//------------------------------//
// Saying Hello 
// Story: The Legend of the Arachnapony 
// by RaijingtheClockworkPony 
//------------------------------//

       Apple Bloom sat in the living room of the Apple family home with a book open in front of her. She had returned home roughly an hour before sundown and was now working on some of her homework. Applejack almost yelled at her again but Big Mac arrived home a few seconds later from working in the fields and was rubbing his neck and upper back. Both of his sisters helped him in removing the yoke he always wore.

"Rough work today."

Applejack started rubbing his shoulders as he flopped down onto the sofa. "Well we knew the south field would be bad. Nopony has worked that field in years but that's why we bought it."

Macintosh let out a sigh and adjusted himself so he was more comfortable. He grumbled wordlessly as his sister worked his muscles into a relaxed state. Apple Bloom walked over to the side of the sofa armrest that Macintosh's head was laying on.

With a cute amount of concern she looked into his tired emerald eyes. "You gonna be alright?"

He nodded as best he could without lifting his head. "Eeyup. Ah'll be fine." He let out a low moan as his sister found a really tight knot in his back. "What did you do today?"

His younger sister smiled at him. "Well Ah went into the forest to—"

Applejack pressed hard on a knot in Macintosh's back which caused him to let out a gasp. Applejack however was almost standing on her brother. "You did what?! Ah thought Ah told you not to go in there alone."

"Ah didn't! Sweetie and Scootaloo came with, oh and so did Featherweight." The younger Apple sister whined. "We went in there so we could get a picture to show you."

Macintosh let out another sharp gasp as Applejack stood up on the sofa, with her front hooves digging into his back. "Applejack do you—"

Ignoring her brother under her she continued. "Cause the four of you are old enough to take care of yerselves? None of ya are that careful and what if one of ya got hurt? What about their families?"

Apple Bloom backed away a few steps but stood her ground verbally. "Nothin' dangerous happened! We followed the path and found the glowin' tree. Then we met him and he gave me my bow. He calls himself Guardian."

Applejack's face went from concerned to annoyed. "Apple Bloom Ah've had enough of this silly story of yours and Ah—"

With a voice like thunder the brother of the arguing sisters intervened. "ENOUGH!" He sat up throwing Applejack onto her rump on the couch. Apple Bloom scrambled away several steps. He looked between the pair with his normally passive face filled with annoyance.

He turned to the elder of the pair. "We talked about this. Let her tell the whole story before you cut her off." He turned to the younger sister his expression softer but still slightly annoyed. "Ah would like you to tell us if you’re going into the forest for the next few weeks. It's not safe to go in there without us knowin'."

The younger Apple nodded. "Okay but we were safe. Guardian didn't hurt us."

One of Macintosh's eyebrows rose. Apple Bloom caught the hint. "Guardian. He was the thing that saved me in the forest. He stopped me from touching the glowing tree. He said something about it being made of magic or somethin'."

Macintosh glanced over to see Applejack scowling and fuming silently on the couch. Macintosh considered trying to get her to lighten up but couldn't due to the elderly voice of their grandmother.

"Yall alright down there? I heard yellin'."

Applejack beat her siblings to the punch. "We're alright. Just havin' a conversation. Go back to sleep granny."

"Alrighty then. You three play nice."

They waited a moment until they were all certain that Granny Smith was back in bed. Applejack went back to fuming on the couch. Macintosh looked back at his youngest sister.

"It... he talked to you?"

The young Apple nodded. "He talked to us and told us his name. He even let us take a picture of him."

A snort of frustration came from the couch. Applejack rose from her seat and walked over to her siblings. "Then let's see it. Ah can't put any faith in this Guardian character of yers if Ah never see him. So where’s the photo?"

Apple Bloom's gaze fell. "Featherweight is still making it."

Applejack let out an annoyed sigh and walked over to the stairs. "Ah'm going to bed."

Mac watched her for a moment then let out his own tired sigh. He flopped back onto the couch and motioned for Apple Bloom to join him. She walked over and was quickly snatched up by the large hooves of her brother. Then he started tickling her, playfully fighting each other with tickles until they both were out of breath from laughing or giggling too much. They sat there on the couch cuddling together watching the fire in the fireplace crackle and burn merrily. Winona walked into the room and curled up into a ball near the fire.

The younger Apple looked up at her red brother. "You believe me right?"

Macintosh looked down at her and saw the worried expression she was wearing. I hate when she gives me those puppy dog eyes. He looked from her eyes to the amulet she was wearing then back to her eyes.

"Well... yea Ah believe ya. Yer story is sorta... out there but Ah know that you would never lie to me or yer sister or Granny. Plus that trinket of yers is pretty solid evidence."

Apple Bloom felt a wave of affection for her brother and hugged his as tightly as she could. Her brother returned the hug and rolled over to his stomach.

"Could ya finish the job yer sister was supposed to do? I'll buy you somethin' nice."

Apple Bloom jumped up on his back and started to rub his back. "You already bought me a new bow." She gave him another hug then focused on his shoulders. A minute of silence followed before she spoke again.

"Why won't Applejack believe me?"

Her brother turned his head so he could look at her with one eye. He let out another sigh. "Yer sister has always been a stubborn one. She always has been and always will be. Yer just like her, but at least you listen to me."

He let out a chuckle. When he noticed that his joke didn't dent the mood of his sister he reached behind himself as best he could and touched her hoof.

"She'll come around when she sees that picture. Tell me everythin' that happened in the forest."

Apple Bloom smiled and started telling him everything, starting with leaving the house to meet the others. Apple Bloom rubbed his shoulders and back as best she could while she told the story. She went into as much detail about what Guardian looked like as she could remember. Macintosh stopped her for a moment.

"So what yer saying is that it looked like a giant spider and a pony... well Ah' can't say Ah've heard stranger than that."

Apple Bloom playfully hit him. "Let me finish my story." She was nearly finished with her tale when a loud *THUMP* came from above them. It caused both of them to jump.

Apple Bloom looked up at the ceiling. "What in tarnation was that?"

Macintosh shrugged. "Maybe Applejack fell out of bed again."

Apple Bloom looked back down to her brother that was also her seat. "Again?"

He shifted himself and the younger Apple hopped off of his back until he was on his back. She jumped back onto him but was on his chest this time. "Ah never told ya that story?"

Her answer was her shaking her head. He smiled wickedly. "Oh, yer gonna love this one—"

He never got a chance to start as the irritated voice of their sister reached them from up the stairs. "What are you two doing down there? Cut that racket out."        

Macintosh looked at Apple Bloom with a raised eyebrow. "Us? The noise came from upstairs. We've just been talkin'. What have you been doing?"

Applejack descended the stairs. "Ah was about to sleep and Ah didn't make any noise. Granny couldn't have made it either. She’s out like a log."

The three of them looked at one another for a moment. Apple Bloom voiced the thought that ran through all of their minds.

"Well if we didn't make the noise in the house then who did?"

Macintosh glanced over at Winona and felt his blood run cold from what he saw. She was huddled in the corner with her standing on end and whimpering. He lifted his sister off his chest and placed her on the couch. He rose from the couch and headed to the door.

"Ah'm gonna check the yard out. Stay here."

Both of his sisters were alarmed by the sudden shift in his tone. He wasn't talking in his normal lazing tone. He was talking like a soldier on patrol. He opened the door and stepped outside, looking around slowly. He walked into the yard and looked over to the orchards then over to the path leading into the trees, stopping for a moment when he heard something from behind him. He looked back to the house but didn't notice anything out of place aside from his sisters ignoring his order by standing in the doorway watching him.

"Look whoever ya are Ah'm just letting you know, you better announce yerself or you'll be in a heap of trouble. This is the wrong farm to steal from!"

A deep voice came from every direction. "I did not come to steal."

Macintosh froze in his spot his heart beating rapidly now. He had never heard such a voice. He noticed movement next to him. He looked quickly thinking that it might be the trespasser but instead it was Apple Bloom wearing a smile.

She was looking around the yard and focused on the trees. "Guardian! Where are you?"

The voice reached them and once again it sounded from everywhere at once. "I am here in the shadows. I will show myself only when your family promises to remain calm. As you know my appearance is... frightening."

Macintosh took a step closer to his sister and glanced over to see Applejack still standing in the doorway. She was scared but trying her best to hide it. Apple Bloom looked up at her brother.

"He's friendly. He won't hurt us."

He looked down at his sister and lowered his head to whisper to her. "This is the thing that saved you?"

She nodded with her puppy dog eyes. "Yea. He's really nice."

Macintosh sighed and looked up to see Applejack looking at him. He shrugged and motioned for her to come over. She tentatively left the door way and almost ran over to the pair. She made sure she was within whispering range before she spoke.

"I don't trust it. What kind of critter doesn't show its face?"

Apple Bloom stamped her hoof on the ground. "He's friendly! He's done nothing wrong! Please just meet him. Please?"

She gave both of them the puppy eyes. Macintosh gave Applejack a small smile as if to say 'Why not?' Applejack let out an aggravated groan then nodded. Apple Bloom jumped in place.

She looked to the orchards. "They said yes!"

The voice came from behind the group. "I heard."

All three Apples whipped around and were greeted by the sight of Guardian standing at his full, and rather imposing, height. The reactions of the three ponies nearly made him smile. Nearly. But the look of absolute terror on the mares face had him worried she would attack him or go running to town screaming.

His gaze fell on the yellow blur of fur that was running at him. The filly on the other claw... Apple Bloom reached him and wrapped her hooves around his large leg. She looked up and gave him a heartwarming smile. He was certain she was about to say hello but he turned his attention to the stallion approaching them.

Much to his surprise the stallion spoke in a rather calm voice. "Yer Guardian Ah reckon?"

Maybe it's his defense mechanism. Guardian studied the impressive stallion before him. The red farmpony was almost as tall as himself, give or take a head, and was nearly as wide. He could tell that this farm pony was no stranger to harsh work. He nodded at the question.

"I am. You are her... father?"

Apple Bloom giggled beneath him. The sound of his sister’s enjoyment put confidence in Macintosh. To his credit he wasn't nearly as scared as he should have been, but due to his sister telling him what Guardian looked like he had expected something far more gruesome than the creature in front of him.

"Brother. Ah'm her older brother." He looked into the largest pair of eyes. "My name is Macintosh but everypony calls me Big Macintosh."

Guardian couldn't help but like the stallion in front of him. Something about the way he spoke and how he controlled himself even when faced with a creature nightmares were made from told him that this was a stallion to be trusted.

"A pleasure to meet you. I take it that you are her sister then?"

Being addressed by the monster knocked Applejack out of the terror induced silence. She let out an ear piercing scream and started scrambling backwards. She stopped after she hit a tree but continued to paw at the ground creating small trenches with her hooves. Much to Guardian’s amusement the tree started to tilt due to her pressing on it. Macintosh rushed over to her and started trying to calm her down.

Macintosh grabbed her on the shoulder and forced her to look at him. "It’s alright! He ain't gonna hurt us. Applejack calm down!"

She was sputtering incoherently. "It-that... how!"

Guardian watched with amusement until he felt the filly next to him tugging at his coarse fur. He looked down.

Apple Bloom was looking at him curiously. "How come you came to visit? You said I could visit you but you acted like you didn't want company."

He glanced up at the older Apples. Applejack had stopped trying to knock the tree over in her terror but hadn't moved from her spot. Her eyes were glued to him filled with fear on a primal level.

"I gave some thought to your visit. I came to the conclusion that I required more social interaction. It will be for the betterment of myself and allow me to fulfill my mission to a much more satisfactory level."

The confusion on the filly's face made him reconsider his answer. "I've decided that I need to make a... friend, so I can be a better Arachnapony."

The filly's face brightened and she gave him another hug. "Yay! We are gonna have so much fun! You could help us get our cutie mark, ooo, or you could help us make the clubhouse bigger with your webs..."

Guardian let his attention shift to the older pair of ponies by the tree. Macintosh was still trying to calm his sister down. Guardian watched them for a moment then looked back down at the filly who was chatting away beneath him. He moved a claw up to his lips to silence her.

"She's reacting rather... badly to my presence."

Apple Bloom looked over to her sister. "Ah've never seen her as scared as this. Mad, sure, but never scared."

Guardian reached down and light tapped the filly with a claw. "Go talk to her. She needs you to help her."

Apple Bloom nodded and ran over to her sister. Guardian looked up and studied the stars while he waited. Apple Bloom walked over to her sister and brother. Applejack was no longer staring at Guardian and was now looking at Macintosh. She was still muttering incoherently.

The youngest of the Apples gently touched the frightened mare. "Applejack it's alright. He won't hurt you—"

"Won't hurt me!? It could kill us in a heartbeat!" She screamed hysterically. Both of her siblings jumped backwards at the sudden outburst.

Apple Bloom took a step closer to her sister. "He won't. He's nice."

Applejack looked back to the creature, which was still looking up at the stars. "How! How could you possibly believe that!"

Apple Bloom did the first thing she thought of, the one thing that her family always did when she was scared or upset. She hugged her sister. Applejack tensed up for a moment then relaxed in the young filly's embrace. Her rapid breathing came under control and she slowly returned to a calmer state of mind.

"He saved my life. If he wanted to harm me he could have let me been eaten by those wolves." The red maned filly looked into her sister’s eyes. "Please just give him a chance. For me."

Applejack focused on the bright, begging eyes of her sister. Ah can do this. Ah need to do this. She nodded and slowly rose to her hooves. She tried her best to keep her legs from shaking as she slowly made her way over to the yard. Apple Bloom moved close to her sister and placed her hoof on her. Applejack looked at her again and smiled. She had her family to support her.

They were now within a mere hoofful of feet from the creature. Apple Bloom left Applejack's side and walked next to Guardian. She lightly tapped his leg. His gaze stayed on the stars.

"Hello there. I hope my presence hasn't frightened you."

Applejack didn't know if she should laugh at the almost forced innocence in the way it talked or to smack it for the joke it had made at her expense. She chose the former and let out a weak chuckle.

"Ah'm mighty sorry for the way Ah reacted. Ah hope Ah didn't hurt your feelin's with all the screamin'."

The massive visitor shrugged. "You are not the first to react in such a way. I am called Guardian. I hope that Apple Bloom informed you of me. She has visited me twice in the past few days."

He turned his gaze to the three Apple's near him. His gaze paused on Applejack for a moment longer than the others then returned to the stars. Macintosh looked up as well in curiosity of why he was so focused on the sky. Apple Bloom tapped his leg again.

"So what do you wanna do? I mean you came here because you wanted a friend and friends do stuff together."

Macintosh and Applejack spoke in perfect unison. "He wants what now?"

Guardian looked back down to the farm ponies. "I have come to the conclusion that in order to better protect the Arbor Lunae..." He was met with two blank looks. He was about to give them a simpler answer but was cut off by the stallion.

A look of sudden understanding came to Macintosh. "Oh, the glowin' tree!"

Guardian nodded then turned his gaze to Applejack. “You are the sister that didn't believe Apple Bloom correct? Or are there more of you that haven't arrived yet?"

She shook her head. "Nah there ain't more of us. Well there is Granny Smith but Ah think she's still sleeping. Though Ah guess with all my screamin' she might be awake now... and yes Ah'm her sister." She turned to the younger sibling. "Ah'm sorry for not believin' ya. Ah should have trusted you."

Apple Bloom ran over to her sister and leaped into a hug. "Ah forgive you. You were just worried about me was all."

Guardian rolled his head in annoyance. I forgot how emotional ponies were. This better work or this was a waste of my time and a risk to the tree. He cleared his throat. The pair of hugging sisters looked at him.

"I don't have all night. I must return to the forest soon and I wished to get your blessing before I left."

Macintosh's gaze returned from the sky. "Blessin' for what?"

He cast his gaze to the oldest of the farmers. "I wish to visit Apple Bloom and yourselves once a week or more. I feel that I must do this so I can better interact with others that pass through the forest. If you allow me to that is."

Applejack seemed skeptical. "And how exactly will we help you with that?"

He lowered himself so he could appear less massive and intimidating to the group. "She can inform me of the happenings of the local populace. I have fallen out of touch with the modern ponies and I feel that you three would be able to bring me back in touch."

Apple Bloom looked from her sister to her brother. Macintosh motioned for both of them to follow him. "We'll be right back in a moment."

Guardian looked to the stars once more. "Take the time you need."

Macintosh led his sisters a few yards away and stopped them. "Apple Bloom are you certain he won't hurt any of us?"

She nodded. "He's friendly. Kinda weird, but friendly! All he needs is a friend to help him."

Macintosh sighed, the long and tiring day catching up to him quickly. He looked to Applejack. "Ah see no reason why he can't visit. So long as he doesn' do anythin' dangerous Ah suppose we could help him."

The mare looked to the Arachnapony then to her brother. "Ah don't know. Somethin' about how he talks makes me nervous."

Macintosh let out another sigh. "Ah ain't sayin' that we invite him to live with us or nothin' but all Ah'm saying is that he can talk with us every now and then. Besides he could be useful on the farm. An extra set of hooves never hurts."

The farm mare looked from the calm but tired eyes of her brother to the pleading eyes of her sister. With a final glance at Guardian she let out her own defeated sigh. "Alright. He can visit but if he tries to do anythin' funny Ah'll buck him into next week or die tryin'."

Apple Bloom ran over to her sister and gave her another quick hug. "Ah promise he'll be good. We should go get Granny and let her meet him too!" She made no more than a foot when Macintosh plucked her from the ground. She was lifted through the air and was placed back on the ground facing her sister.

"Hold up there sugarcube. Ah think we should wait to introduce Granny to him for a little while. She ain't as young as she used to be and her heart ain't to strong. We should take our time with that."

Apple Bloom pouted a little as Applejack looked to Macintosh for support. He nodded in agreement. "Now Ah want you to inside and headed to bed. Ah will handle the rest of this." Both of his sisters opened their mouths to protest. "No arguments. Ah'll let him know that he's allowed to visit. Now both of you go."

Both of the younger Apples started walking back to the farm house. Apple Bloom waved to Guardian and yawned on her way there. Macintosh walked next to the Arachnapony who was now waving to Apple Bloom with his claws.

"Here's the terms to the deal. You scratch our back, we'll scratch yours." Guardian looked to the stallion nearby. He was really starting to like this farmer. Straight to the point. He felt something close to respect form for this stallion. Close but not quite there.

"I can agree to that but what type of backscratching will I be doing?"

Macintosh glanced up to the stars. "Nothin' much. Some help on the farm, watchin' Apple Bloom so she doesn't get hurt, and occasionally answering a question or two. Stuff like that."

Guardian tilted his head to the side. "And what questions do you want to ask of me?"

Macintosh looked him in the eyes, the largest one at least. "I can tell when someone is dodgin' a question. You dodged Applejack's question pretty well."

The still tilted head was all he got. Macintosh steeled himself. "Why do you need to be friends with us?"

Guardian looked into the tired but strong eyes of the crimson farmer. "I wish to avoid confrontations with your kind and I believe that by learning of your modern ways I can better avoid you and keep the tree safe."

Macintosh stared at the creature for a moment then decided that it was a good enough answer. "Fair enough. Ah hope that this works for you but Ah will give you this warnin' right now. If you harm my sister Ah will hunt you down, even if it's the last thing Ah do. Got it?"

Guardian smiled, showing him his fangs. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Farewell Macintosh. I shall see you again on a fairer morrow."

Macintosh watched as he leaped into the trees and vanished in the branches. Macintosh walked into the house, turned off the living room lights and headed to his room. He collapsed onto his bed and rubbed at his jaw. He felt that the last half hour he had talked more than he had ever talked in his life. That and he had just given his blessing to a giant creature that looked more spider than pony so that it could be friends with his sisters and himself.

"Rough work today."