//------------------------------// // Helping out // Story: A New Beginning // by Mr101 //------------------------------// It had only taken the two ponies an hour or so to clean up the shop and they sighed in content as they sipped some lemonade Ditzy had gotten from Sugarcube Corner. “Place isn’t looking to bad” Ratchet said to her as he rolled his head admiring the floor space thinking in his head where he would places things. “Think I’ll add more to the store tomorrow when I can take stock of what I need, Ditzy?” he turned his attention to the mare who downed the last of her lemonade turning to face him tilting her head “Can you show me around town? I’d love to be able to know where everything is, plus if it’s not too much trouble could we visiting Sweet Apple Acres? I’ve read about how famous its apple products are and wanted to see the source” he asked politely, Ditzy’s expression turned into a large grin. “Sure Ratchet I can show you around!” she giggled as they both placed their glasses on the old rickety table inside of the shop before heading out. “So where do you want to go to first?” She asked him as Ratchet pondered in his mind he rummaged in his suitcase finding his goggles and put them on resting above his eyes. “I think…the marketplace first followed by whatever you think is best” he smiled at her as she nodded heading in the direction of the marketplace, shortly the two came across a very busy market scene with ponies trying to sell their goods from bananas to cherries Ratchet looked around taking in everything he saw and smelt unable to stop himself from grinning as he watched what to most ponies was just their normal day but to him, to him it was his first day as a fellow citizen. “Hey Ditzy!” a voice called over from one of the stalls, they both looked over to see a light green pony standing with a yellow pony who appeared to be her friend waving them over, Ditzy squealed happily running over with Ratchet walking behind. Ditzy hugged the two ponies one after the other in the same manner to which she had hugged Ratchet earlier, chuckled at this as their eyes bulged before coughing slightly Ditzy apologised rubbing the back of her head. “So Ditzy…who’s your friend?” the green one asked her eyeing Ratchet up and down “I haven’t seen him around before” the yellow mare nodding in agreement. “Huh? Oh this is Ratchet he just moved here and he’s my new best friend!” Ditzy announced grinning, the two other girls made an ‘ooo’ noise and smiling both extended their hooves. Ratchet shook them one after the other. “I’m Lyra” the green one grinned. “And I’m Bon-Bon darling” the yellow mare said afterwards “Welcome to Ponyville!” Ratchet smiled back at them. “Thank you, it’s nice to make your acquaintances” he replied, the two girls blinked staring at him. Ratchet blinked back ‘Was it something I said?’ he wondered before an ear piercing scream of excited girls rattled in his ears as both Lyra and Bon- Bon stared at him both grinning. “Y-YOUR ACCENT!?” Bon-Bon started “YOUR FROM COLTCHESTER!” “Y-yes?” Ratchet answered as if he was unsure his head still ringing from the scream the girls began giggling and stared at him again as if waiting, this made Ratchet uneasy. “Is…that a problem?” he hoped not. “PROBLEM?” Lyra shouted excitedly “HECK NO” she giggled more along with Bon-Bon, Ditzy just stood there confused tilting her head, by now other ponies were joining them all chattering and smiling excitedly at Ratchet who flattened his ears now very uneasy. “It’s just we haven’t had any pony come from Coltchester in a long time darling, your accent is so….wonderful” she cooed as fluttered her eyelids at him. Ratchet blushed slightly feeling awkward. “Oh I see, r-right well…yes I’m from Coltchester I’m the n-new engineer for Ponyville” he stuttered out as a round of chattering erupted in the circle every pony was shaking his hoof grinning and smiling welcoming him to the town. “Welcome to the community kid!” one pony said. “Mind you watch out for that young mare Pinkie Pie, she’ll wanna through you a massive welcoming party the likes you’ll never recover from!” came another pony who’s face changed from happiness to seriousness “I mean it kid, she pops up anywhere at any time” to which a lot of nods and murmurs of agreement. Ratchet just stood there nervously thanking every pony and smiling, Ditzy was talking to Bon-Bon and Lyra. “I don’t get why you guys are acting like this, it’s just his voice” she tilted her head confused. “Oh darling you’ll never understand” giggled Bon-Bon as Ditzy just shrugged. After the greetings had finished and everyone had dispersed, Ratchet and Ditzy headed off around town as she showed him more and more of the town’s sights from Twilights library to the school, Ratchet was enjoying himself despite being stopped every now and again by greetings and welcomes of random ponies including several mares who kept asking him to say words with his voice each time screaming in delight confusing Ratchet. “Ponies be crazy” Ditzy said to no pony in particular. “I’ll say…it’s just my voice” Ratchet agreed, APAU sneakily tapped his shoulder sticking a note in front of him which he held up and blinked at it, Ditzy turned round to see what it was. “What’s that?” she asked him. “…It’s a phone number” he replied blushing “Bon-Bon’s and Lyra’s to be exact” ‘It’s going to be…interesting living here’ he thought to himself as he stuffed the note into his bag and continued with Ditzy in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Twilight sat on a bench outside of the station and sighed, she had no idea where the new resident was or what to do and she daren’t tell the Mayor, Rarity gave a reassuring shoulder hug with her right hoof giving her friend a soft smile. “Thanks guys…any pony got any ideas where to start looking?” She asked her friends. There was a brief pause as the five silently thought for a moment before Applejack spoke up. “Maybe we should just ask some of them fellahs who work around here if they seen him or not?” she suggested, Twilight grinned jumping up causing Rarity to fall off the bench with a quick ‘eep’. “Applejack that’s a brilliant idea! Ok girls spread out and ask every pony who works here!” The girls spread out and began asking questions to the various staff members who sadly couldn’t remember seeing a pony with a brown mane or coat due to the vast amount of people who use the trains, as the others asked people around the station itself Fluttershy became distracted by squirrel. “Well hello there little friend, and how are we doing today?” she softly asked it, it made several squeaking noises and Fluttershy giggled. “Well yes I am fine thank you, I’m trying to find a certain pony that may of gotten off the train earlier, do you think you can help me?” Again the squirrel began to make squeak noises flailing its arms if to tell a story “Oh I see, you saw a brown coated colt with a brown mane take a taxi to Ponyville?” the squirrel nodded and Fluttershy gave a sweet smile “Why thank you Mr.Squirrel I’ll ask the nice taxi drivers right now” she leaned down to give the squirrel a soft kiss, it made a squeak rubbing its little head and ran off into a nearby tree. Fluttershy walked up to a nearby cart with two stallions who were chattering to one another oblivious to Fluttershy. “Uhm…e-excuse me” she whispered slightly scared upon approaching the two stallions nervously, they carried on chatting to themselves as if she wasn’t there, Fluttershy gulped and then spoke louder “Uhm…excuse me?” still to no avail the two stallions still chattered t one another as she gulped before the same squirrel taped her shoulder and squeaked in an annoyed tone, Fluttershy nodded and glared at the two stallions inhaling before screaming (to any pony it would sound like a normal toned voice) “HEY YOU TWO!” the stallions jumped in surprise attentions as they looked at the mare who backed up slightly looking slightly scared. ”uhm that is if you’re not too busy….c-can you help me?” she timidly asked. The two stallions smiled at her and kindly told her about their fares that day and then mentioned about a colt who had tipped them both generously who was indeed brown maned and brown coated, Fluttershy gasped thanking the two and rushed to tell Twilight who within minutes, had asked the two stallions one important question. “What was his cutie mark do you remember?” her response from the two caused her to grin from ear to eat. “I believe h had a hammer and spanner on his flank in a cross shape” the one on the right started. “Yes he most defiantly did have that, I don’t forget kind tippers in a hurry!” the second on added. Twilight beamed at them thanking them as she turned to the other girl’s firs giving Fluttershy a big hug before speaking. “Girls let’s head back to Ponyville, our new resident is there somewhere.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ After being bombarded with more questions and requests to say things in his voice Ratchet and Ditzy had finally been able to make their way to Sweet apple Acres, Ratchet let out a sigh of relief at the fact it was only him and Ditzy there, he looked around the farm he took note of the size and scale of it all. “Wow…so this is Sweet apple Acres…” he muttered to himself, Ditzy standing beside him giggled as she rummaged in her bag pulling out two muffins offering him one. “Muffin?” she asked him Ratchet turned to her and looked at the treat, his stomach rumbled brining him to remember he hadn’t actually eaten since the beginning of the day, blushing as it did he took the muffin. “Thank you” he said eating away at the muffin, as he went back to taking in the impressive sight he noticed a young filly coming up the dirt path. Finishing off his muffin he dusted his mouth of crumbs as the filly approached them she kept her eyes on Ratchet with a cautious look. “Howdy Miss Ditzy, what ya’ll doing here?” she asked Ditzy keeping her eyes on Ratchet. “Hey Applebloom” Ditzy replied with a grin “I’m just showing Ratchet here Ponyville, he’s new here!” Applebloom’s expression of cautiousness turned into a smile. “Well howdy Mr Ratchet, welcome to Ponyville!” she gave a courtesy giggling. “Thank you” Ratchet replied “Nice to make your acquaintance” Applebloom tilted her head at Ratchet and blinked. “You sure do sound funny Mr Ratchet” she giggled again “you’re not from around these parts are you?” Ratchet chuckled and nodded to her. “I’m originally from Coltchester” he told her. “Mah Granny visited there once, she said all of the ponies there talked funny missing out words an such. But you sound normal to me well…besides that strange accent you got there” she giggled at him. Ratchet laughed ‘Well least she isn’t going crazy like the others’ he thought to himself. “So whatcha doing all the way out here anyways?” Applebloom inquired. “Well like Ditzy was saying she’s showing me all around Ponyville, and I asked her to bring me here because I’m pretty certain Sweet Apple Acres is the main attraction here no? “He grinned at her causing the little filly to jump in excitement like a filly who had just been given a present. “Well shoot Mr Ratchet your right about that! Can ah show you around the farm can I can I?” Applebloom’s ears flattened as her eyes became big and puppified. “Well I don’t know…”Ratchet said teasingly stroking his chin, Ditzy giggled “See, Ditzy here was going to show me around buuuuut” he paused pretending to think. “Oh please please pleeeeeease!” she looked at Ditzy with her puppy eyes. “Awww go on Ratchet let her be nice” Ditzy giggled. “Weeeeeeeeeeeell….oh alright I suppose I should” Ratchet grinned and looked down at Applebloom “Can you please show me around your farm?” Applebloom nodded frantically as she began to race to the family house Ratchet and Ditzy behind her sharing a silent giggle. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Back in Ponyville Twilight and her friends had arrived at the taxi lot and had confirmed that Ratchet had been there and was indeed in the town when a voice caused them to turn on the spot. “Well hello girls, Twilight how is our new engineer?” The Mayor’s voice caused Twilight to freeze in panic. “I uh well he is uh-” she began panicking before being interrupted. “He’s fine Mayor! He’s just in the taxi office paying his fare!” Rainbow Dash butted in Twilight letting out a sigh of relief. “Well then I’ll go introduce myself!” The Mayor’s reply caused Twilight to freeze again. “NO!” all the girls, except Fluttershy who whispered, shouted causing the Mayor to jump in surprise. “We mean uhm” Twilight began “The thing is Mayor...” Rarity added “He’s uhm” Applejack said “He’s going to be a while! Something uhm...happened! On his trip from the station he uh….lost a suitcase! That’s why we are outside waiting while he uhm…discusses it with the taxi owner!” Pinkie Pie blurted out. The girls looked at her blinking. “Well then…I’ll come talk to him later then” The Mayor replied slightly confused “I’ll see you girls later then.” And with that she walked away to her office. ‘I can’t believe that worked…’ was the collective thought of the girls. “Ok girls” Twilight turned to her friends “Split up and search for clues, we’ll meet up back here in an hour and go from there” the girls nodded and headed off in separate directions. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ “And this is where we keep the apples after they have been collected” Applebloom indicated a large red barn. “I see” Ratchet said looking up at the height of the barn “And who picks all the apples?” he asked Applebloom. “Well there’s only mah sister and brother who get all the apples but she’s out at the moment looking for some pony or other and my brother-“she stopped as a red stallion exited the barn, Applebloom called over to him. “BIG BROTHER!” she shouted, the stallion looked to her and came over. “Mr Ratchet this here’s mah big brother Big Mac!” she said proudly, Ratchet smiled and extended a hoof to him. “Pleased to meet you Big Mac” he smiled, Big Mac paused the shook his hoof. “So you and your sister do all the work here?” “Eeyup” was his reply. “That must be tough work” “Eeyup” “I see…well uhm…do you get a good profit from all the apples you sell?” “Eeyup” Ratchet tried to think of another question but Applebloom tugged in his hoof and pulled him away. “Ah’ll see you later big brother!” she called back. “Eeyup” was the reply she got “You’ll have to forgive him he don’t say much” she told Ratchet. It took about an hour or so of Applebloom showing him the farm house and the area by it deciding not to take him out to all the orchards due to them being the same things each time and they came to were Big Mac was busy trying to pick up some planks of wood on the far side of the barn near two pots of paint, next to the paints was a ladder that led to the roof, he was holding a hammer in his mouth and balancing a bucket with nails in it and he looked like he was struggling to stay balanced. “Big Mac you need sum help?” Applebloom asked, Big Mac didn’t notice they were there and startled he lost his balance the bucket of nails falling away from him with a clatter as the nails fell out, Big Mac banging his head against the side of the barn. Applebloom Ratchet and Ditzy all cringed and shared a collective sharp exhale. Applebloom and Ditzy helped big Mac to his hooves as Ratchet collected up the nails into the bucket then looked to the wood and then the roof, he could just see a couple of holes that were showing. “You ok Big Brother?” Applebloom asked him concernedly. He nodded to her and rubbed his head. “Ahm fine lil sis, gunna be a pain in the flank to git this work done though…” he looked up as Ratchet had an idea. “I can do it for you if you like” the three turned to look at him. Ditzy was the one to speak up “Help? What do you know of repairing stuff?” she had completely forgotten about Ratchet’s position and shop. Ratchet grinned as he picked the hammer up. “Lots Ditzy…just…”he frowned slightly “Please…no pony get scared about what I’m going to do though.” They all looked at him confused but agreed none the less. “Ok APAU” he said “It’s time to go to work!” there came a couple of beeps that sounded excited that came from Ratchets side bags as APAU’s two robotic tendrils emerged and picked up the nails and wood, the three ponies stood there mouths agape just watching him. Ratchet then with a grin lowered his goggles over his eyes and placing the hammer in his mouth he ascended the ladder. Ratchet began to repair the holes with ease APAU handing him the wood and holding the nails for him, as he worked the others just stood there in silence not sure what to say about what they were witnessing. After a few minutes APAU’s tendrils zipped down to the floor the hands stopping and seemingly conversing to one another before one of them reached over and gave the stunned Big Mac’s cheek a light pat before grabbing the paint cans and brush and zipping back up to Ratchet who had finished sorting out the planks of wood. Ratchet propped his goggles back up smiling at his finished work the roof now looking like new, he slid down the ladder to the ground and smiled as the three just stared at him. “W…what the hay are those?!” Ditzy stuttered staring at the tendrils of APAU that were above Ratchet imitating a bow. “Them? Oh that’s APAU” Ratchet grinned “He’s my assistant and-“he was cut off by Applebloom. “APAU?” she tilted her head backing slightly as the tendrils went back to ‘conversing’ with one another. “That’s ah funny name” “It means Automatic Pony Assistance Unit, I invented it about two years ago to help my dad with his job” Ratchet replied, he noticed she was shaking a little from fear and gave her a reassuring smile “Don’t worry he’s friendly!” as he said this the two tendrils zipped down to her level each taking a turn to shake her hoof, they began to ‘argue’ with one another and start a make shift slapstick routine for her which made the filly giggle and grin, Big Mac just stood there staring trying hard to comprehend what had just happened. “I like him!” Ditzy announced giggling at the show APAU was doing, Ratchet let out a sigh of relief ‘Thank Celestia…’ he thought to himself as APAU shook Ditzy’s hoof. A voice from the house caught their attention. “Kids come and have some apple juice!” The voice belonged to an elderly mare who was smiling at them. “Granny Smith!” Applebloom darted to her excitedly “Come meet the new guy and his machine!” ‘Ok…now let’s hope she doesn’t have a heart attack’ Ratchet thought as they went over to the mare. [Just in case some of you are wondering why the part with Lyra and Bon-Bon had them over reacting to Ratchet’s voice, it’s a play on real life where some Americans especially the women are obsessed with the English accent which is represented via Lyra’s and Bon-Bon’s reaction, Ditzy who didn’t get phased by it represents the other Americans who don’t go crazy over the accent]