gettin’ late, time to wrap this up. Come on A.B.”
“Excuse me,” I said.
“Yeah?” said Applejack.
“Would you care for some help?”
“Why sure!” said Applejack, nodding.
Together we packed up her cart and properly fastened the harness to Applejack. She began walking south from the market, treading over the cobblestone roads until she hit a dirt road and followed it. I followed her without thinking, and Applebloom ran circles around both of us.
“Y’know, yer alright there stranger,” said Applejack.
“I am?” I asked.
“Shoot, not everypony volunteers to help me out at market like that. It’s hard work and not everypony can handle it, so, yeah,” she said.
“But you’re still hauling it back,” I remarked.
“Keeps my back good and strong, my legs good and sturdy, and reminds me I’m alive. Ah don’t reckon Ah’d give it up too easy, heh,” she said with a chuckle.
I nodded in understanding, and we walked the remaining distance to her destination in silence. Along the way, Applebloom ran herself out of energy and found her way onto my back where she fell asleep. Applejack made sure the filly wasn’t going to fall off, but otherwise, let her sleep. The sun was halfway to the horizon when we came upon sprawling farmland surrounded by a wooden fence for quite a distance.
I was in awe of the land, it was breathtaking to me. We found our way up to a barn house, a huge red structure into which Applejack hauled the cart and carefully unhitched herself from it, she came out and took Applebloom from my back and nodded to me.
“Thank ya kindly, Tempest. I sure do appreciate ya carryin’ A.B. back here for me,” she said.
“You’re Welcome,” I replied.
Applejack carried her little sister up to a two-story house painted red, but this appeared to be a residence. As she approached the door, it swung up and a yellow pony stepped out without watching where they were going. A flank bumped into Applejack, who stumbled back and took another step to stabilize Applebloom on her back.
“Whoa nelly!” cried Applejack.
“Oh… my!” cried a very soft voice, turning to meet Applejack’s gaze.
“Shah,” said Applejack.
An enormous red stallion stepped out of the house. He had a mop of orange hair on his head, and his tail was cropped. He stared at me through green eyes. He towered above me, positively dwarfing the present mares. He looked king, though, I could see no anger in his expression at all.
“Oh! Hi AJ!” said Fluttershy, sounding nervous as anything. She glanced at the big red stallion, and I noticed a faint blush cross her features before she began to seek cover beneath her own mane. Applejack raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
“Evenin’ Jackie,” said the red stallion in a quiet, but deep, voice.
Applejack nodded at the red stallion and smiled.
“Evenin’ Mac, what’re you up to?” she asked.
“Was jus’ spendin’ time with Fluttershy,” he replied. The yellow mare seemed to shrink at this, carefully concealing her face behind her mane. It looked to me as though her face were as red as his coat by this time.
“That’s great,” said Applejack, looking over at Fluttershy, “Uh… Are you okay, Shah?”
The yellow mare squeaked, then muttered something unintelligible in response.
“Pardon?” asked Applejack.
The red stallion cleared his throat and this drew Applejack’s attention.
“Reckon she’d like to head home now,” said the stallion.
The mare nodded and began to back away from the house, Applejack looked confused before a slow look of dawning took over her features and set her to smiling. She said not another word and trotted into the house with her little sister. The red stallion remained outside, smiling.
“Y’alright, Shah?” he asked.
Fluttershy nodded and took a deep breath. After a moment she stopped hiding behind her mane and looked up at the red stallion.
“Y-Yes, I’m fine, Macintosh,” she said quietly.
The red stallion stepped forward and nosed her gently on the top of her head. She blushed intensely at the contact but didn’t resist it. Instead, she gently twisted her head until she was looking up, and they exchanged a small kiss before she backed away.
“Walk ya home?”
“Oh, um,” she said quietly, then took a look at me before shaking her head, “Um, actually… I wanted to talk to him, he’s sort of a patient…,” she said as she turned her gaze back to the stallion. He nodded to her and smiled.
“Alright then,” he said quietly, then turned and went into the house. The door shut quietly, and this left Fluttershy and me alone. I blinked, looking at her in confusion.
Fluttershy smiled at me, then began to trot to the west. I followed her, pacing so I walked beside her. She remained quiet for what I believe was half of the trip, her blushing fading slowly all the while.
“So, um… How are you doing?”
“I think I’m okay. I don’t remember much, but I have been given a name. I’m Tempest,” I said.
“Oh, um, okay Tempest. Have you learned to use magic yet?” she asked quietly.
“I did, but… Well. I was asked not to perform any further magic until some answers could be found. I believe Ms. Sparkle was alarmed at the results of my magic.”
Fluttershy looked up at me, curiosity written across her face. She remained mute if she had any question about it.
I decided to answer the unspoken question.
“I destroyed what I picked up, though I did not mean to,” I said. She gasped and looked away. I wasn’t sure what the reaction meant.
“Oh, dear. I’m sorry,” she said quietly.
“It doesn’t matter, I can function without. But, Thank you. I appreciate your concern,” I said.
Fluttershy giggled quietly, shrugging. I changed the topic of conversation.
“So, the large red stallion…”
“Big Macintosh?” she said in nearly a whisper.
“Yes, you and he…?”
I noticed her face turn a deep shade of red before she averted her gaze. She mumbled something I couldn’t understand, and I decided I had figured it out. After a minute she cleared her throat and returned to looking ahead with a calm smile on her face.
“We’re… special,” she said.
I nodded, noticing a cottage as we crested a hill. A small wooden bridge rose over a small brook before this quaint structure. It was surrounded by animals of sorts, and I noticed that they seemed eager for the yellow mare’s return. After another moment we were crossing the bridge, and making our way up to the door of her cottage.
A strange voice, hushed and like a whisper, echoed through the air.
“You have returned…,” it spoke. I looked to Fluttershy, but she didn’t seem to have noticed the voice at all. My gaze was drawn to a wall of the forest to the west of her cottage, it stretched for as far as I could see and it seemed ominous. I felt drawn to it, too, a strange urging to gallop as fast as I could and be in the forest. I shuddered and steadied myself.
“Are you alright?” Fluttershy asked. I looked at her and saw a strange black aura swirling around her like tendrils of smoke. I narrowed my eyes, but the aura faded from view as I did and I shook my head.
“Mr. Tempest?” she asked. Strangely her voice echoed, sounding as though she’d spoken from the far end of a cave. I struggled to maintain my stance, feeling a heavy weight drag my eyelids down. After a moment, my world had become darkness.
********
I awoke to find myself lying in a bed, surrounded by a yellow pegasus, a purple unicorn, and a very tall white pony with wings and a horn both. I didn’t know how to designate such a creature, but she seemed to cast an aura of tranquility all around. It was she who noticed me first, and she smiled warmly. When she spoke, I didn’t understand the words she spoke. It sounded entirely alien to me, like no language I had ever heard before. I looked at her in confusion.
She looked at the purple unicorn, Twilight Sparkle, and spoke to her instead. Once again I didn’t understand anything that was being said, words that didn’t make any sense to me poured from their mouths. After a moment the purple mare nodded, and the white mare’s horn began to glow. I felt a warmth wash over me, as though all the worries of an entire lifetime had been lifted and deposited elsewhere to be resumed at another time, but for now, gone.
“Tempest…?” said her elegant voice. I finally understood her, I blinked and for a moment I was speechless. When I spoke, she looked confused. She didn’t seem to understand what I was saying, though I tried to answer her. It continued like this for several minutes, until at last a look of recognition graced her features.
“Who are you?” I asked.
“Ah, Mr. Tempest… I am Celestia. I understand that you don’t remember anything about yourself?”
I looked at her, for a moment I was silent. I gathered my thoughts and took a deep breath through my nostrils.
“I… do have memories,” I confessed.
“You belong to us!” a voice hissed, and I looked to find the source. I pushed myself up in the bed, looking in every direction. Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy looked confused, while Celestia merely waited for me to calm down.
“Us! Ours! You are one of us! Remember!” the voice hissed again, and again my world was darkness. I felt a surge of something overwhelming split my head, my whole body rising from the bed as voices began to grow louder as they faded away.
********
I awoke to find myself looking into the eyes of Celestia, who stood over me. I was lying on the ground, it was hard and unforgiving, the area around us was dark. I saw the canopy of the forest above us. Celestia looked relieved, sighing quietly as she saw my eyes open. I stared at her, noticing the state she was in. She was covered in bruises and scuff marks, some cuts and scratches were drawn across her coat and a gash on her face. I sat up abruptly and looked around.
A short distance from us lay Twilight Sparkle, unconscious and bleeding from her snout and a thick cut across her face, as well as from another across her barrel. She looked to be breathing shallow, hurting. I noticed then that her right foreleg was twisted awkwardly at an unnatural angle, and a gash in the ground suggested that she’d first slid or rolled across the ground before arriving in that position.
Celestia followed my gaze and sighed. She looked back down at me and smiled sadly.
“Please, don’t blame yourself…,” she said quietly before her horn lit a brilliant gold and my world became white.
The words echoed in my head, her elegant voice the only sound in my entire world for a very long time.