//------------------------------// // My Nightmare Begins // Story: My Little Heartbreak: Meanwhile, Back at the Farm // by Jet_Black1980 //------------------------------// Chapter 30 My Nightmare Begins Crab Apple stared out the window of the moving train. Ponyville was looking pretty much the same as it had for the past five years that his parents had sent him here. Same buildings, same streets, and he could swear that even the ponies here looked the same; like they were animation cycles that just went around and around. “At least there is going to be a big event happening here this year!” He thought to himself. “And if I can talk AJ into letting me go, this trip won’t be a total waste of time.” His eye turned back to ponies outside of his window. “Look at them. They’re so lost in their own details that they never see the big picture to it all, how those little details add up to that big picture that they love so much.” He grimaced and wondered if that actually made any sense. “Well, they don’t always see what I see,” he thought, his eye looking at his flank for a moment. There emblazoned on his the part of his coat where the green transitioned to pale red, was a wide open eye and a magnifying glass. A smile crept on his face as he remembered how he earned it. As the train slowed down and came to a full stop, he could see his cousin Applejack standing on the platform waiting for him. A tan pony with a mane that looked like she had just crawled out of bed was standing next to her. They seemed to be talking about something. “Huh, I wonder who that is,” he commented. He couldn’t quite make out her mark from his vantage point. The only thing he could see of it was that it was black and harsh looking. He picked up his travel bags and stepped off of the train. “Howdy, Cousin!” Applejack called out, waving. Crab Apple straightened his saddle bags and walked up to Applejack. “Hi Applejack, how are you doing?” He asked. “Ah’m doing mighty well, thanks for askin’,” Applejack replied. The tan mare was giving him a rather weirded out and strange look. Applejack coughed and rolled her eyes. “Crab Apple, this here is Heartbreak. She’s gonna stay with us for a while.” “Well, uhm, nice to meet you,” Crab Apple said, greeting her with an outstretched hoof. Heartbreak slowly reached back out to return the shake weakly. “Likewise,” she said with an odd look on her face. Almost like she was being forced to be nice. As she pulled her hoof away, he caught the sight of something odd...A glimmer of light that seemed to shine right through her hoof. He blinked in a bit of stunned silence. “Well then!” Applejack interjected, breaking the awkwardly quiet moment. “We best be gettin’ back ta the farm, right? Ah got plenty of trees ta buck and ya got ta get settled in!” Crab Apple looked at Heartbreak with a suspicious look as they started to walk back towards the farm. She was looking worried over something. ============================================================== There has been one thing that has been running through my head from the moment that we have picked up Applejack’s cousin. “He looks and sounds like Dib.” This of course, worries me to no end. The Dib character was a crazy and offbeat character who was often obsessively chasing after aliens. Throughout our entire walk here, he was looking at me funny. I just hope Crab Apple really isn’t like Dib. That could end badly for me, especially with the way that he keeps looking at me. We arrive back at the house and I am fighting to keep myself calm. The colt just keeps looking at me! Gah, just stop it. Didn’t Applejack say that he comes here like once year? I’m new and different. That’s all, it’s nothing to worry about. “Right then. Crab Apple, ya go about settin’ yerself up. H.B. has the guest bedroom right now, so one of ya can fight over who gets the bed and who gets the couch.” “I’m fine with sleeping on the couch, Applejack.” I state. Really I am. “Sweet!” Crab Apple says before going inside the house. I am about to follow when Applejack stops me. “H.B., a word?” She asks. Great, just great, another lecture about behaving myself and not freaking out about things?! Can’t you give me a break, Applejack?! “Ah know ah gave ya a harsh time when ya first got here, and ah have been hammerin’ some points down this whole time, but there’s somethin’ ah want ya ta do fer me.” I am finding myself rather confused at the words that are coming out of Applejack’s mouth. “Bw-what?” “Big Mac and me need ta finish up our harvesting, and while ah was sure ah was able ta handle one extra pony,” she pauses looking at me. I cock my head in confusion. “Ah can’t really handle two ponies getting in the way of our work. Now, this is no offense ta ya, but we both know that yer not cut out for the work we do here.” She looks over my shoulder. “An’ neither is Crab Apple. But ah can’t bring maself ta tell him that. He gets enough hassle back at home. So what ah want ya ta do is wait fer him at the top of the hill an’ tell him that yer gonna be looking after him while me and mac-” “Mac and I,” I correct. Applejack gives me a stern look. “Right, didn’t mean to...” I hear a faint, ‘fluttersqueak’ come from my lips. “Right, like ah was saying. Macintosh and I, continue with the harvest.” Applejack finishes. I can not reiterate how confused I am at this. Applejack is entrusting me with doing something? Something that though seems small, actually requires a bit of personal responsibility? “Y-you want me to b-b-b-foalsit him?” I ask. Apparently, being able to say, ‘babysit’ is too much to ask. “Ah want ya ta look after him and keep him outta trouble.” She puts a hoof on my shoulder. “Ah’m entrustin’ you with this. Alright?” I don’t know what to feel at this moment. On the one side, she feels that I am in the proper mental state to be trusted. On the other side, she’s entrusting me with something and that makes me feel a bit pressured not to screw up. On the other si- Oh fucking shut it brain! She’s trusting you to do something and it is something easy. Play it cool and you’ll be fine. “A-alright. Do we get lunch?” “Of course ya get lunch!” Applejack says happily. “Ah’m not some kind of slave driver pony!” “How about something to drink? I mean water is great and but I really like apple juice.” Oh shit, if I am going to ask for that, I’m going to need straws. “And some straws to go with it?” Applejack blinks. “Uhm, I mean if it isn’t too much trouble, please?” Applejack smiles at me. “It ain’t any trouble at all there, H.B.” ============================================================== Crab Apple rolled his eyes as he trudged up the hill. “Another year, another few days to a week of kicking a tree,” he muttered to himself. “Darn it! I should have asked her about what I wanted to do before I set my stuff down! Now I am going to have to wait for Celestia knows how long. I mean, if I’m lucky she’ll be here to give us lunch, but there could be just as much of a chance that it could be Big Mac...” Reaching the top of the hill, he saw Heartbreak. The tan mare was lying in the grass awkwardly and staring at her hoof. The moment she saw him approach, she dropped it and gave a rather unnerved grin. “Uhm, so, hi again.” “Yes. Hello again, Heartbreak,” Crab Apple replied. She stood up. There was a gray shadow that cast over her face for a moment. “I know I was introduced by Applejack as ‘Heartbreak’, but please, call me, ‘H.B.’” “H.B.?” Crab Apple asked. She looked down. “I hate my name.” She took a deep breath and snorted. “So, did she tell you what you would be doing up here?” Crab Apple rolled his eyes. “The same thing that I have been doing every year that I have been coming here? Well, I can’t say that. From time to time we leave the farm and go elsewhere. When she has the time, at least.” He positioned himself near a tree. “Aren’t you going to be helping me?” Heartbreak rolled her eyes. “No, apparently I’m not cut out for farm work. I have too many disabilities. So I’m here to supervise.” Crab Apple kicked the tree behind him. A good five or six apples fell from its branches. “That sounds like the excuse that adults give to be lazy.” “Hey, I am not being lazy, I really do have disabilities. I have shaky hoof syndrome and just last month I uhm,” Heartbreak paused, “Drilled a hole through my hoof while under the influence of magic tea...” Crab Apple looked horrified as he spied the hole in her right hoof. “Why would you drill a hole in your hoof?” She bit her lip and rolled her eyes. “It seemed like a good idea at the time. And I don’t get it fixed via magical means because the tea was magic. And I don’t want any more magic in my system.” “Why not? I mean that seems like the logical solution,” Crab Apple said, picking up the apples and putting them in a nearby basket. “It was strange magic, any other magic entering my system could cause...flashbacks. Besides, where I’m from we rarely take the magical solution to things,” Heartbreak explained. “Where you’re from?” Crab Apple blinked. “You’re not from Ponyville?” “Right, Applejack didn’t tell you,” she waved her hoof a bit. “I am a foreign exchange student from a very distant part of Equestia.” “How distant?” Crab Apple asked. Heartbreak looked slightly annoyed. “Very distant and very isolated.” Crab Apple finished picking up the apples. It almost felt like she was ducking and dodging his questions. “What’s it called?” She paused and looked thoughtful. “Mineighsota.” “Mineighsota? I’ve never heard of it,” he said positioning himself for another kick. “Like I said, it’s very far away and isolated,” she replied. “But the lesson from that story is don’t do drugs and stay in school.” Crab Apple frowned and kicked the tree behind him again. Another slew of apples fell from its bows and once again he began picking them. “Mineighsota? I have seen every map of Equestria possible and have never heard of that place!” There were a few minutes of quiet that passed between the two ponies. Finally Heartbreak broke it. “So, ‘Crab Apple’?” She asked, cocking her head at the name. Crab Apple frowned. “What about it?” “It just seems like an odd name, that’s all,” Heartbreak said awkwardly. “My full actual name is, ‘Crabulous Bartholomew Apple,’” he replied. “That’s quite the mouthful of a name,” Heartbreak replied. “Still sounds better than mine.” Crab Apple frowned. “What’s wrong with the name, ‘Heartbreak?’ At least you can shorten yours to, ‘Heart’ or ‘Break’. Me? I’m stuck with, ‘Crab.’” She rolled her eyes. “Those aren’t any better. Besides, I don’t like, ‘Heart’ and who wants to be known as, ‘Break?’” She asked. “Valid points. But, being tagged with the nickname, ‘Crabs’ or ‘Crabby’ isn’t any picnic either,” Crab Apple replied. “At least you’re not hearing, ‘Lookout! Here comes a real Heartbreaker!’” Heartbreak said mockingly. “No, I’m just hearing, ‘How ya doing there, Crabby? Huh Huh Huh! Can’t you take a joke? Don’t pinch me bro!’” Crab Apple retorted. Heartbreak put on a rather derping face. “‘Awe, come on! Don’t go breaking my heart!’” Crab Apple countered with “We all ate here, Crab Apple! Stop being such a penny pincher!” Heartbreak looked like she was fighting to say something for a moment but then shook her head. “Look, I would rather not have an argument about who has the worst name-slash-nickname. They are most likely equally awful.” She paused. “Why don’t you tell me a little about yourself?” “Why? I’m only going to be here for less than a week and then we will most likely never see each other again,” Crab Apple replied. “Cause bucking apple trees is boring and I have nothing to do but ‘supervise’ you,” Heartbreak replied. She rolled her eyes a bit. “Plus I would rather get to know you rather than just be some sort of stranger watching you buck apples. And that feels just downright creepy.” “Well, alright. But I am warning you, I am interested in some rather strange things,” Crab Apple replied. “I’m sure that I have seen stranger things,” Heartbreak replied. “Well, I live on an orange orchard in a town called Hoofthorn. They are pretty well known for practically everything dealing with oranges and citrus fruits. A subject that I know so well that it bores me to tears.” Crab Apple started. “I like oranges. Particularly blood oranges.” Heartbreak interjected randomly. Crab Apple cocked his head at her. “Uhm, right, didn’t mean to interrupt, please continue.” “Well, as you can tell,” he displayed his flank to her. “I’m not really interested in oranges or fruits or the like.” Heartbreak only made a slight glance at the mark and then looked away. “I am more into investigation! Discovering what others have never discovered! Probing for answers that are waiting to be found. It was actually this inquisitive nature of mine that helped me discover a yet unknown species of snake that lived in the swampy areas of Hoofthorn. There were many rumors about its existence, but few had ever actually taken the time to look for it. The species of snake was so rare that it was thought to be an urban legend or even a myth. Kinda like, ‘Bighoof’ or a few other species that fall under a subject that I have recently found interesting: ‘Cryptozology’. ” Heartbreak nodded her head. There was a strange look on her face as if she didn’t quite believe what he was talking about, but at the same time Crab Apple blinked. Nopony had ever actually wanted to listen to him talk about his interests before. Most all of them would hijack the conversation by now with their own interests and try to tell him that he was speaking nonsense. “You aren’t done are you?” The question bowled him over a little. “You really want to listen me talk about this subject?” “We’ve barely had a conversation here, and thus far like I said before. It beats watching you buck apples.” She replied. Crab Apple looked around like he was expecting something to fall on his head. “Well...if you are really interested,” ============================================================== ‘Mineighsota!’ Ha! I was being a clever pony right? Maybe, well, maybe not. Shut up brain. That’s what we told Crab Apple and now it’s too late to change it. Ugh, that name. Crab Apple. Who names their kids ‘Crab Apple?!’ So diminutive and insulting. ‘Crab Apple’ has spent the last hour or so telling me his fascination with what I am going to call, ‘Equestrian Cryptozoology.’ And some of this stuff might actually be real, but some of it? I’m not really buying. I mean, ‘Big Hoof?’ Bigfoot parody. And while the Bigfoot of my world might not exist, there is a better chance that this ‘Big Hoof’ does. After all, this is Equestria we’re talking about. However, this is keeping my mind off of my own troubles. In between kicks and picking up of apples, he talked about invisible serpents that live in bogs and swamps, horrible nightmarish beasties that hunted ponies down, and about a dozen other creatures that I didn’t really catch. There are a few tidbits about his home life. He has a typical family, mother, father and sister, but they seem to neglect him quite a bit. The more I listen to him. The more and more this colt is sounding like Dib. “So, I try telling my dad about what I saw, but he told me that he was in the middle of perfecting his brand new toast,” Crab Apple says. That cements it. “And I say to him-” “Hey Crab Apple?” I interject. “Yeah?” He spirts. “Stop talking for a second,” I say looking at him. His face droops. “Darn it, this always happens, I’ve over-talked about-” “Whoa, hold up.” I put my hooves forward. “I’ve actually enjoyed listening to you talk. It’s been rather entertaining. It’s just I was thinking about something.” “Uhm, what’s that, H.B.?” He asks. I’m impressed. Even after that whole mostly one sided conversation, he remembered to call me, ‘H.B.’ and not Heartbreak. “Your name,” I start. “What about it?” he asks. “It doesn’t suit you. And I am sure that you know that. But, I was thinking of a better nickname for you. And I think I have one,” I really hope the universe doesn’t punish me for this. “Really? Nothing crab related?” he asks excitedly. Alright, here goes nothing. “No, not at all. I think a better name for you is, ‘Dib.’” “Dib?” He asks me. “Yeah. Dib. It’s short, simple and doesn’t have anything to do with crabs or pinching.” Oh please like it. That would be so awesome. Crap, I think my internal fanboy/girl/whatever is trying to do something. “Dib...” He looks thoughtful. “Dib!” He waves his hooves in the air. “Hey, Dib! Hmmm.” I look away “Keep in mind it was just a thought.” “I’m fine with that,” ‘Dib’ replies. “Well, it’s going to be what I am going to call you. I mean, if you’re okay with that.” I poke the ground with my hoof. He smiles. “Yeah, I can live with that. One of these days I’ll get my name changed anyway.” I look at him and blink. “You can get your name changed?” He cocks his head and prepares for another kick to the tree. “Yeah, of course. What? Do you think that ponies are stuck with the names that their parents tag on them forever? You can get your name changed. It just requires a great deal of paperwork and red tape.” He lands another kick on the tree. Just before he starts picking up the apples that have landed, he pauses. “H.B.?” “Yeah?” I ask. “If you could change your name, what would it be?” He inquires. ============================================================== Heartbreak blinked and looked at Crab Apple. The look on her face seemed like that of a pony who had not even considered the possibility of what he had just asked. “H.B.?” He asked, interrupting the drawn out silence. “Uhm, huh, I-I’ve never thought about it,” she replied. Crab Apple looked confused. After all, they had just spent some time griping about how they hated the puns that could be bounced off their names. “Well if you did, what would it be?”