Chapter 31
H.B. + A.J.
Heartbreak ground her hoof thoughtfully. “I...uhm... give me a second.” She frowned and opened her mouth, but almost closed it right away.
“Take your time, though I would have thought that you would have had a name ready and waiting when you turned eighteen,” Crab Apple said, sitting down. “You don’t mind if I take a break do you?”
“Go right ahead.” She rested her chin on her hoof. “Things work differently in the great white Mineighsota, Dib.” Rubbing her hooves against her head, she muttered to herself. Finally her eyes fluttered open. “I got it. My name would be-” Just then her face went blank and her voice became monotone. “Heartbreak.” Heartbreak blanched and she covered her mouth.
Crab Apple blinked in confusion. “What? Oh, I get it, nice joke. Ha!” He looked back at her. “ Now, really what new name would you choose?”
She stood up and grimaced. “My name would be, -Heartbreak-!” She covered her mouth and frowned.
“Alright, the first time was funny, the second time is just plain weird,” Crab Apple said. “Really what-”
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” Heartbreak said growling and walking towards the water trough.
“Are you ok, H.B.?” Crab Apple asked.
“It’s nothing, Dib! I’m fine!” Heartbreak shouted.
“Was it-” Crab Apple started.
Heartbreak didn’t even turn around to look at the young colt. “I’ll be fine! Just leave me alone right now!” She shouted.
Crab Apple looked at the place between the trees where he could see Heartbreak leaning against the water trough. She seemed really upset over something, but he wasn’t sure what. “Was it something I said?” Just then he heard the sound of rushed hoof beats and tinkling glass bottles. Turning, he saw Applejack nearly trotting up the hill.
“Ah heard yellin’ is everythin’ alright up here?” She asked in concern.
Crab Apple frowned and blinked. “I,” he paused and looked towards where Heartbreak had gone. “-don’t know. We were talking about my favorite subject, cryptozoology, and then she told me that she was going to start calling me, ‘Dib.’ I asked her if she could change her name what it would be and then, just out of the blue, she got really upset and told me that she needed to be alone! I mean-”
“That’s enough there, sugar.” Applejack took a deep breath and put down the basket and drinks that she had brought for lunch. “Look, Ah’ll have a talk with her and get this sorted out.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Crab Apple asked. “I mean, I didn’t do anything wrong, did I?”
“Nah, ya just start in on yer lunch. And ah’m sure that ya didn’t do anything wrong. Heartbreak is just the sensitive type,” Applejack replied, starting to walk to the watering trough.
“H.B.” Crab Apple corrected her as he sat down and peered into the lunch basket.
“Right, H.B.,” Applejack replied. “Ah’ll go talk to her. You stay here.”
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An angry snort comes out of my nose as I glared at my reflection in the water trough. “Of all things, really? You had to do this? Did you all just have to suck out any form of enjoyment I could have had here? Do I need this beaten into my head that I am a prisoner here every day?!”
My reflection doesn’t describe how I feel about this right now. I feel like someone poured salt into an already open wound. My reflection looks like a pouty little pony who just wants another fucking snow cone.
I can’t be mad at Dib in this. After all, neither one of us knew that this would happen. It was totally out of the blue. And there was no sense in me getting upset at him. Still, I am not doing myself any favors by acting like that. No doubt he’s wondering what the fuck he did or what he could do to help. My eyes come back to the reflection in the water trough. I can’t stand to look at that face right now. Frustratedly I strike at the water and bite my lip to stifle a scream.
“Whoa now!” Turning I see Applejack. “Are ya alright?”
A small twinge crawls over my face. “Yes, no, maybe, I don’t know.”
“Ah know ya might be,” she turned her head to look back where Crab Apple was sitting, “Foreign to these parts, but even ah know a pony in distress.”
I bite down on my lip. “I’m fine Applejack, I just need a little time to calm down and figure something out,” I reply. Of course what I wanted to ask was where this attitude of sympathy was yesterday morning, but I know better.
“Come on now, what did ah say about being honest?” She asks, walking a bit closer. Ugh, that Hallmark quote about, ‘being honest with yourself so you can be honest with others,’ is kinda burning at me. I don’t want to say anything that could agitate either of us. She lets out a long sigh. “If ya don’t tell me what’s wrong, and ya suffer for it, then yer gonna suffer in silence. Alone.” She walks past me while staring forward. “An’ ya know what? Ah think that’s what -they- want ya ta do.” She looks back at me. “Crab’s brought up somethin’ about,” her voice lowered to a hushed tone, “Names.”
I take a deep breath and bury my face on my arm. “It’s nothing, Applejack. Nothing believable, nothing normal, and just one more thing to toss on the pile of, ‘parting gifts.’”
I can hear the growl in Applejack’s voice. “Darn it! Another one?! What’s it this time?”
I look over at her worriedly. “Please, Applejack, keep it down. I am very upset about this but....” peering through the spaces in the trees I can see, ‘Dib’ happily munching away at lunch. “I don’t want him to hear our conversation.”
Applejack looks down and then nods in agreement. “Ah’m sorry there, H.B. But it’s really burning me up! How could anypony, let alone those who ya were involved with be so cruel?” She asks in a more hushed voice.
“I wish I knew. I really do,” I reply.
She looks at me with concern. “What is it this time?”
I trace my hoof on the surface of the water in the trough. “I,” I can hardly believe me in what I am going to say. “I can’t change my name.”
Applejack gives me a confused look. “Say what?”
“Your cousin asked me if I could change my name, what it would be. And I couldn’t change it,” I explain. She gives me a questioning look. “I knew you wouldn’t believe me.”
“Now hold up, ah didn’t say that ah didn’t believe you,” she starts. “It’s just that ah’m confused about what cha mean by this.”
“Alright, ask me the question he asked me. ‘If I could change my name what would I change it to?’” She once again gives me a strange look. “Just humor me and try it.”
“Alright, if ya could change yer name what would it be?” She asks me.
And almost instantly it’s like my brain is put on automatic. A horrible monotone voice comes out of my mouth and utters a response. “Heartbreak.”
“Uhhh,” She looks at me questionably again.
“See? That sounds totally unbelievable, and it isn’t that I couldn’t think of any other name, it’s that no other name would come out. It’s like I have Tourettes Syndrome,” I say, sighing.
“You have Tourettes Syndrome?” Asks Crab Apple.
“Yes I,- Gah!” I shout. He looks at the both of us confused. “Uhm. Hey Dib, how long have you been standing there?”
“Only long enough to hear that you have Tourettes Syndrome. Which, I can understand why you were upset now. It’s not like many ponies talk about it,” He said.
“Uhm, what’s Tourettes Syndrome?” Applejack asked.
“It’s an inherited neuropsychiatric disorder with onset in foalhood that is characterized by multiple physical tics and at least one vocal tic. These tics characteristically wax and wane, can be suppressed temporarily, and are preceded by a premonitory urge,” Dib explains in startling detail. I think the both of us must be staring at him blankly. “Uhm, there’s a colt at school that everypony calls, ‘Glitches,’ who has it. I sometimes talk to him because,well, nopony else will.”
I eye Applejack. “Yup, that’s what I have.” I elbow her slightly to signal that we should play along with this.
“Oh! Ah had no idea! No wonder yer so sensitive about it! Ah’m terribly sorry that-” she begins.
“It’s no biggy, Applejack. Really, I don’t like talking about it. It doesn’t hinder me in any way other than my speech.” Another mundane lie to cover up a fantastic truth. At least this one works.
“So, are we all going to have lunch together? Eating by myself just kind of seems wrong,” Dib says, looking at the both of us.
“Uhm, yeah! Sure!” I practically blurt out.
“That’s what ah brought it up here fer,” Applejack replies.
The three of us walk to the basket and juice bottles. As we sit down and start to eat, I feel a little normal again. Right now, I’m okay with this comfortable lie, but I am getting an odd look from Applejack. I think we’re going to have another, ‘talk’ later.
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Crab Apple and HB spent the rest of the evening picking up more apples and talking. He was doing most of the talking again while she just listened with some random interjection here and there. After a few more hours, it was time for dinner.
His cousin Applebloom was absent, which he was perfectly fine with. The last few visits he had to endure her constant babbling about her wanting her cutie mark. Along with the other two fillies that she hung out with, it was enough to make him want to rip his mane out.
“Well, like always, that was a good meal, Applejack,” Heartbreak said, rubbing her stomach. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to go get my bags from upstairs and bring them to the living room.”
Applejack looked at Heartbreak. “Ya mind also takin’ a shower? Ya might not have worked as hard as the rest of us, but still...”
Heartbreak looked down and around. “Uhm, I don’t smell terribly bad do I?” She didn’t wait for a response. “You’re probably right, A.J. Back home, I would take a shower almost everyday.”
Crab Apple looked over at Heartbreak. “What’s Mineighsota like anyway?”
“I’ll tell you about that later, Dib. Right now, shower time,” she said, getting up from the table.
Crab Apple waited until she left the dining room and turned to Applejack. “She seems really nice.”
Applejack rolled her eyes as she started to put the dishes away. “Ah guess she can be.”
“A.J., I was wondering,” Crab Apple started. “If I could ask you something.”
A small chill went through Applejack. She hoped that her cousin hadn’t heard more of the conversation than he actually had claimed to. “Uhm, what’s that?”
“Well, there is an event that is taking place here in Ponyville that I have been wanting to go to,” Crab Apple continued. “And before you begin, I know that both you and Big Mac are really busy.”
“An’ ya were wondering if ya could go by yerself,” Applejack sighed. “Look Crab Apple, as much as you think that you’re a full grown adult, yer still-”
“I know that I’m not a full adult, and I wasn’t suggesting that I go by myself.” He looked to the side. “I was just wondering if maybe, H.B. could take me.” Applejack jerked slightly and almost dropped a dish that she was holding. “Is there something wrong?”
“Ah, no. Well, sorta. H.B. is kinda new to Ponyville and being where she’s from, she hasn’t really had time to...uhm adjust ta bein’ around the other ponies here, cous’,” Applejack said clumsily.
Crab Apple looked at his cousin. “She seems perfectly fine to me, A.J.”
Applejack turned away. “Ah’m just not so sure that she should be wonderin’ around Ponyville unsupervised is all.”
“You had her, ‘unsupervised,’ with me for pretty much all day, Applejack.” Crab Apple looked over her shoulder. “What’s the big deal now?”
“There’s no big deal, it’s just that H.B. has a few social problems is all.” Applejack said grasping for reasons.
“Is she socially awkward and a little weird?” He asked.
“Well, yeah,” Applejack replied.
“Then the event that I want her to take me to is perfect for a pony like her! It’s a gathering of socially awkward and weird ponies!” Crab Apple replied.
“And what are y'all gonna be doing at this, ‘unnamed event?’” Applejack asked.
“What normal ponies do at most gatherings, play games, maybe sing songs, tell stories and share our common interests!” Crab Apple replied.
“That just sounds like a normal party ta me there, Crab Apple.” she shook her head. “What makes this little get-together so special?”
“Well, that’s hard to explain, I guess it’s because we’re all pretty enthusiastic about our shared interest,” he replied rubbing his chin with his hoof.
“And that interest would be?” Applejack asked.
“Uhm, obscure equestrian mythological creatures!” Crab Apple said enthusiastically.
“So, it’s like some club of sorts?” Applejack asked.
“Yup!” He replied.
“Ah don’t know,” Applejack said.
Crab Apple looked up at his cousin pleadingly. “Please?”
“Well...” She started.
“It’ll give you an excuse to have her off the farm, out of your mane, and experiencing Ponyville. I mean for an exchange student, she sure seems like a shut-in,” Crab Apple commented.
Applejack sighed. “Ah’ll ask her about it. Ah need ta have a talk with her as it is about a few things.”
Crab Apple shook his hooves in excitement. “Yes!”
“Don’t get yer hopes up too much. It is still up to her on whether or not ya two go ta this club gathering of yers,” Applejack stated.
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Like always, a shower did me good. I’m really surprised that Applejack does have indoor hot and cold running water. I mean I shouldn’t be, but the farm from the show always struck me as rather rustic.
I pull one of the towels off the towel rack with my mouth and attempt to whip it atop my head. It takes me a few times. “I ought to shower more. Maybe just practice trying to flip things on my head like I saw them do on the show.” Once the towel is on my head I use my ankles to clumsily dry my mane.
Turning, I see the mare in the mirror again. I still fail to see why the, ‘wet mane,’ look was so appealing. I glare at her momentarily and then frown. “No! Don’t go all emo-angst on that image! Do something else!” On a whim I go with that thought. I stick my tongue out at her and blow a raspberry. She of course does the same, but at least it is something different.
“H.B-” Applejack’s voice interrupts my goofiness. A random ‘pffft!’ manages to escape my lips before she stares at me. “Uhm, are ya havin’ fun there?”
I quickly tug the towel off my head and put it on my tail. “Uhm, noo, I was just sick of looking at, ‘depressio’ in the mirror over there.”
“Depressio?” She asks me.
“Never mind,” I reply, attempting to blot my tail dry with the towel in my mouth. After a moment of awkward silence, I notice that Applejack is still standing there. “Is there something you want?”
“Well actually yes, ah was hoping that ah could invite ya ta sit outside with me fer a spell,” she asks me.
I keep rubbing the towel on my tail in various ways. Good grief! This thing holds a great deal of water! “After I have just gotten done with a shower?”
“Well, the two of us still need ta talk about a few things, get some things straightened out and made a bit more clear.” Great, it’s going to be a lecture outside. “An’ ah thought a bit of time alone near the old campfire. Just you, me and some marshmellas fer roasting.”
I feel my ears perk up at the mentioning of a campfire. “Uhm, well-”
“Ah could tell ya that it is a, ‘required assignment,’ if need be, H.B.” she says, tilting her head and giving me a look. “But ah’d rather not.” she pulls out a bag of marshmallows and shakes them at me.
I look at the marshmallows and warm thoughts of camping as a child pop into my head. I find myself caving pretty easily now. “Fine, it’s not like I have anything better to do,” I reply and walk out of the bathroom aside Applejack.
Crab Apple’s head pops out from over the couch. “Oh! Marshmallows! Can I come?”
I give Applejack a questioning look. After all, this was something that she wanted to talk together alone. “Actually, it’s gettin’ around yer bed time there, Crab Apple.”
He groans and sighs. “Ah, come on!”
“An’ we’re just gonna be talking about a few things. Plus ah’m not sure ya should be up too late. Besides,” she puts a hoof over my shoulder and looks at me. “Ah was hoping ta have some bondin’ with H.B. of ma own. Ya can come next time. Right now the two of us need some good old’ fashion girl on girl time.” Hearing that phrase come out of Applejack’s mouth makes me blanch and I practically squirm from her grasp to get out of the house.