//------------------------------// // Chapter 20: Unprepared // Story: The Missing Bard // by Kiniro //------------------------------// The Missing Bard Chapter 20: Unprepared As I approached the gate of Sweet Apple Acres, I paused to take in the sight of the Apple Family's pride and joy. I looked at the main entrance seeing the beautifully decorated arch way with two small apple trees bearing fruit, and a carefully crafted apple sign t hat hung from the arch. Followed by the family's homestead with its apple weather vain located at the highest point of the house. Also seeing the numerous fields of corn, apple trees and several chicken coops that were being tended by various ponies, but I did not recognize any of them. As I passed through the arch, I saw that some of the ponies that were working the farm had waved at me, even though I didn't know any of the. I was able to catch a glimpse of their cutie marks, most of them had one which resembled an apple or an apple baked good. Considering what Applejack had told me shortly after my arrival in Equestria, that the Apple family was extremely hospitable, so I assumed most of the ponies working were extended Apple Family. I stopped shortly and gave a hoof wave with my right hoof to acknowledge their welcome. I set my hoof back down and turned back toward the homestead to see Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle run out of the front door excitedly and saw them talking, but couldn't make out what it was they were saying. I slowly picked back up and decided to walk towards them. I saw the three look over at me and then saw Scootaloo point her hoof at me and then they began to walk toward me. "Why hi there Kini! how have you been?" Scootaloo asked. "Yeah how are things?" Sweetie Belle added in. "How are ya?" Applebloom commented. "Hey! I'm actually doing ok now." I responded. "My sis told me that you were in a fight yesterday in Canterlot, and that you were beat up pretty bad. Are you sure you're ok?" Applebloom asked. "Well... for the most part, I'm still a little bit sore in some places, but nothing I can't handle." I answered. "Did you beat the pony up and did you win?" Scootaloo questioned. "Well... I did knock him out, but I got pretty messed up, but I'm definitely ok now." I responded to Scootaloo. "Yeah! You showed him whose boss!" Scootaloo commented as she jumped on to her hind legs and brought her front legs up and mimicked throwing hoof punches. "I guess I did, but Scootaloo, fighting is not fun, its really dangerous, I only fought to protect Twilight and Fluttershy." I mentioned. "If I could avoid fighting... I would." I commented as Scootaloo brought herself back down from throwing punches. "By the way Kini, where is your guitar and whats with the vest?" Sweetie Belle commented as she noticed the irregularity. "Well... I sacrificed my guitar to stop the pony that was attacking Twilight and Fluttershy. So its scattered into a bunch of little pieces in Canterlot." I said but this time, I wasn't hurt by the mention of its destruction. "As for the vest, your sister Rarity and Twilight found my old vest from when I was a human and reshaped it to fit me now." "Speaking of my sister, do you know when she's going to come get me Kini?" Sweetie Belle asked. "I'm sure she'll be here soon. She was over at Twilight's place I last checked, she was over there having breakfast with us earlier." I answered. "Either way, that gives us more time to go find out what our special talent is! Isn't that right girls?!" Sweetie Belle shouted and took of running. "Lets go! Times a wasting!" Applebloom also shouted and followed in pursuit. "What should we do next?! Roller derby or ice sculpting?" Scootaloo yelled as she got left behind, followed by her chasing after the two. "Hey wait! Have you seen Applejack?" I shouted to the three young ponies running away. "She's out on the other side of the house with Rainbow Dash!" I heard Applebloom yell from a distance. "Thank you!" I shouted as I saw the three fillies run off. "I wonder what they'll be getting themselves into today..." I said aloud to myself and began to let my mind wander with the possible shenanigans that would unfold today regarding those three. I began to slowly circle around the house as I continually thought of the trouble the cutie mark crusaders would be getting themselves into. But as I continued to walk around, I heard the voices of Applejack and Rainbow Dash, but could barely make out what was being said. Finally as I turned the corner I saw the two mares break their conversation and look toward me. "Hi Rainbow Dash. Hey Applejack." I stated. "Oh hey there Kiniro." Rainbow Dash replied. "Howdy Kiniro." Applejack responded. "What brings you out this way today?" "Well, I wanted to ask you a favor Applejack. Rarity and Twilight recently recovered my old vest from when I was a human, and well, its supposed to be able to absorb large impacts. So I'm testing it out to see if it still works." I answered. "So how does that concern us?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Well, I need Applejack to kick me hard. Like when you applebuck a tree."I responded. "Are you crazy? That type of kick would break you in half!" Applejack shouted in disgust at the idea. "I know it sounds crazy, but you're going to have to believe me. I won't get hurt, at least I shouldn't be completely hurt." "Kiniro I don't think that's going to work..." Rainbow Dash trailed off in doubt. "Seriously I think it will work, Twilight gave me an applebucking kick earlier and I didn't get hurt what so ever." I tried to ease Applejack into the idea. "Kiniro, seriously, no means no. I'm not going to buck you. Really now do you think this will..." Applejack was interrupted by Rainbow Dash chuckling uncontrollably. "Ppppffffff.... Bwah-ha-ha-ha.... Woo... Yeah Applejack, that's Twilight's job." Rainbow Dash stated trying to contain her laughter. "Uh... what?" I questioned unaware of what was so funny. I quickly glanced over to Applejack now blushing over what she had just stated moments earlier. " Uh.... seriously... I don't get it..." "Well Kiniro, what it means is..." Rainbow Dash tried to explain but suddenly was silenced by Applejack sneaking behind her and placing her left hoof in Rainbow Dash's mouth. "Hey look, I've had a sudden change of heart! I guess I can help you with this all of a sudden!" Applejack stated with her snout scrunching up toward her face. "We'll help Kiniro and forget this conversation ever took place! Isn't that right Rainbow Dash!?" Applejack stated as she slightly shook Rainbow Dash. "Mmppphhh Mmmpphfhf." Rainbow Dash stated with Applejack's hoof in her mouth then nodded. "Well alright then. Let's get you squared away Kiniro." Applejack mentioned as she removed her hoof from Rainbow Dash's mouth. "Yeah otherwise she'll buck you!" Rainbow Dash shouted and took flight to avoid Applejack. "Ugh..." Applejack groaned as she slowly tipped her hat to hide her face. "I still don't get it..." I stated with a confused stare. "Oh also Applejack, did you and Rainbow Dash come up with anything that could help me get physically stronger?" I asked. "Well I have a few ideas but nothing I can really put my hoof on." Applejack scratched the side of her head with her hoof. "Well she could buck you!" Rainbow Dash joked again and laughed heavily. "Darn it Rainbow Dash! Enough of that!" Applejack said angrily. "Make me!" Rainbow Dash shouted and then proceeded to stick out her tongue. "Uh... Like I said I still don't get the joke, so I don't see what the big deal is... Besides aren't you two supposed to be helping me out?" I said with a slightly frustrated tone. "Right... Well I personally haven't come up with much that can help you to be completely honest." Applejack said slightly ashamed. "But then again its only been a day since me and Rainbow offered to help you. So we haven't had much time to think it out." "Oh Oh what if she bu..." Rainbow Dash tried to state but quickly stopped from the slightly sinister glare I gave her. "Well... I have a small idea." "What would that be?" I asked. "Yeah Rainbow, what do you have in mind?" Applejack also questioned. "Well... Remember that competition we had a few months ago?" Rainbow Dash commented. "You mean the Iron Pony competition? Oh! Yeah I get it, train him with that." Applejack said in a slight excitement. "Well we never did dismantle most of the equipment and stands, since Mayor Mare recommended it stay so host it again next year with more contenders." Rainbow Dash stated. "Iron Pony?" I asked. "Yeah its a competition of strength and endurance." Rainbow explained. "Eyup, its several events that form up the competition." Applejack chimed in. "What are the events?" I asked curiously followed by Rainbow Dash landing beside me and her placing her hoof on my back. "Easy, The Barrel Weave, The Bucking Contest, The Bronco Buck and the Hay Bale Toss." Rainbow explained. "Not to mention the others! Like the Football Kick, the Long Jump and finally the Bouncing Ball Contest." Applejack also explained. "Hmm sounds extensive? Think we might be able to start on that sometime soon?" I questioned. "Sure I don't see why not, we may just need to get some stuff out of the barn and take it out into the field were we have the Iron Pony competition set up." Applejack responded. "Awesome, I can't wait to get started." I stated with a smile. "By the way, what were you and Rainbow Dash talking about." "Well..." Applejack tried to say but was interrupted by Rainbow Dash. "The thing is, we are both worried." Rainbow Dash said with worried tone. "I know we weren't there earlier when you got in that fight in Canterlot, and we should have been." "Even though we weren't there to help you, you made a difficult sacrifice to defeat Meadow Song." Applejack also commented in a worried voice. "So... our worry is that with your guitar gone... if Meadow Song comes back after us, will be able to take him?" Rainbow Dash questioned. "I sure hope so... I sure hope so... but this is why I wanted to test this vest. Meadow Song is physically stronger than me, but if the vest can absorb his physical blows, that could even the playing field." I responded slightly unsure of the thought itself. "But even with out your old guitar..." Applejack tried to comment. "We'll have to try to take him together if we comes after us." I interrupted. "We wouldn't have a choice otherwise..." "I guess we don't, so we'll have to make due." Rainbow Dash agreed with me. "So Applejack think we can test this vest out?" I asked. "Well... I'm reluctant but... if its for evening the odds. We might as well." Applejack responded. "I know, trust me. Twi felt the same way when I asked her. But its for the best." I assured Applejack. I quickly turned toward Rainbow Dash and slowly she moved her hoof off my back and she quickly took to the air above me. "I'll be up here and be out of the way while you test this." Rainbow Dash mentioned. "Alright here goes." Applejack stated as she walked toward me then turned around to have her face away from me. "Are you sure about this?" "Yes, I'm completely sure about this." I stated. "Just aim for the vest" "Hey guys?" Rainbow Dash said worriedly. "In a minute Rainbow" Applejack blew off Rainbow Dash. "Ok here goes... one... two... three!" Applejack stated and she reached three she looked back, jumped forward on to her front legs, aimed high and quickly kicked back with her back legs. Making contact with the vest, I closed my eyes as I flew backwards due to the force of Applejack's kick. I flew in the air for what felt like a few small seconds, and I felt myself hit something hard behind me. Followed by several small thuds that I heard hit the ground. I felt the wind get knocked out me from the impact of what I hit. I felt myself sitting up against something, I brought my right hoof around to feel what was behind me, and as I rubbed my hoof on the surface of the object behind me, it felt rough and uneven. I turned my head and opened my eyes to see what it was that I had hit. To my surprise I had hit the trunk of one of the apple trees that adorned the mostly open yard in front of the Apple Family's homestead. I quickly looked on the ground surrounding me I noticed that my impact against the tree had knocked down some of the apples that were on the tree. "Ow... heh... hard enough to knock some apples down. Now that's some strong stuff. I didn't feel the kick, that's for sure, but I definitely felt me hitting the tree." I said to myself. "Uh guys!?" I heard Rainbow Dash say worriedly. "I got you Rainbow Dash!" I heard Applejack yell. "What's going on!?" I shouted. I quickly looked over in the direction where both their voices had originated. I saw both Rainbow Dash and Applejack in defensive stance, keeping their bodies low to the ground and they were both facing the same direction. I turned my head to look toward what they were looking at, I couldn't believe what I saw, I was shocked just at the thought of what would be taking place in just a few moments. "Hey Kiniro.... You remember what you said about not having any other option?" Applejack stated in a very defensive voice. "You're going to regret coming here bub!" I heard Rainbow Dash yell out. I quickly jumped up and ran over to the side of both Applejack and Rainbow Dash. "You..." I stated with my voice retreating. "I've finally found you... and with your guitar gone, this time you're just as useless." I heard another voice call out. "Meadow Song..." I commented in a defensive voice. "Don't count him out yet! He's got two of his best friends by his side." Rainbow yelled out. "You think you two can help him? Like his other two friends helped him in Canterlot!" Meadow Song yelled out. "Don't you dare insult them!" I shouted, and I got a closer glimpse at Meadow Song, he had his eyes grey. Followed by him standing on his hind legs and brought his guitar forward. "They were weak! They deserve as such!" He shouted. With those words the color in his mane and his coat turned grey. "Did he just..." Rainbow Dash stated. "He did... I know who is behind this..." Applejack commented to Rainbow Dash. "Who is?" I asked. "I think we have bigger problems than that now Kiniro." Applejack commented toward me. I looked towards Meadow Song and gritted my teeth, pondering the possibility of what was about to unfold. I knew, I no longer had my guitar, so I couldn't combat him directly with his magic. However I did have vest, so it did level the playing field when it came to physical blows, at least when it came to taking hits. However Meadow Song was still definitely stronger than me considering I wasn't given the opportunity to train and get stronger. Not to mention I had two of my friends and two of the Elements of Harmony at my side, but would they be able to fight against him directly without the elements unified magic. I just hoped that all of this would be enough to compensate for the lack of my guitar, and lack of physical training. Unprepared for Meadow Song's arrival, I knew we wouldn't have many options, but the most obvious one, as much as I knew it was a bad idea, would be to take him on directly... and fight. End of Chapter 20.