//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 - Seeds of Sadness // Story: The Darkness among the Stars // by Haseo //------------------------------// Chapter 8 Seeds of Sadness It was already morning in the small village of Ponyville as Soul nervously walked from one end of the room to another with a mischievous grin on his face. Twilight came down the stairs from her room, her mane still branded with sleep. “Good morning, Soul. How do you feel today?” Soul turned around, not having noticed Twilight before. “Good morning, Miss Twilight. I feel a lot better.” Twilight walked to her kitchen to make herself breakfast. “I'm making breakfast, do you want some?" He looked quite pleased with her offer, but his mood dropped when she continued to speak. “I would be grateful.” "Fluttershy will be here soon. She wants to look after your injuries.” He shrugged his shoulders and looked away from her. Twilight could only smile at his way of speaking and attitude. He sounded like a noble sometimes. “You kind of sound like Princess Luna when she has returned from the moon, but she was banished for a thousand of years. What is your excuse?” His bat-like ears perked up as she told him about Luna's banishment. “A thousand years banished you say...” His expression fell to a sad frown. It was more of a whisper than a statement, before he continued speaking in his usual deep voice. “Let's just say I lived a long time alone.” Twilight's good mood was slightly subdued after his answer. “So, do you want to tell me what’s nagging you?” Soul looked surprised at her. “So you've noticed? I guess you won't stop nagging me until I tell you.” Now Twilight took a better look at the old stallion in front of her. She had to smile again as she once more noticed his fine new manecut. She could now see his real mane colour. Exempt from it’s dirt, his mane was a clear silverish-grey. "You are absolutely right. Maybe something that happened at the spa?" Soul nodded with closed eyes. "Yes, this white mare made me feel rather uncomfortable." "While he spoke, Twilight mustered him. There was something about him that bothered her. "You somehow remind me of someone. But I can't put a hoof on it right now.” Soul’s eyes narrowed slightly at her statement. “Trust me, that is impossible.” Twilight got now suspicious and stepped a little bit closer to him while she observed his movements with her drilling purple eyes. “What do you mean by 'Impossible'? I think there is something you’re avoiding talking about.” Again was Soul in an uncomfortable position. But he showed no sign of resignation. Just as he started to answer, a sudden knock at the door was to be heard and a shy pegasus stepped with only one hoof in. “Sorry … I didn't mean to interrupt you. I’ll just go home and leave you alone.” As she began to turn around, Soul stopped her. “Please come in. You're just in time.” He lifted Fluttershy inside the library by his magic and closed the door behind her. The timid pegasus squeaked a little bit as Soul sat her down. “I only wanted to check you quickly before I go back to my shed.” Soul sat down and didn't move as Fluttershy closed the distance between them. “Well, your wounds seem to be nearly completely healed. That is very unusual, it's way too fast.” He could only grin at that phrase. “Well, I'm still in form, I think. A good metabolism harmed no pony so far.” He turned his head to Twilight. “I think we stopped talking somewhere. Ah I know! I was telling you what was nagging me. So, it is about this Rarity. She forced me out of here and took me to this spa. And that is not the worst of it.” Twilight and Fluttershy looked at each other in confusion before he continued. “The worst of it is, that she even paid for the treatment.” Twilight began to laugh and Fluttershy giggled at his little problem. “Soul, it is perfectly fine. It’s quite normal nowadays for the mare to do this. How long did you live alone? Seems like you really were gone for a thousand years.” Twilight had once again to laugh about her own joke. Soul was really annoyed by now. “It doesn't matter to me. It is a question of my honour. I will pay her back.” Twilight couldn't really stop laughing. “If that is the case, you could ask Applejack for a job. She lives just outside town at Sweet Apple Acres. She is a really good friend of us. But I warn you, her work is probably really hard for a stallion of your age.” Twilight only provoked him more with this assault to his pride. “Maybe I'm old but I will always be strong enough to fulfil such tasks!” He stomped out of the door and left the two mares alone. Fluttershy looked at Twilight with a small grin, her face slowly began to blush. “Maybe it really is working out with you two.” Twilight looked at her in confusion. “What do you mean?” The butter-coloured pegasus had already turned around and didn't seem to hear Twilight. “I’m going home now. Angel is already waiting for me.” Before Twilight knew what she could have said, Fluttershy left the library. She stood alone now in the library before she realized something. “Damn you, Soul! You tricked me. The next time you won't distract me so easily.” [/hr] A few minutes later the black stallion found himself on the way to Sweet Apple Acres. He looked over the apple orchards to his right side. Finally, he could relax a little bit, but his peace was quickly destroyed by a pink blur crossing his path. It only missed him by a few inches. “What, in the name of the Nightmare Legion, was that?” He stood still for a few seconds to be sure that it didn't come back. Soon he could see the picturesque red barn of the Apple family. It was surrounded with even more beautiful apple trees. Their leaves were deep green and the apples themselves had a dark red colour. They looked so delicious at this moment. He thought that it would be no surprise if many ponies loved the apples from here. Before he could even enter the private ground of the Apple family, a sudden voice came from his left side. “Hey'ho, fella. I'm Applejack, how can ah help ya?” Soul was more than surprised to hear a country accent around here, but before he could say anything, the orange-coloured pony seemed to recognize him. “Oh wait, Ah know, ya must be Soul! I met Rarity in town and she told me everything about ya.” Again, the big stallion could only stay there for a few seconds before he could break free of his astonishment. “Yes, right. Pleased to meet you Miss Applejack.” He immediately noticed the same strange form of magic around her, despite her being an earth pony. “Well, I would like to ask if I could work for you. I have to pay somepony back.” Applejack began to laugh but covered it in southern style with her Stetson. “Rarity already told me that ya might want to pay her back, so Ah think it shouldn't be a problem.” He slightly bowed to Applejack before he went on. “Please tell what I have to do.” The smart farmer pony thought for a moment. “Well you're rather big, Ah think ya could help me buck apples from the east orchards.” He nodded in agreement. “I'm glad to serve you. I shall start now, just call my name and I will return.” Applejack started to laugh hard. “Ya… ya sound exactly like Princess Luna when she first came to Ponyville.” Now even Soul got curious. “Why is everypony telling me this. I'm just polite towards a fine young maiden.” Applejack slowly covered her laughter. “Okay, okay let's start. Ah can't take this anymore. ” They walked into the eastern fields where they had to start. Applejack bucked a tree and all the apples fell down into buckets that Applejack had prepared yesterday. “See? This is how it's done.” Soul watched her carefully. “I see. I will try my best.” He stepped to a tree, turned around and concentrated for a moment. His rear legs stamped out and forcefully hit the tree behind him. The apples fell on the ground and a deep mark was kicked into the tree. “Maybe I should be a little bit more careful.” The farmer could only stand there in amazement. “For your age you're unbelievably strong. Sure you haven’t done this before?” She said it with a small wink. Soul didn't really respond to her question. “Wouldn't it be a lot easier if I just picked them off with magic?” Applejack thought for a moment. “Of course it would be, but here on Sweet Apple Acres we don't use magic. For the special taste, they have to be hoof-picked.” Soul could only offer a small grin for that, but he somehow liked her attitude. They bucked the apple trees for hours until they took a break. Applejack was more than happy about their progress. Both of them were sweaty like hell, but none of them were really tired at the moment. “So tell me Soul, when did ya decide to live together with Twi?” He was really caught off-guard by this question. “Well, you can't really say that I decided. You could say I kinda just popped in.” He paused for a moment before he continued. “I think I really have to look for my own home soon, since everypony seems to think that Twilight and I are some sort of strange couple.” Applejack was really surprised by this statement. “So ya and Twilight are really not together? Then what relationship do ya and she share?” Soul didn't have to think long about his answer. “You could say she is my host, though it is her fault that I'm here at all.” Applejack really became curious now and slipped closer to him. “What do ya mean with ‘her fault’?” Soul sat down and began to talk frankly with her. “She somehow dragged me with her. I was literally in a whole different world, but she somehow managed to pull me with her.” She didn't want to ask him about that whole different world thing, but wanted to know more. “Well, and why don’t ya just go back home?” Soul let out a deep sigh. “It isn't that easy, I haven’t regained enough power to do this, and even if I did, there are a few ponies who would notice. It could cause chaos.” Applejack got worried now. “Ah'm sure you have somepony that misses ya. Have you asked Twilight? Ah'm sure she could help you.” Soul only shrugged. “I avoid talking with her about myself.” Applejack didn't really knew what to say, she looked bashfully at the ground and had to collect all of her courage, but she wanted to ask him something anyway. “Then why are ya telling it to me?” Until she mentioned it, Soul hadn't noticed that he was talking that frankly. “I think it is because I really like your attitude. Like the daughter I never had.” Applejack blushed a little bit due to his compliment. “Thanks... really, but that still leaves the question, if there is somepony who will miss ya.” His mouth formed into a sad frown and he lied entirely now. “No, my fiancée is long dead now, she died while she was pregnant with our little daughter.” Applejack was sorry that she asked, her eyes got watery and couldn’t suppress a small sob, but she just wanted to know what happened to his wife to be. Something inside her forced her to learn his story. “Ah know it doesn't concern me but I really would like to know what happened to her.” A small tear ran down his black face. “She was killed right before my eyes during a battle. They caught her and stabbed her through her chest.” She immediately regretted that she had even asked. “Ah'm so sorry to have asked you about that. Ah never would have thought that...” Soul lifted a hoof to silence her but she slowly went on. “What did ya do then?” All sadness vanished from his face. He raised his head and looked Applejack into her eyes with a dead-serious expression. “I punished them.” Instead of searching for distance, she began to close in. “Ah can understand ya.” He was more than surprised to hear that. “I want to ask you something too.” She looked rather suspicious, but agreed. “Ya told me something about yourself, so will Ah. Fair and square.” Soul smiled a little bit again, though the atmosphere was sad. “You have sadness in your eyes as well. Would you like to tell me what could possibly have traumatized you so badly?” The air in Applejack's throat got stuck as she realized what he had asked her. “Well, I think it is only fair if Ah tell you, but don't tell anypony else.” He promised, if she wouldn't tell his past to somepony else, she went on. “It is about mah parents. They died when I was a little foal.” She paused for a moment and tried not to sob. “You’re surely interested in how it happened...“ Before Applejack could finish her sentence, a smaller voice could be heard from behind. “Applejack! Ah brought you and your co-worker fresh apple juice!” A small beige and red-maned filly appeared. ”Ah didn't wanted to interrupt you while working.” Applejack pulled her younger sister Apple Bloom into a tight hug. “Thank you, lil' sis'.” She struggled free from the hug. “Whoa, what was that for? Ah, doesn't matter. Thanks big sister!” Apple Bloom looked for a short moment at the stranger next to Applejack while she turned around. “Thank you, little one.” Apple Bloom turned and ran back to the farm without saying anything. “She doesn't know how they died, does she?” Applejack looked at him with sad eyes, he decided not to bother her anymore. “Well, it is time to go on, don't you think?” She was surprised that he wanted to go on but was grateful for it, so she didn’t have to tell him her greatest secret. They worked untill the evening without saying anything to one another. A purple flash of light caught their attention. Twilight now stood before them. “Good evening AJ! I'm here to pick up that mulish foal next to you. I hope he didn't bother you.” Applejack was happy to see Twilight again and was surprised that she came to pick him up. “Hey, Twi. Oh come on, he was a great help today. Ah couldn't ask for anypony better.” She turned around and smiled at the big stallion that slowly approached them. “I'm glad that I could help you. If you need some help just call for me. But for now, I think my foal-sitter is quite impatient.” He said his farewell to the farmer pony and hugged her. He whispered something into her ear. “Stay strong Applejack. Your sister needs you more than you think.” As Twilight and Soul slowly went away, tears began to run freely over her face. “Ah promise. Ah will.”