//------------------------------// // The Long Road Ahead // Story: The Trouble With Pies // by Forgetful //------------------------------// The sky wasn't exactly blue, more of a faded grey. The clouds building above into a gathering of malicious intent, most likely a summer storm bringing forth a massive shower. Troubleshoes wouldn't be surprised, he had quite the familiarity with a series of unfortunate events. One could say he attracted trouble. It wasn't out of spite or a pension for chaos, but simply a magnetism that drew misfortune his way by the dozens. The massive brown Clydesdale stomped his oversized hooves down the dirt-covered road of the lonely pathway. It had been hours since he had seen another pony and even longer since he stopped for a drink of water. It wasn't overly hot, but instead quite humid. His dust-covered coat drew in heat from across the landscape, cooking him alive for lack of a better word. Troubleshoes slowly came to a stop along the open path, his hoof reaching for a large canteen strapped to his side by a withered rope. With one swift lift of the hoof, his tongue was greeted by warm air.  "Just my luck." Troubleshoes sighed as he flipped the canteen over, a large hole visible on the bottom. His emerald-colored eyes searched the horizon for some kind of sanctuary from this current predicament. A stream of freshwater would be beyond welcome, yet with his luck, a dirty puddle of warm water would be just fine. Instead, he found himself surrounded by endless miles of dirt, weeds, and rocks. The only glimpse of civilization appeared to be a rundown old farm in the distance. What type he couldn't say, but if he had to guess either dirt or rocks. Trotting up towards the rusted front gate, Troubleshoes let his hoof gently knock on the metallic surface. The gate crumbled into a few dozen pieces before his very eyes and left only a puff of dust behind. "Suppose I'll be paying for that." He huffed under his breath in utter defeat. The gigantic stallion walked onto the property with a downtrodden pace to his hooves. He figured this place was abandoned, the only help he'd receive being from the buzzards. "Mm-hmm?" The softest voice in all of Equestria caught his attention. Troubleshoes turned around flabbergasted by the petite mare who had snuck up on him from nowhere. She was as delicate as she was beautiful, a grey coat that matched his days, with a mane so long it would put the roads he traveled alone to shame. "Pardon my intrusion upon your property ma'am." Troubleshoes grabbed the comically tiny hat off his head and lowered it with respect. "Mm-hmm." She nodded politely. "I've traveled forever and a day in search of new employment opportunities, but wouldn't you believe I've gotten myself stranded on an endless stretch with nary a drop of salvation to keep me trekking forth." Troubleshoes felt his face droop sadly as the mare simply walked away. "I suppose dehydration wouldn't be such a bad way to go." He placed the hat atop his head ready to venture forth into the unknown. "Mm-hmm." Marble Pie squeaked, a tiny silver ladle of water held in her mouth as she returned to his direction. "For me?" He spoke in a shocked tone of amazement before happily lapping up the equivalent of a drop of water. "Mm-hmm!" Marble flashed an adorable smile proudly. "I'd hate to trouble you once more, but I fear that drop of water merely enticed my thirst without bedding her back down." Troubleshoes lowered his head in shame. "Mm-hmm?" Marble nudged the stallion tenderly, as she led him towards the side of the rustic old farmhouse. Six large wooden barrels of freshwater sat in the shade. Marble pranced over to one already cracked open in the corner, she was about to offer him the ladle when without warning the stallion easily lifted the heavy barrel in his hooves. "Mm-hmm!" She gasped surprised as the stallion chugged the water down in a flash. "That was mighty kind of you, Little Miss." Troubleshoes placed the nearly empty barrel down with a loud thud. "Mm- Marble Pie." She spoke in nearly a whisper as cheeks burned a bright pink. "Troubleshoes, I don't go lookin' fer trouble yet it always finds me." His ears flopped downward instantaneously. "You are looking for work?" Marble quivered full of anxiety. "Indeed ma'am." Troubleshoes mustered his most courteous bow. "Mm- Maybe I can help." She struggled to not hide her face away behind a curtain of hair. Troubleshoes now became completely curious as the mare led him out towards the backyard. Approaching another lovely mare who worked hard through the heat of this humid day, she turned away from crushing rocks to flash an icy glare. "Who's the Jethro?" Limestone snorted hatefully with light green hues that burned like hot coals. "Mm-hmm." Marble squeaked sheepishly. "What kind of name is Troubleshoes!?" Limestone scrunched her muzzle. "Mm-hmm…" Marble huffed. "I don't care if he's a weary traveler in search of a new beginning." Limestone glared at the stallion who watched on in confusion. "Mm-hmm!" Marble daintily stomped a hoof on the ground. "Geez, no need to get snappy!" Limestone blew a loud raspberry in her sister's face. Quick to inspect the stallion, Limestone didn't seem phased by his towering frame. She trotted a few quick circles around him before groaning aloud in dissatisfaction. He wasn't exactly special in any certain area, but Marble seemed to be interested in something or another about him. "Fine, pick up the pickaxe and shatter that rock!" Limestone pointed towards a ridiculously tiny pebble on the ground to his right. With a polite nod, he struggled to clinch the smaller tool between his teeth, after a few moments finally able to lift the infernal contraption out of the dirt. Troubleshoes felt as if he might swallow the darn thing, stomping clumsily over towards the pebble in deep focus. Yet without fail he tripped over his hooves and crashed to the dirt with a loud crash. The pickaxe flew off into the distance as it smashed into a nearby stone slab, a few creaking sounds soon followed by the slab crumbling into a pile of gravel. "Well, that's going to cost me." Troubleshoes plopped onto his belly defeated. "You just completed my whole day's work in a few seconds!?" Limestone rushed over to the fresh pile of gravel with a hearty laugh. "Beg your pardon?" Troubleshoes slowly lifted his head upward in awe. "Mm-hmm!" Marble clapped her hooves together with excitement. "If you don't mind breaking a few more, I might have a job available." Limestone flashed a sly smile to the stallion who lifted to his feet proudly. "It'd be my honor, ma'am!" Troubleshoes replied with a growing sense of purpose in his voice. "Please, call me Limestone!" She galloped off towards a few large slabs in the distance, as she motioned for the stallion to follow. This was something out of a dream. He didn't manage to ruin anything with his horrible string of bad luck, turning to face Marble near the farmhouse he offered her a genuine smile of appreciation. She only blushed, running away in a cloud of dust. Maybe for once in his life… Things weren't so bad after all.