//------------------------------// // Chapter 9: Equestrian Psycho // Story: MIA // by Gravitys Rainboom //------------------------------// Equestrian Psycho “…and then just as the catapult was about to fire, it tipped over, and we all were shot like a million miles away into a tree. It was funny until a bee hive fell on Apple Bloom’s head and started stinging her really bad. I tried to help but my branch broke and I fell out of the tree. Then Scootaloo tried to help but a mouse fell on her mane and she screamed and fell on me. And that’s how we didn’t get our cutie-marks as catapult builders.” After she was done telling him her story, Sweetie Belle beamed at Jorge, who was staring her with a bemused expression. The Spartan and the children were making their way back to town, Jorge having offered to walk with them. He felt like it was time he left his home and enjoy some fresh air. Besides, Featherweight and the Cutie-Mark Crusaders seemed so disappointed when they realized they had to go that he couldn’t help but propose he take them home. “I didn’t scream!” complained Scootaloo. “It just startled me, is all.” The orange pegasus looked up to Jorge. “I wasn’t scared,” she assured him. “Of course you weren’t,” laughed the Spartan. “Why are you telling him that story, Sweetie Belle?” asked Apple Bloom. “You’re gonna make him think we’re a bunch a screw ups.” “I don’t think you’re a bunch of screw ups,” said Jorge. “I’m just curious why this cutie-mark stuff is so important to you.” “Because we’re the only ones in our class who don’t have cutie-marks,” complained Apple Bloom. “Even Featherweight has one.” “Hey!” “Yeah!” said Sweetie. “We get teased a lot at school because we don’t know what our specials talents are yet. We’re sick of not being special!” “Well it seems to me like you already are special,” said Jorge as he stared off and admired the pastoral beauty of the countryside. Just like Reach… “How do you figure that?” asked Scootaloo. The Spartan looked down at the fillies, who had all stopped and stared at him expectantly. “How many students are in your class?” asked Jorge. “Uh…like twenty,” answered Sweetie. “And out of all twenty, you are the only ones who do not have their cutie-marks, meaning you’re in the minority. If ‘blank flanks’ are so rare then you guys are the special ones. “ The crusaders all glanced at each other. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” declared Scootaloo. Jorge sighed. Well, I tried. “Besides, even if that were true, it wouldn’t stop Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara from teasing us.” “Look…” the human bent down on one knee in front of the children. “…bullies will never stop being cruel, regardless of whether or not you conform. You should stop worrying about what they think of you, and start worrying about what you think of yourself.” “What do you know about bullying?” scoffed Scootaloo. “It’s not like anyone ever bullied you.” “You’d be surprised.” Scootaloo’s eyes widened. “You were bullied?” “All the time. I’m not a regular human remember. People used to treat me and my family as freaks…” lab experiments gone wrong. “…People like these ponies who tease you for being blank flanked will continue to bother you, even if you meet their standards. Just brush off what they say, and do things for you, not for them.” “It’s true,” interjected Featherweight. “Snips and Snails got their cutie-marks way before those two, but they still tease them anyways." Scootaloo looked down onto the ground. “I still want my stupid cutie-mark,” she grumbled. “You’ll get it someday,” said Featherweight comfortingly as he wrapped one of his wings around Scootaloo. Both ponies froze when they realized what just happened. They quickly broke apart from each other, blushing furiously. “S-so yeah…cutie-marks,” stuttered Scootaloo lamely. “R-r-right,” stammered the white colt in response. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle leered at Scootaloo with devious smiles. “Hey, Scootaloo?” asked Apple Bloom. “What?” “Scootaloo and Featherweight sitting in a tree…” “Shut up!” “…K-I-S-S-I-N-G,” sung Sweetie Belle, joining in on the fun. “SHUT UP!!!” “First comes love…” “…Then comes marriage…” “…then comes a baby in the baby carriage!” “…then comes a baby in the baby carriage!” “SHUT UP!!!” Scootaloo lunged towards her companions, tackling Apple Bloom to the ground. A wrestling contest ensued as both fillies tussled and shouted at each other; and all the while, Featherweight, who was blushing furiously, was forced to watch. The poor colt was absolutely mortified by the CMC’s singing, and prayed to Celestia for the mercy of a swift death. Jorge just gazed at the two kids rolling all over the ground and rolled his eyes, but still couldn’t help but smile. “Shouldn’t we stop this?” he asked to Sweetie, who just shrugged. “Nah. This happens way more often than you might think.” Sighing, the human bent down again and picked up one of the tussling ponies in each of his hands, causing them to yelp when he raised them five feet above the ground. “Alright, that’s enough you two. We need to get you home for lunch soon.” He placed them on the ground, and the group resumed their journey towards the village. The air was warm, and Jorge was carrying his helmet under his arm so a warm breeze washed over his face. Off in the distance he noticed that a dark cloud of smoke was rising over the horizon. Shrugging it off as inconsequential, the Spartan focused on the path ahead, and before long thatched houses began to poke out over a hill. Soon the group made it to a fork in the road, with one path leading towards the town of Ponyville, and the other heading towards a group of fields where certain apple farm was located. “Well, here you go,” said Jorge. “You better head back home soon.” “Aren’t you coming with us?” asked Featherweight. “No, it’s best if I don’t. No need to cause a panic this early.” “Alright,” muttered the colt, deflating a bit with disappointment. “See you later Jorge, we’ll tell you how the project goes, alright?” The Spartan smiled down at the white pegasus. “I’m looking forward to it, good luck.” “Goodbye Jorge.” “Yeah, goodbye.” After the children bid their farewells, they all trotted eagerly down the path back to town, each excited to tell everypony about Jorge. However, much to Jorge’s bewilderment, Apple Bloom didn’t follow suit. “You know, you have to go home as well,” said the Spartan teasingly. Apple Bloom jumped as if pulled out of a deep thought, and looked up to the Spartan sadly. “Well…uh…ah live that way,” she said, pointing towards the other path. Oh, right, thought Jorge. The apple farm. “Alright then. I’ll see you later.” The human turned around, and began heading back to his cottage. “Wait!” Jorge stopped and faced Apple Bloom once again, who was looking at him with almost pleading eyes. “Yes?” “Would you…uh…would you like tah come over? Ah’m sure Applejack would be happy tah see you; she said some pretty nice thangs ‘bout you a couple days ago.” Jorge’s jaw tightened ever so slightly. “Apple Bloom, I don’t think that’d be a good idea.” “Pleeeeaaaase?” she said, giving him the CMC special. “Believe me Apple Bloom, I would love to. I just don’t think it will end well.” “Why not? Come on!” Apple Bloom brightened up as if she suddenly had an epiphany. “You can stay fer lunch! You must be real hungry, ain’t you? I’m sure Granny Smith’ll love tah have you over. You haven’t lived ‘till you tried one of her world famous apple pies.” “I’ll take your word for it, but I’m sorry Apple Bloom, I can’t.” The filly’s ears folded back in disappointment as Jorge continued down his path away from her. Suddenly, a final idea popped into her head. “Wait!” Jorge stopped again and sighed. “Apple Bloom I can’t take you to Sweet Apple Acres. Please stop insisting.” “But if yer not there tah keep me safe, then ah might be eaten’ by a timberwolf!” Jorge’s eyebrow quirked upward. “Excuse me?” “Uh…yeah,” said Apple Bloom nervously, her eyes shifting from side to side as sweat began beading her forehead. Needless to say, the inability to lie was pretty much a staple of the Apple family. “Those darn timberwolves are always sneaking out of the Everfree and…uh…eatin' little fillies just like me.” Apple Bloom scuffed the ground and looked up at the Spartan with an adorably sad look. “You wouldn’t want me to get eaten, would you?” Jorge gave the filly a hard stare. She had trouble keeping her cute, helpless demeanor under Jorge’s scrutiny, but tried nonetheless. “Fine,” sighed the biped in defeat. “I’ll take you to Sweet Apple Acres. Let’s just go quickly.” Apple Bloom cheered mentally, and the two made their way down the left road towards the apple farm. They both walked in silence, keeping their eyes straight ahead. Due to his massive legs, the Spartan was forced to march at a slow pace to allow the filly to keep up. His feet made a loud *thump* with every step he took, sending clouds of dust in the air and forcing the little pony to walk slightly ahead of him. Apple Bloom looked up to the Spartan and opened her mouth as if to say something, but changed her mind and returned her gaze to the road. She repeated this a few times before mustering the courage to actually speak. “Hey Jorge, can ah ask you somethin'?” “Of course, little one.” “Were you really bullied when you were younger?” Jorge paused, thinking for a brief moment, before shifting his gaze down to the earth pony, who was looking up at him expectantly. “Yes.” “Really?” asked Apple Bloom, as if unable to comprehend the concept. “But you’re so big!” “Exactly. When I was younger, I was teased for being too big. For my age I was one of the biggest kids in my…school, apart from maybe one or two others. They used to pick on me all the time, calling me names like ‘freak.’” “What did you do?” Jorge shrugged. “It was only for a short time. We all eventually became friends, and they stopped. I’m still really big though. Most people find it intimidating, so they try to avoid me. You learn to just shrug it off.” “Just like that?” Jorge smiled. “Just like that.” “Wow…I wish I could be more like you.” “Don’t worry about it, little one. I’m sure you’ll get your cutie-mark soon.” The two continued on their way, Apple Bloom regaling Jorge with more stories about her and her friends trying to get their cutie-marks (generally trying to avoid getting too specific on some of their more…glorious failures). Jorge just listened politely, mentally trying to wrap his head around some of the things Apple Bloom was telling him. Cutie-Mark Crusaders Bear Tamers? These fillies are really desperate. Before long apple trees began lining the path, and a familiar red barn peered over the horizon. “Look we’re here! Come on Jorge, let’s go find Applejack. She’ll sure be happy to see you.” “Apple Bloom that’s not a good ide-” Before he could finish, the filly already scrambled ahead, eager to find her sister. Jorge just groaned and trudged along after her. Applejack was right on the edge of the plantation, repairing the property’s fence. “Hey Applejack!” Applejack smiled when she caught sight of her sister. “Hey there Apple Bloom,” she said as she gave the filly a hug. “Where have you been today? Workin’ on yer cutie-mark with the crusaders?” “Nah, we were doin’ a project fer school, and guess what? We met a friend of yours!” “Really, who?” Apple Bloom pointed down the road towards the rapidly approaching human. As soon as Applejack saw who it was her eyes widened, then narrowed in rage. “You!” “Me!” said Jorge cheekily as he stopped in front of the ponies. “What are you doin’ here!?” demanded Applejack. “Just walking your sister here home,” replied the Spartan coldly, nodding to the confused filly. “Yeah, Mister Jorge was real nice. We hung out at his house an-” “What were you doin’ at his house!?” Apple Bloom recoiled at Applejack’s sudden outburst. She looked between her sister and Jorge helplessly. “Uh…just…you know…talkin’ ‘bout cutie-marks ‘n’ stuff. He helped me with mah school project.” “Apple Bloom, go inside. Now,” ordered the cowpony. “But Applejack-” “NOW!” Apple Bloom cringed back. Tears were starting to form in her eyes, and she galloped back to the Apple family home as fast as she could. Applejack kept her eye on the filly to make sure she left, before turning her attention back to the Spartan. “Why. Were. You. With. Her?” she seethed. Jorge kept his cool demeanor, and stared at Applejack with thinly veiled contempt. “What she said,” answered the Spartan nonchalantly. “She and her friends came to me asking for help. So I helped them.” “HORSEAPPLES!” spat the apple farmer. “You think ah forgot what you did yesterday? You’re lucky ah haven’t told the Princess yet, but if you so much as come near mah sister again ah'll make sure she never lets you see the light of day again, understood?” “I’d like to see her try,” snorted the Spartan. Applejack grinded her teeth in rage and glared at the human. “Get off mah property!” Jorge bent down and brought his face right up to the pony’s until they were almost nose to nose. “Gladly,” he growled. Straightening himself, the soldier turned around and headed back to his cottage. Once she was sure that he was out of view, Applejack huffed and made her way back to the house. Her shoulders felt heavier than usual as she climbed up the creaky steps of her home’s porch, and passed through the front door. Apple Bloom was sitting on a couch in the living room, wiping some tears from her eyes. Applejack’s heart wrenched at the sight of her sister so miserable; even her ribbon seemed to sag slightly. The cowpony sat down next to her sister and brought her into a hug. “Apple Bloom, what were you doin’ with Jorge.” “Ah told you, Applejack! We needed tah interview someone fer a school project, and me, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle thought it’d be neat tah ask Jorge. That’s all we did.” Applejack stared her sister straight in the eye, trying to glean any sort of deception or dishonesty from the filly. When she felt confident that her younger sibling was telling the truth, the mare sighed. “Apple Bloom you shouldn’t spend time with someone like Jorge. Ah don’t want you tah see him no more, got it?” Apple Bloom’s eyes widened in horror. “But…but why not!? He’s mah friend!” Applejack scowled. “He ain’t yer friend, Apple Bloom! You shouldn’t be spending time with people like him. He’s dangerous.” The filly shook her head furiously. “No he ain’t, Applejack. Those stories about humans ain’t true. He’s really nice! He’s got a family where he’s from and everythang.” Family? “Do you know what he did here yesterday? He came here agreeing tah help fix the barn up, and instead knocked down one of our trees! Nearly hurt a bunch a ponies in the process too.” Apple Bloom couldn’t believe her ears. “But…no, he wouldn’t. He was so nice tah us. Why would he want tah hurt ponies? It can’t be true.” Applejack nodded grimly. “It’s true.” Apple Bloom clenched her eyes and shook her head. “Stay away from him, Apple Bloom. Jorge is nothin’ but a no good monster. A freak.” “No,” whispered Apple Bloom. “Excuse me?” The filly’s eyes shot open, and she glared at her sister. “No! You’re lying.” “Apple Bloom!” shouted the elder sister in shock. Apple Bloom jumped off the couch and faced her sibling. “You’re a liar!” she yelled, pointing at her sister accusingly as tears began flowing down her cheeks. “Jorge ain’t a monster, and he ain’t a freak! He’s mah friend, and he’s one of the nicest people ah ever met! He’d never hurt anypony. You have no idea what it must be like fer him! All alone, surrounded by ponies who just treat him like a freak. You and the stupid town are just mean tah him cuz he’s different. Yer a…yer a bully!!!” “Apple Bloom!” cried out Applejack, visibly hurt. She knew how much her sister was bullied at school, and to hear Apple Bloom call her a bully stung more than anything in the world. “Leave me alone!” shrieked the crying filly. She scrambled out of the living room and up the stairs. Applejack ran after her calling her name. Apple Bloom rushed into her room, and slammed the door shut. The eldest of the Apple sisters began knocking at the door, calling for her younger sibling. “Apple Bloom, open this door right now! APPLE BLOOM!!!” Applejack stared at the door, panting. When no response came the mare leaned her back against the wall, and slumped down onto the ground miserably. She sighed and gave the door one more frustrated smack. Dammit. “Gladly.” Jorge stood up and turned his back to Sweet Apple Acres. Wearing a mean scowl, the soldier marched away from the farm at a brisk pace, eager to get as far away from the apple fields as possible. The countryside, which earlier appeared lively and vivid now seemed dull and gray. A dark cloud had formed around the Spartan, consisting of his frustration and irritation with these ponies. It was all underlined with a feeling of helplessness, which spread throughout his body and strangled his insides. Helpless to go home, he was trapped in a world he didn’t understand. The soldier continued to walk hurriedly, eager to get back to his cottage. But luck, which had recently taken a liking to screwing the human over, was not through with him. “Oh Mister human. Mister human!” Jorge froze in his tracks. That voice. Where have I… His eyes widened in realization. “Szarba..” He turned around to see a familiar mint- green unicorn whizzing between a cluster of trees, heading straight for him. Lyra was wearing her signature deranged smile, and galloped towards Jorge at speeds that would make The Wonderbolts envious. Jorge could see that a small, mint colored notebook stuck out of her saddlebag. The soldier groaned and rubbed his eyes. Kérlek, ne most. Lyra sprinted up to the human and stopped right in front of him. Ignoring his annoyed expression, the unicorn gave him an impossibly large, toothy smile. “Hi there!” she said a little too loudly. “It’s me, Lyra. You know, from the party?” “Yes I remember.” “Oh phew,” breathed Lyra in relief. “That’s good. I just wanted you to know that I got my notebook.” Her horn glowed, and the notebook floated out of her saddle bag surrounded in a green aura. Jorge could see that the words ‘TOP SECRET. DO NOT READ” were written on the cover in big, red, bold letters. It was bulging with pictures and scraps of paper, which were haphazardly sticking out from its pages. “So…are you ready for that talk now?” Jorge shook his head slightly in disbelief. Amazing. Yesterday I was the most feared person in this world, and now everyone wants to have a chat with me. “Listen Lyra, this isn’t a good moment for me,” he said through a clenched jaw. “I am really…flattered by your interest in me, but I’m not in the mood for this right now.” “But…I spent days preparing questions,” she muttered pathetically. “I’ve wanted to meet one of you since I was a little filly…please?” Lyra proceeded to assault the soldier with her own puppy eyes. Unfortunately for her, after being subjected to the CMC special Jorge had developed a sort of immunity to adorableness. “I’m sorry.” He continued on his way hoping to leave this madness behind, but didn’t count on Lyra’s persistency. The unicorn scrambled after the human, and did her best to keep up with his long strides. “Please it’ll only take, like, five minutes, I swear!” “No.” “Come on! I won’t even ask any questions! All you have to do is come to my house. Seriously, Bon-Bon’ll love you.” “No!” “I’ll…I’ll even play my lyre for you! You know, give you a private show?” Jorge stopped dead in his tracks, causing the pony to smack into his back leg, though he barely felt it. He turned around and looked at Lyra with a tired expression. “What do you want from me, Lyra?” Lyra rubbed her sore head before gazing up to the Spartan. She bit her lip nervously and avoided his eyes. “I just want to… hang out with you,” she whispered. Jorge blinked in surprise. “Hang out?” “Yeah,” she said, rubbing her leg bashfully. “Ever since I was a filly I always thought humans were the coolest! I used to dream of just, you know, spending the day with one.” “But why would want to hang out with a human? Your stories about us don’t paint us in the best light.” “I know,” she mumbled melancholically. “But when I was little, I used to get teased at school a lot for having a stubby horn. When I would get home I would read stories about you guys because they made me feel better. You guys were awesome! You never took crap from anypony! I always wanted to be kinda like you …” Lyra blushed in embarrassment as she trailed off. The human continued to scrutinize her, unable to come up with anything to say. Finally, Jorge sighed. “Fine.” “What?” “I’ll go have lunch with you, and only lunch…” Lyra *squee’d* loudly and began clapping her hooves together. “…as long as you never do that again.” “Uh…right,” chuckled the unicorn nervously. She began leading the human back to her home, a slight spring in her step as she trotted. Soon the trees and empty fields gave way to cottages and gardens as the two approached the village. Much to Jorge’s relief however, the unicorn didn’t live in the town. Her cottage was in its outskirts, only a few minutes away. As such they didn’t run the risk of attracting too much unwanted attention, save for that of a few ponies traveling along the dirt path. “Here we go,” announced Lyra as they approached one of the cottages. “Home.” The house looked like it was ripped right out of a tacky catalogue. The roof was thatched, which itself was unremarkable considering the surrounding architecture, but was surrounded by a white gutter that was shaped with arches, giving the roof the semblance of a giant doily. The walls were white, and slightly warped, making the house look twisted. Its windows were crooked and uneven, giving it a sort of chaotic order. The gardens were immaculate, featuring all manner of flower and vine which crept their way up one the house’s sides. Overall, the best description Jorge could bequeath it was that it looked whimsical, even for Ponyville. It was the kind of place where the perfect grandmother would live, waiting to open the door and offer any and all visitor a tray of chocolate-chip cookies. Barring that, the Spartan half-expected seven dwarves to jump out and greet them. “Let’s go!” said the mint green mare excitedly as she opened a white picket fence and clopped down the small cobbled path that led to the front door. Jorge followed reluctantly, keeping a wary eye around his surroundings. The garden was full of bees and butterflies, but they paid him no heed. At one point a hummingbird fluttered up in front of Jorge, and the Spartan could have sworn it smiled at him. Lyra pulled out her keys from her saddlebag and opened the door. “Come in,” she said before disappearing inside. Bending down to avoid hitting his head on the door frame, the human followed suit. Jorge was annoyed to discover that he had to stoop over slightly to keep from bumping his head on the ceiling. “Bon-Bon, I’m home!” called out Lyra as she dropped her saddlebag onto the floor absentmindedly. “Oh hello, Sweetie!” called out a voice from the kitchen. “How was your morning?” “Oh you know. Same old, same old. I brought over a friend over for lunch, if that’s okay?” “No problem, you know I love entertaining guests. I’ll just finish up in here real quick then join you.” Lyra dragged the soldier into the living room. Unsurprisingly, the décor didn’t help dispel the theory that the house was populated by a group of adorable grandmothers. Old, mahogany shelves were adorned with clay birds, tasteless collectable plates, and all sorts of trinkets and knickknacks. Photos covered almost every single inch of the wall, and the furniture all looked like it was a few decades out of fashion. Most amusing of all, some of the nightstands featured actual doilies. “Sorry about the decoration,” said Lyra, somewhat embarrassed. “Bon-Bon has no taste, but I still love her all the same.” The unicorn plopped herself on one of the couches while Jorge stood in the middle of the room, unsure of what to do. The atmosphere was quickly growing awkward as Lyra said nothing, and just stared at him with an expression conveying a mixture of excitement and utter lunacy. Wanting desperately to break the bizarre atmosphere, Jorge tried striking a conversation. “So-” “OHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSH!!!”*squee’d* Lyra loudly, despite the agreement she had had with Jorge. “I can’t believe you’re actually standing in my house! This is a dream come true! All my fantasies…everything it…I…is it getting hot in here?” Lyra fanned herself as if she were about to die of excitement. “Lyra.” “Yeah?” “Calm down.” Suddenly realizing the way she was behaving, Lyra cleared her throat and took a deep breath. “Sorry, it’s just I’ve always wanted to meet one of you guys. I always knew you were real!” Before the Spartan could say anything in response, Bon-Bon walked into the living room from the kitchen. “Lunch’ll be ready in a few minu-” She stopped herself when she caught sight of the room. Lyra was smiling lovingly at her, which she found heart-warming. Sadly, she came to focus on a much less heart-warming sight, namely the giant, metal-clad biped currently staring down at her. It took a few moments for the cream colored mare to process what she was witnessing. Bob-Bon’s pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks. Her muscles became taught with fear as her fur shot out and stood on its ends. Before long the earth-pony was hyperventilating softly and staring at Jorge in paralyzing fear. “Hey Bon-Bon! I brought Jorge over for lunch,” said Lyra, still sporting a massive grin and completely oblivious to her marefriend’s behavior. “I’m Jorge,” deadpanned Jorge as he gave Bon-Bon a small wave. Bon-Bon started trembling, and she refused to take her eyes off the human in front of her. “L-Lyra?” she whispered slowly. “T-t-there’s a g-g-giant monster in our l-l-living room. Whatever you d-d-do, don’t move. I don’t t-think it can see us if we stay st-t-till.” “You know I can see you now, right?” sighed Jorge. “Bon-Bon!” cried out Lyra indignantly. “Stop being rude. I invited Jorge over for lunch. He’s our guest.” Bon-Bon’s eyes shifted between the biped and the unicorn. “Lyra, could I see you in the kitchen please!?” she asked rather loudly. Lyra looked hesitantly at Jorge, before getting off the couch and following Bon-Bon into the kitchen. “Be right back, Jorge,” she called out before leaving his sight and turning her attention to the frazzled mare in front of her. “What’s up, Bons?” Bon-Bon’s eye twitched slightly. “Lyra, you know I love you right?” “Yyyeeesss…?” said the unicorn cautiously. “Good, so I hope you take no offence when I ask: HAVE YOU LOST YOUR CELESTIA DAMNED MIND!?!” Lyra flinched back at Bon-Bon’s outburst. “Hey! That was a little uncalled for.” The earth pony’s jaw hit the floor. “A little uncalled for? There is a monster standing in my living room!” “He’s not a monster! He’s my guest and I invited him for lunch. You were okay with it, like, five minutes ago.” “Five minutes ago I didn’t know he was a human! I want him out, now.” “But…but Bon-Bon, you know this is my dream come true!” Bon-Bon sighed and rubbed her eyes. “Lyra, your obsession with humans is quirky, adorable even. But there’s difference between fantasy and reality! Did you forget how dangerous they’re supposed to be?” “He’s not dangerous, I swear! He’s a really nice guy once you get to know him. Come on Bon-Bon he wouldn’t hurt a fly, and he really, really likes me.” Unknown to Lyra, only one of those things was true. “You’ll love him, just give him a chance.” Bon-Bon looked towards the living room uncertainly. “I don’t know…” Lyra grinned deviously before moving towards her lover and nibbling her ear softly, causing Bon-Bon to squeak. “If you let him stay for lunch I’ll make it worth your while,” whispered Lyra seductively. “Lyra, stop!” giggled Bon-Bon as a blush spread across her cheeks. “Come on…” moaned the green unicorn, rubbing the flushed mare’s flanks. “I know you love it, Candy Ass.” “Lyra!” laughed the earth-pony, pushing the green mare off her. “Fine, he can stay…but tonight you better give me the works.” “Oh I will,” assured Lyra with a wink, before cantering back to the living room. Bon-Bon watched her go, her grin slowly fading only to be replaced with apprehension. She gulped, and sluggishly made her way back into the room where the human was. Jorge was standing to a side, inspecting the photos on one of the walls while Lyra was sitting back on the couch, staring at him reverently. When she saw Bon-Bon standing at the doorway she motioned her over, but the cream colored mare ignored her. “So Jorge,” she said nervously, getting the human’s attention. “Lunch is almost ready. Would you like anything specific?” “Anything’s fine, thank you,” said Jorge courteously. “Are you sure?” asked Bon-Bon. “I don’t know what humans eat but I could do my best. Would like a salad? Some pasta? The flesh of a newborn foal?” “Excuse me?” “Pasta it is then!” Bon-Bon hastily made her way to the kitchen, leaving Jorge to gape at where she once stood. “Ignore her,” said Lyra with a wave of her hoof. “She can be weird sometimes…hey listen, would you mind if I rub my face against your cheek.” She gave the human her most reassuring smile, but it just came out as deranged. Jorge just glanced at her uneasily. This is going to be a very interesting lunch, thought the human as he eyed the staring pony. Bon-Bon returned shortly and sat on the couch next to her marefriend. She grabbed Lyra’s hoof in fear, stroking it as if to comfort herself. The unicorn didn’t notice, and just continued staring at Jorge excitedly. Jorge gazed at the two mares, unsure of what to do. Lyra said she wanted to ‘hang out,’ but he had no idea what that was supposed to entail. Looking at the green mint unicorn, he tilted his head curiously when he noticed her posture. “What?” Lyra asked when she caught Jorge looking at her quizzically. “Why are you sitting like that?” Much to Jorge’s surprise, Bon-Bon snorted with laughter. Lyra looked at her lover in confusion before huffing. “Seriously? I thought you of all people wouldn’t ask that.” Jorge’s eyebrow shot upward. “Excuse me?” “Ponies are always giving me crap about the way I sit. I just find it comfortable okay!” “…okay. I was just asking. It’s a little odd, is all.” “I know, right!?” laughed out Bon-Bon. “I’ve been telling her that for years but she never seems to listen!” Suddenly realizing who she was talking to, the earth pony coughed nervously, and averted her gaze from the soldier. “But…but I’m sitting like a human!” “Exactly,” answered Jorge. “You’re not a human. You are a pony; ergo, you’re supposed to sit like a pony. It’s odd.” Throughout Jorge’s explanation, Bon-Bon could not stop snickering to herself. She leaned in close to Lyra’s ear. “I change my mind, I like him.” “ALRIGHT! Can we drop the whole sitting topic, please?” Jorge raised his hands defensively. “I didn’t mean to offend you.” Lyra sighed. “Sorry, it’s a touchy subject. Please, take a seat,” offered the mare as she waved her hoof towards an armchair. Jorge obliged. But rather than sit on any of the furniture, the Spartan moved a coffee table out of the way and sat down on the floor. Jorge was now around the same height as Lyra, making looking at her much easier. “Uh…why are you sitting on the floor?” asked the unicorn “You ponies are always giving me crap about the way I sit,” replied Jorge wryly. “I just find it comfortable, okay?” Bon-Bon bit down on her hoof to stop herself from giggling, while Lyra rolled her eyes. “Ha, ha, very funny,” said the unicorn flatly. “Seriously though, why on the floor?” “Because this way you don’t have to buy new furniture,” grumbled the Spartan, causing the ponies to glance at each other. “So…Jorge,” began Lyra, trying to think of something to say without jumping into the questions right away. “What were you looking at on the wall just now?” “Just one of your photos,” answered Jorge, nodding to the picture in question. It was a black and white photo of Bon-Bon when she was just a filly. The pony was covered in some sort of batter or flour, but it was hard to tell what it was due to the lack of color. The kitchen she was standing in was a mess. In fact the stove was on fire, her mane was slightly singed, and she was wearing a bowl on her head. But for some reason, she was the very picture of joy. Her smile occupied almost half her face and her eyes were sparkling happily. The cream colored mare blushed slightly in embarrassment. “That was taken by my dad right after I got my cutie-mark.” “How did you get it?” asked Jorge. All the talk of cutie-marks that day was making him burn with curiosity. “Uh…well, when I was younger, my parents worked at a bakery. I had just started school here in Ponyville after moving from Fillydelphia, and even though everyone was really young I was one of the few in the class who didn’t have a cutie-mark. It must have been a really early budding class. Most ponies don’t get theirs until they’re around the age of nine or ten, but here was a bunch of six and seven year olds who already knew their special talents! I was really embarrassed that I didn’t have mine yet. I wasn’t bullied or anything, in fact many of the kids actually tried to help me get my cutie-mark, but I still felt humiliated. One day, after trying to get a cutie-mark in catapult building-” “I’m sorry,” interrupted Jorge. “Did you say catapult building?” Bon-Bon’s blush intensified further, and it was Lyra’s turn to snicker. “Uh…yeah. I tried some silly things as a filly.” There is no way that’s a coincidence, thought Jorge as he shook his head to himself. “Go on.” “So I came back home, and there was nopony there. I was really hungry, but there wasn’t anything to eat. The bakery was closed for the holidays and everything had been thrown away. My parents never let me cook because I was too young, but I was too tired to care. So I went inside and decided to try making some cookies.” Bon-Bon laughed. “I didn’t know what I was doing. I just threw whatever I could find into a bowl, and used and old eggbeater to mix. By the time I was putting the mix on the tray, the ‘cookie dough’ was so thick and syrupy; it didn’t look too appetizing. Still, I put it in the oven anyways. I set the temperature to the max, and it…well it…it exploded.” “It exploded?” “Pretty much,” she chuckled, rubbing the back of her head with her hoof. "The blast launched me to the other side of the kitchen, and sent the bowl flying onto my head. Fortunately, that’s when my parents showed up. You should have seen the look on my dad’s face! He nearly had a heart attack. Of course it wasn’t funny then though. He grabbed a fire extinguisher, and put out the fire. He was so upset. I swear, he was about to explode. Then my mom happened to try one of my ‘cookies.’ “I don’t know how, but they turned out as bon-bons. The craziest thing was that they were delicious! I almost thought my mom’s eyes rolled into the back of her head when she tried one. That’s when I got this.” Bon-Bon displayed her flank, which bore the image of three wrapped candies.” “I love it when you wiggle your bon-bons, Candy Ass,” whispered Lyra throatily. “Lyra!” “You weren’t punished?” asked Jorge, ignoring the two lover’s flirtations. “Oh no, I was punished alright,” said the earth pony, pushing Lyra away from her. “I was grounded for a month. I didn’t really care though; I was too happy that I got my cutie-mark.” Jorge nodded at turned his attention back to the photos on the wall. Bob-Bon looked at her hooves and bit her lip nervously. “Uh…excuse me?” she addressed to Jorge, who looked straight at her. “Jorge, was it?” The Spartan nodded. “Listen, Jorge. I’m sorry I was so rude to you earlier, it was uncalled for. It’s just that there have been some rumors floating around town and…I know that doesn’t excuse my behavior, but I apologize.” Jorge observed Bon-Bon silently, keeping his stoic expression. “Apology accepted,” he finally answered. “Honestly, you’ve probably gotten used to me faster than most ponies have since I arrived.” And less violently too… “Well with Lyra in the house, it practically felt like we were living with humans,” laughed the earth pony, poking her marefriend playfully. “Hey!” cried out Lyra indignantly, prompting a chuckle from Bob-Bon. A loud ringing sounded from the kitchen, and Bob-Bon hopped off the couch. “That was the egg timer. Lunch is ready you two.” The unicorn and the human followed the earth pony into the dining room, where she served them each a plate of spaghetti al dente with tomato sauce. The Spartan was forced to sit on the floor, holding his plate in one hand and his fork in the other, but he didn’t mind. It was a simple meal; not to the degree of Spike’s cooking but still delicious nonetheless. As he ate, Jorge contemplated that one of the few positive perks of being in Equestria was the great food. Every meal was a treat, and while the lack of meat was a bit of a drag, he could easily make up for the lack of protein with eggs and other vegetarian substitutes. Once they were finished eating, the two ponies leaned back and hummed in satisfaction. Jorge noticed that Lyra was still staring at him, as she had throughout the entire lunch. He sighed, and decided to do something he knew he would regret. “Hey Lyra, would you like to ask me a few questions now?” Lyra perked up, and her eyes widened. Jorge could practically hear the screeching grinds of her head slowly, painfully slowly rotating to face him. Her pupils shrunk as her smile widened. “Really?” “Sure,” replied Jorge through gritted teeth. As predicted, he was already regretting his decision. “I can tell you’ve been waiting to ever since I got here.” Rather than shaking with excitement, the unicorn started vibrating. It was so subtle that it was barely noticeable, but that made it all the more unsettling. Suddenly she shot out of her chair and ran through the dining room towards her room. “Should I be worried?” Jorge asked Bon-Bon. “No. You should be running.” Just as quick as she disappeared Lyra returned, levitating a familiar notebook next to her head. She placed it on the table and began flipping through its pages voraciously, ignoring the photos and pieces of paper that flew out. Jorge noticed that most of them contained eerily detailed illustrations of hands. Lyra paused and looked up to the human uncertainly. “Are you sure…I don’t want to be pushy.” “No, it’s alrigh-” “Okay great! Let’s see…uh…ah okay, *ahem.* Question one: Are your gills located on the side of your torso, or on your back?” Ever since arriving to Equestria, there had been a few moments in which Jorge was rendered utterly speechless. Prior to his arrival this would have been nearly impossible, but this world was just so unlike what he was used to that he couldn’t help but be shocked, surprised, and outright befuddled every time something unexpected happened (which was a lot). At that instant, he was experiencing such a moment. “I’m sorry?” he asked after nearly a whole minute of silence. “Your gills,” repeated Lyra. “Where do you have them? I have a pretty good idea of what human anatomy is like but that’s one of the things I’m still not sure on.” “Where exactly have you been getting your information on humans?” “Well, old stories mostly. They don’t mention anything about your amphibious nature, but me and other human aficionados theorized that you must have had some aquatic tendencies.” “Aficionados… that’s one way to call them,” muttered Bon-Bon, to which Lyra responded with a smoldering glare. “Lyra, I don’t have gills.” The unicorn gasped. “Oh Jorge I’m…I’m so sorry. I had no idea you were born with a birth defect. I shouldn’t have broached such a touchy subject.” “What? Lyra, humans don’t have gills.” The mint-green mare blinked in confusion, before a slight blush tinged her cheeks. “Really?” “Really.” “Oh…well there go questions numbers one through twelve.” Jorge groaned mentally. Zárva kellett volna tartsam a számat. Much to his surprise though, once they were off the subject of gills the conversation took a more pleasant turn. Lyra’s information on human anatomy was unnervingly accurate (aquatic physical attributes aside), so she mostly asked questions about Jorge’s life. The human answered as best he could, generally avoiding the subject of the war and politely refusing to answer when things got too personal. Eventually they stumbled on the topic of Reach, and he spent the rest of his time there regaling both ponies with stories of his planet. Throughout his story telling the Spartan’s chest felt hollow and he felt a sharp pain in his belly, as if someone had stabbed him with an ice pick. Lyra asked him if she could inspect his hands (she didn’t so much use the word ‘inspect’ as she did the word ‘lick’), but much to her disappointment that wasn’t possible due to the Spartan’s armor. After an hour of chatting and answering questions, Jorge decided that it was best that he get going, and stood up to leave. Unfortunately, Lyra was having trouble coping with that fact. “Please, just five more minutes!” “I need to go, Lyra.” “Stay for dinner! Come on, we’ll even cook you some meat if you stay! I’m sure Applejack won’t miss a cow or two.” “Lyra, it has been a pleasure but I really need to go.” “Why don’t you move in!? Bon-Bon won’t mind!” “Actually…” “See! She’s already on board! Here, let me just go get your things.” “Goodbye Lyra.” The unicorn dove through the air and clung onto the human’s leg just as he was going out the door. Jorge took three steps before realizing that he was dragging the pony with him. Sighing, he bent down and pulled her off him, lifting her up a few feet before placing her gently in front of the door. He had long since learnt that that seemed to be an effective method of getting ponies to leave him alone. Lyra was staring at him with large, shimmering eyes. Her lower lip was trembling, and she was outstretching her hooves at him like a foal who wanted to be picked up. The unicorn gave the Spartan a high-pitched whine. “No,” said Jorge gruffly. Bon-Bon rolled her eyes before she grabbed her lover’s tail and pulled her away. “Stop being so childish, Lyra.” “Fine,” pouted the unicorn. “But remember, you promised to show me your hands next time you came over. And I still have to play a song for you.” “I know.” And with that the soldier turned his back on the house, and walked down the path back to his home. Lyra and Bon-Bon called out their ‘goodbyes’ before retreating back into their home. Jorge left the vicinity of Ponyville, and when he was atop one of the surrounding hills he looked back down at the strange cottage where he had just spent his afternoon. What a crazy pair of ponies, thought Jorge as a grin crawled onto his face. Crazy, but kind. He made his way back to his own home. The sun was long since passed its peak, and Jorge estimated that it was probably between five o’ clock and five-thirty judging from its position. As he walked, Jorge looked back on his day. It certainly had been interesting, but then again that could be said about every day in the past week. His mind turned to the Cutie-Mark Crusaders, particularly Apple Bloom. I wonder what they're up to; probably trying to get their cutie-marks in bomb disarming. Jorge looked ahead and saw someone on the road heading straight towards him. His jaw clenched and his face darkened with rage when he recognized who it was. Applejack’s eyes were downcast. Her face lacked her usual carefree smile, and instead bore a dejected frown. She slowly trudged away from Sweet Apple Acres. Her legs felt as heavy as lead, and her mouth was dry. As the distance between her and her farm increased, so did her guilt. As she moved, she looked up ahead of her for a brief moment, and caught the sight of something large standing down the road. Her heart jumped into her throat when she realized who it was. Jorge and Applejack said nothing as they stared at each other. The pony’s eyes were miserable, whereas the human wore the same neutral expression that was chiseled into his face. Yet Applejack could see anger behind those brown eyes. “Uh…howdy there…Jorge,” muttered Applejack lamely. She winced as soon as the words came out of her mouth. Jorge said nothing. His brow furrowed and he marched past the pony silently. “W-wait!” called out Applejack. Jorge didn’t listen. He continued to walk away, ignoring the mare’s calls. “I’m sorry!” The Spartan froze. He turned around slowly until he was facing the pony, who was looking at the ground in shame. “Excuse me?” he asked. Applejack sighed. “Look…ah’ve…ah’ve been givin’ it a lot of thought…you know, giving me time tah cool off… and ah realized that…that ah was wrong.” She looked up to the soldier, waiting for a response. When she got none, she took it as a sign to continue. “Ah shouldn’t have yelled at you like that, ah…the thang is, thangs have been so stressful lately…we’re in debt and they might foreclose us and…shoot, ah don’t even know how you do it. After Apple Bloom yelled at me ah realized that it must be hard fer you here and…you’re away from your home and everythang you knew and…shoot, can ah start over?” Jorge raised his hand to stop the pony. “Applejack, I forgive you.” Applejack snapped her head up. “Really?” The Spartan nodded. Both beings stood in front of each other as an awkward silence descended upon them. “Well, if you’ll excuse me I need to head to my new home and find a way to fit into my shower.” “Hold on there. If you need a place tah wash up there’s a pond nearby. Ah could show you the way, it’s the least ah could do.” Jorge thought about it for a moment, before giving Applejack a curt nod. The pony led the human down the path. The day had quickly grown humid, and the heat of the sun was sticking to the pony as she walked. Sweat flowed down her brow, accompanied by a feeling of general discomfort. The air was thick and unpleasant, and now that she thought about it, a dip in the pond sounded like a great idea. Mosquitoes and dragonflies buzzed around the mare, who’s tail subconsciously lashed out to whip them. Both she and Jorge walked side by side in silence. The farmer would periodically glance up at Jorge, who was looking straight ahead and wasn’t displaying any sign of discomfort. “Thanks by the way,” she said. Jorge looked down at her and raised his eyebrow. “For forgivin’ me, ah mean,” explained Applejack. “Ah was being a real jerk, and ah just didn’t expect you tah accept mah apology that quickly.” Jorge didn’t say anything, he just nodded. “Why did you forgive me so quickly, by the way?” “Does it matter?” answered the soldier gruffly. “Ah’m just curious is all.” Jorge paused as he thought what to answer. “I’m getting sick of grudges,” he finally said. “We’ve had enough of them since I’ve arrived. Besides, I was also at fault. I should have controlled my rage…” I should have acted with discipline, he thought bitterly. “Don’t worry ‘bout it; we were able tah save Woodsworth.” “Who?” “The tree you knocked down.” Jorge stared at her in disbelief. “You name your trees?” “Of course. Why wouldn’t we?” Jorge said nothing; he shook his head and grumbled under his breath. “Besides, ah guess the look on their faces when they fell was pretty funny,” snickered Applejack. “Glad you enjoyed it,” snorted Jorge in amusement. Before long the two emerged into a clearing. A large pond rested in the middle, surrounded by a sandy beach. The crystalline water was so clear, Jorge could see straight through to the pond’s floor as if peering through a window. Birds fluttered over the pond’s waters, and a family of ducks was gliding over its surface, creating small ripples that spread to the edges of the beach. “Well, here you are, Jorge,” said Applejack, presenting the pond with a wave of her hoof. “Now all you need tah do is find a way out of that armor of yours and you’ll be good tah go.” “That won’t be a problem.” While the MJOLNIR Mark V generally required a team of technicians to help remove and put back on, Jorge had long since modified his orange armor to allow him to do so manually. A loud *hiss* emanated from the suit after he presses a button on his arm, and various mechanical components began to move and shift. Applejack watched in fascination as Jorge began taking apart his armor piece by piece. Jorge gently, almost reverently placed each portion of his suit on the ground as he removed them. After about twenty minutes, all that remained was a tight, black body suit that encompassed his entire body. Jorge speedily removed that too. Applejack gasped. He was totally hairless, which wasn’t much a surprise. What was a surprise was his skin tone. The Spartan’s body was pale, almost to the point of appearing sickly. Does he ever take it off? thought Applejack as he eyed him. His white skin wasn’t what caused her to gasp though. Jorge’s back was covered with scars. Jagged lines and faded burns ran along his body, making Applejack slightly queasy. Jorge turned around to head into the water, giving Applejack a view of his torso. It too was covered with half a dozen faded wounds, which were all the more evident due to his lack of fur. His body was rippling with muscles, demonstrating his athletic, if bulky, physique. Applejack’s eyes trailed lower to his legs. She gasped a second time and quickly turned her back to the human, her face burning with a furious blush. Well that explains the clothes thing, thought Applejack. Ain’t nothin' concealed ‘bout that. As soon as she heard a splash coming from the pond, the farmer deemed it safe to turn around. The Spartan broke the surface sighed contently. Swimming through the cool water, Jorge’s powerful arms cut through the water like a knife, propelling him to the other side in a manner of seconds before returning. “I guess someone is enjoying themselves,” laughed Applejack. Jorge wiped his face and gave her a small nod. “I needed this.” “Y’know, you should get some more clothes if you’re gonna insist on wearin’ them. You can’t wear your armor twenty-four seven.” “I have before,” replied the human with a shrug. “Like I’ve said before: I like my armor.” The pony shook her head. “I still don’t get that.” “Why do you wear your hat all the time? I’ve seen you wearing it even at night.” Applejack instinctively made to grab her father’s old hat. “It’s a part of me,” she answered resolutely. “Same with my armor. It’s a part of me. Like a second skin. I get uncomfortable if I don’t have it on for too long.” Applejack glanced at the pieces of the Spartan’s MJOLNIR. “Well, in any case, if you change yer mind just head on over to Rarity’s and she’ll set you up. She’s a generous one she is.” Applejack zoned out slightly as she pictured the alabaster unicorn in her head. “Hey…uh…Jorge?” “Yes?” Applejack blushed and scuffled the dirt bashfully. “Do you know anythin’ ‘bout…” the pony made vague gestures with her hooves “…you know?” “No, I don’t. About what?” Applejack’s blush practically glowed, and she fidgeted uncomfortably as she tried to find a way to express herself. “Well…uh…crushes ah guess…love ‘n stuff,” she muttered with thinly veiled nervousness. Jorge was taken aback. “I can’t say that I do,” he admitted slowly. “Oh.” Jorge scrutinized the pony carefully. “Why do you ask, are you looking for advice or something?” Applejack’s face looked like it was about to catch fire. “What!? No!” she laughed nervously. “Ah don’t have a special somepony or anythin’. Why would ah be lookin’ fer advice?” As she said those words, she bit her lip and glanced at the ground. Applejack walked through the throng of ponies dancing in the middle of the library. She still had trouble following the events that had led to Pinkie hosting a huge party with half the town in the middle of the library; much less how they had managed to do it after the panic. But her mind was preoccupied at the moment. She broke through the crowd of quadrupeds and saw who she was looking for. Rarity was sitting in a corner of the room, near the stairs to the basement, with Jorge. Jorge was explaining something to the unicorn, and while Applejack couldn’t tell what he was saying it was obvious that Rarity was extremely interested. Gulping nervously, Applejack took a step forward. “Uh, ‘scuse me for interuptin’, but can ah talk tah Rarity fer a minute?” Both turned to face her. Rarity looked surprised while Jorge looked irritated; though, much to the cowpony’s confusion, he seemed to look slightly relieved when she asked that. “Why of course Applejack,” replied the dressmaker with a smile. “What do you need?” ‘Why did she have to ask that?’ thought Applejack, trying to come up with a believable lie. “Actually I was… uh… hopin’ that we could talk in… p-p-private,” she said when she could come up with none. Applejack could tell that Rarity was confused, but the unicorn smiled nonetheless. “Sure darling, it won’t be a problem. “I‘m sorry Jorge, but it appears that you will have to tell me some other time.” Applejack led Rarity to a deserted part of the room. As they walked they passed Lyra, who was wearing an incredibly creepy grin, but Applejack thought nothing of it. Finally finding an empty corner of the room, the cowpony turned to face the fashionista. “So Applejack, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?” Applejack’s mouth went dry and her mind blanked. For the first time for as long as she could remember, Applejack’s legs felt wobbly not from physical exertion, but from nerves. “Uh…well Rarity…ah uh…” The farmer could feel her face heat up as she stuttered stupidly. ‘Dammit, say something!’ “Uh…” ‘No! You said that already, you moron.’ “Ah just wanted to uh…tah thank you again fer fixin’ my hat!” she said, wincing at her own lie. Rarity gave Applejack a skeptical smile. “Don’t mention it, darling. I know how much that old cowpony hat means to you. It was my pleasure. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to find Jorge before he leaves. He was just about to tell me something about his armor that I’m dying to know.” Rarity returned to the crowd, leaving the orange mare on her own. Applejack kept a fake smile as she watched the white unicorn walk away. Once she was out of distance, the cowpony hung her head miserably. “Idiot.” Applejack snapped out of her contemplation and looked at Jorge, who stared at her skeptically. “What about you? Y’all ever have a special somepony?” Jorge snorted. “It’s funny. Your sister asked me the same thing.” “And?” “No.” “Oh,” mumbled the pony, somewhat disappointed. “Well you have a family, right? Ah heard Applebloom mention somethin’ like that. How are they?” Jorge didn’t say anything. He frowned and looked down at the waters he stood in. His reflection stared back at him. It was the face of a soldier; scarred, hardened, tired, worn. The face of a true Spartan. He ran his fingers along the face, which disappeared in a wave of ripples. Jorge looked at the ripples as they spread out, moving faster and faster, growing stronger as they glided over the face before slowing down and disappearing all together. They’re dying. “They’re fine…” Applejack’s ears folded back. “Oh.” Jorge’s voice had been steady, neutral. But she felt something behind it. A drop of sorrow that tainted his tone, turning what would have otherwise been a comfortable, innocent lie into a knife that lashed the air with its true meaning. With nothing more than those two words, she knew. She didn’t say anything, instead choosing to stare at the ground before her. “Ah lost mah parents when ah was ten.” Jorge froze. He slowly raised his head and looked at the pony on the shore. Her eyes were full of sorrow and melancholy as she stared at a piece of grass, lost in thought. Applejack didn’t know why she said that. It was an impulse. An uncontrollable urge that seized her body, as if saying it would break a spell that had befallen the haggard soldier. “Oh,” whispered Jorge softly. The two stood there in silence. The pony and the human. The farmer and the soldier, both deep in thought as they stared at the ground and the water. Nothing could be heard over the sound of wind blowing through leaves. Distant whispers that caressed their bodies briefly. Giving them warm and comfort before disappearing, never to return. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Applejack raised her head to face the human. “Hey Jorge?” Jorge glanced at the pony. “Would you like tah come tah town with me? We still got a couple hours of sunlight left.” Jorge didn’t say anything. He stared at the pony with tired eyes, deep in thought. The Spartan gave Applejack the faintest of smiles. “I would like that very much.” The scratching of claws on wood could be heard throughout the cavernous hall, followed by some light thuds as a small, feathered creature fell down a flight of stairs. Shaking its head, the orange and yellow creature fluttered its tiny wings and began scurrying across the cold, stone floor. Exploring for no other reason than for the sake of it, the creature hopped on top of boxes, machines, and piles of books as it inspected the dark, cob-web filled room it found itself in. As it ran between dusty shelves and decrepit furniture, it caught site of something out of place. It was a thing, a thing unlike anything else this animal had seen. Unlike everything else in the room, this strange object was completely devoid of dust. It was round, smooth, and above all else, shiny. The creature bit down on the mysterious object, and picked it up in its beak. Swaying from the orb's weight, the small creature clumsily made its way back up the stairs. Using its little claws to pry the door open, the critter was blinded by the light that streamed through the crack. It walked through the doorway with the thing in its beak, eager to find out just what it could be- “Peewee there you are!” Peewee chirped happily when he saw his master walk into the library’s foyer and into the kitchen. Fluttering his wings in excitement, the baby phoenix completely forgot about the small treasure he had discovered in the library’s basement. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” scolded the dragon as he picked Peewee up and give him a disapproving glare. The chick looked at the dragon and chirped, causing the biped’s heart to melt. “Awwww, I can’t stay mad at you.” Spike scratched the bottom of the chick’s beak, causing him to ruffle his feathers happily. “C’mon, let’s go upstairs.” The dragon took a step forward and inadvertently stepped on the sphere Peewee had brought up, causing him to trip. As Peewee flew out of his owner’s claw he flapped his tiny wings as fast as he could, slowing his fall and allowing him to land on the floor softly with a satisfied chirp. Spike was not as lucky. All he had to cushion his fall was his face. “Ow! What the…?” rubbing his head, Spike turned around and picked up the orb that had caused his fall. It was blue with a green and orange circle in the middle. The surface was completely smooth and shiny, as if made of glass. Spike could see that whatever it was, it had a large crack. Sniffing it experimentally, Spike popped it in his mouth and began chewing it before spitting it out. “Okay, so not a gem,” he muttered to himself, somewhat disappointed. He chucked it in the air and caught it a few times, testing its weight and feel. “Ah well, whatever it is it’ll work. I can’t wait to see the look on Rarity’s face when I show her I can juggle. Let’s go Peewee!” Picking up the phoenix hatchling, the dragon excitedly ran up the stairs… …the plasma grenade still clutched in his claws.