//------------------------------// // The Apples // Story: Mixed Drinks // by SoralTheSol //------------------------------// Mixed Drinks Disclaimer: I do not own “My Little Ponies.” They are owned by Hasbro. I do own Suzy. Chapter Two: The Apples Soral let out a pained groan as he trotted next to Applejack, his first real hangover informing him of how much of an idiot he was for drinking sixty-proof liquor. “Ya’ okay there little fella?” The orange mare asked around the bit of rope in her mouth. “No, this is my first hangover. I swear I am never touching anything alcoholic again.” Soral told her, before his eyes traced the length of the rope again. The rope lead to hogtied Suzy, who was still letting out the occasional giggling at the situation, despite being dragged around like a prize. Then again, this might be a one of her fantasies, best to abort that train of thought. Instead he thought about why they were currently ponies. Or in his case a foal. Sure, he had wanted to be a kid again, but each time he made that wish it was to be a kid “human,” not another species. “Well, once we get back to the farm I’ll give ya’ an old Apple Family cure.” Applejack told the colt. “Oh! Oh! Hard cider hair of the mare!” Suzy called out excitedly. Soral turned to her with a confused expression on his face. “What the heck is that?” “It’s when you drink something with alcohol to get rid of a hangover.” Suzy said excitedly. Applejack just growled at the mare. The pony clearly was not a good example for her younger charge. “I gonna’ have to set the little guy--” “No chance in hell.” Soral stated flatly. “-straight...” Applejack looked at the colt again. He was not acting the same as when they first met, and she had a sneaking suspicion that she had been given crocodile tears. “Say now, you seem to be acting a lot more mature than a normal colt.” Applejack stated. “My guardian is a big enough child for both of us.” Soral sighed. “Hey!” “Are we almost at your farm Ms. Applejack?” Soral pleaded, his headache “Just over this next hill.” The mare said, accepting his answer. And true to her word when they reached the top of the hill a lush farm came into view. There were apple groves the stretched as far as they could see, and fields of well tended crops. There were also ponies, lots of ponies. “Wow, that is quite the group you got down there.” Soral said, a bit of nervousness creeping into his voice. He did not do well with crowds, maybe they would ignore him. Oh wait, Suzy was trussed up like a pig. Well there went the option of avoiding notice. “Yep, the entire apple clan is down there.” Applejack proudly stated. “We are even doing the catering for this year’s Summer Sun Celebration.” She let out a small chuckle, “If all goes well this will increase our business by quite a bit.” “Summer Sun Celebration? That’s today?” Soral asked. Now while he was not an avid fan *cough*bronie*cough* Soral did retain what he had seen of the show. He knew what the Summer Sun Celebration was, and considering Applejack look no older than she was in the show, there was a very good chance he knew when they were as well. “Yep, your just in time for one the biggest shindigs in Equestria. Woo-Wee is this gonna be great!” Applejack hollered. Soral let loose another pained groan. “This won’t be good.” Applejack gave the colt a sympathetic look, “Sorry, let’s get you and your mom cleaned up first. Then we can see about that little cure.” “Wait wha--” “Yes, we could do with a bath. Wait till a get you in the tub mister.” Suzy proclaimed. Great, she was going with the idea that she was my mother. My headache just got worse from the possibilities. *-*-* “Behind the ears, and through the mane.” Suzy said in a sing-song voice as she scrubbed Soral. Originally he was against having her in the tub with him, “But would she listen? No~. She just hops in anyway. I can clean myself dang-it.” Soral grumbled to himself as she upended a bucket to rinse him. “Oh don’t you look so cute with that scowl on your face.” She cackled. “You could be a little more serious about this you know?” Soral threw back. "I could, but where is the fun in that?” Suzy challenged. “Look we might as well enjoy ourselves while we are here. Right?” “Behold my happy face.” I deadpan with blank expression. “Har, har. Cheeky little brat.” She muttered then dumped another bucket over him. “At least my hangover is gone now.” Soral thought. He tried to clamber out of the tub only to be stopped by Suzy. “Where do you think you’re going? We still need to scrub under your tail.” She said with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Done! I don’t want to play anymore.” Soral began to thrash and manage to slip from Suzy’s clutches before bolting out of the bathroom. “What in tarnashion!” “You’re tracking water.” “Watch where you’re running!” Suzy just hung over the side of the tub trying to get her breath back. “It’s just so easy.” She thought to herself. *-*-* Applejack entered the barn with a towel draped over her back. She walked over to a quivering pile of straw, taking a hoof and moving it aside. “Now, I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but dose running across a crowded farm; sopping wet mind you, like you being chased by a pack a’ timber wolves seem like a bright thing to do?” Soral kept his eyes to the ground. The orange mare let out a sigh, “Com’on, lets get you dried off.” She said, draping the towel over him and patting the water out of his fur. “Sorry.” Soral mumbled to her. “It’s okay sugar-cube. Now buck up. I know, how bout I take ya’ to my little sister Apple Bloom?” The farm pony offered. “I know that she wanted to take a break from the work anyway.” “That,” Soral started, unsure of what to do. He sucked with kids. Well that wasn’t completely true, but still, he was twenty-four. It didn’t matter if he was in a foals body… did it? “That would be nice.” “That’s the spirit.” Applejack said leading the foal out of the barn. “Applebloom! Come over to the barn ya’ hear!” She hollered. “Comin’!” A young voice shouted back. Soon a small yellow filly with a bright red mane could be seen headed towards them. “Yeah sis?” The filly asked as soon as she arrived. “Applebloom, meet Soral. Soral, meet Applebloom my little sister.” Applejack said getting introductions out of the way. “Hi there.” Applebloom chirped. “Hello.” Soral said with a little less enthusiasm. “Applebloom, I want you to show him around the farm. We got enough helpers here that you don’t need to do any chores today.” Applejack told the little filly. “Really, okay let’s go!” Shouted the yellow filly. She took off faster than you would think possible and even managed to drag Soral along with her. “I think this is what I have to look forward to here.” Though Soral glumly as he tried to keep up with the farm filly. “Ah well, might as well try to enjoy myself.” *-*-* “So this is where we keep the other residents of the farm.” Applebloom explained showing off the animal pens. “So… What do you do with the animals?” Soral asked genuinely curious. “What do you mean?” Applebloom asked looking at him. “Well, what are they for. I mean you can get milk from cows but what about the pigs? I don’t think anyone around here eats meat either. So why do you have pigs?” He asked again. “Oh, well they eat all the bad apples and damaged crops. If we didn’t keep a few of them around we would just have big rotting piles of Apples, and that would just cause problems.” Applebloom explained. “Ah that explains it.” Soral said before thinking up another question. He never got to ask it though as a shout rang out across the grounds. “Soups on everypony!” “Your sister has some strong lunges.” He said looking to where the shout originated from. “Yep.” The filly chirped as she led her new friend to where brunch was being served. “Well this will at least tell me if I am right or not. If Twilight and Spike are there then there is no doubt.” Soral considered the possible actions they could take. “Well the best idea was to simply stay out of the—Butterflies trembled in my stomach, my thought became muddled, it felt as though there was too much going on— way…” “What the hay was that?” Soral muttered as he pressed of hoof to the side of his head. A slight pressure made itself known. Shaking his head did nothing to get rid of it, but it seemed to move. “What was what?” Applebloom asked concerned for her friend. “I—I don’t know. I just felt a bunch of different emotions and then they went away.” Soral told her, and then whined, “Now my head hurts again.” Soral tried to move his head again. Experimenting, noticing that pressure seemed to stay in one area compared to his moving head. He tilted it until the pressure was right behind his eyes and opened them. He found himself looking at the occupant of a table slowly filling with food. A purple unicorn mare he recognized from the show. “Applebloom… I think, I think I need some food. This is probably from not eating yet today.” He told her. No need to speak about an odd ability just yet. It could be a fluke. Hell it could be that Twilight is projecting her emotions. “O-kay, if you’re sure.” The yellow filly eyes him, obviously not believing his story. She makes her way over to add her part to the introductions and the food. “Oh how cute you made a new friend, that’s my little unihorn.” A familiar voice gushed from nearby. “Yes Mom,” I said emphasizing the word mom. Might as well stick to the rolls we were given. “Applebloom is very nice, and very innocent. Do not turn her into a pervert like you.” I accused her. “Now that is just rude, beside aren’t you just as bad as me?” She shot back. “I haven’t had any of those thoughts since we got here the headaches are making sure of that.” The mint colt whined while dropping to his belly. Suzy’s expression became a bit more serious at that. “Headaches? Are you okay?” She asked with real concern. “I don’t know. I was heading this way with Applebloom and felt a bunch of emotions that were not mine. Now I have this annoying pressure inside my head that keeps focus on one area.” He told her with a lowered voice. He really didn’t want the other around them to hear this. “Where does it hurt?” Soral place a hoof to the side of his head behind his left ear. “Hear, and this is the weird part. It is acting like a compass, one that is trained on her.” He said pointing a hoof at Twilight Sparkle. He was about to give his theory on what it was when he again felt emotions breach into his mind. Concern, curiosity, amusement. The new pressure was not as bad as the one he felt from Twilight, but the fact that a new one was there new one at all scared him. He was also already looking at where this pressure pointed to. “Suzy,” Soral’s voice was barely a whisper, “Did—did you feel anything just now?” “Like what?” She asked. The feeling of concern grew, and a cold feeling was added to the one already forming in his stomach. “You’re afraid and curious and concerned and I can feel where you are as well.” Soral babbled, his words coming out quickly. “I—I should go, and—and.” His body was trembling and he was on the verge of hyperventilating. “Soral! Calm down.” Suzy said while firmly holding a hoof in the middle of his back to keep him from bolting. “Is everythin’ okay over here?” Applejack asked as she trotted up to them, concern showing on her face. Suzy looked at the trembling foal and decided it would be best to handle this now than to try and put it off. “No, no things are not alright. Could you take him into the house? I need to talk to Twilight Sparkle rather urgently.” Applejack gave her a confused look but seeing the mint colored unicorn foal trembling like a leaf in a windstorm caused her to hold her question. With a nod, the orange mare managed to get Soral onto her back and head for the farm house. With that the lavender mar headed over to meet who she recognized as one of the knowledgeable figures in Equestria. Twilight was preparing to force herself to sample more of the food even as her stomach protested the very idea when a angle saved her. “Miss Sparkle I need to speak with you, privately.” Okay, so the tone suggested that the pony was upset but still it was a legitimate excuse to get away from the table. She excused herself to follow after the lavender coated mare. They marched over to the edge of the orchard where they were far enough away from prying ears. “What may I help you with miss…?” Twilight trailed off. “Suzy. The problem is with you. Sorry not to be rude but when my son came near you something odd happened.” Suzy began to explain. “I don’t understand.” Twilight said. “My son was approaching the picnic with Applebloom when it happened. I think that this has something to do with his magic and… well I was hoping you might know something about it.” Suzy took a deep breath before continuing. “When he told me about it, he said he felt emotions that weren’t his and he had a headache. He said the headache was like pressure at a fixed point… and he pointed at you as that point.” Twilight Sparkle’s eyes went wide with that declaration. She was not allowed to respond though because Suzy pressed forward. “After that he looked at me with genuine terror in his eyes, and name three emotions I was feeling at that moment before he started having a panic attack. Now Miss Sparkle, I have a very scared child in the house and I need answers.” Suzy practically demanded of the purple unicorn. Twilight swallowed the heavy lump that formed in her mouth. “I think I know what it is, but I will have to ask him a few questions first.” She offered. Suzy let out a sigh and nodded. “I asked Applejack to take him inside the house.”