//------------------------------// // Chapter 9 // Story: Giving Love a Helping Hoof // by Kroqgar //------------------------------// Giving Love a Helping Hoof Chapter 9 Dread filled the assembled ponies as the immediately recognisable sound of tiny orange wings buzzing at a hummingbird-like intensity reached their ears. Fate was certainly forcing their hooves! Each reacted differently: a startled gasp, a thoughtful grimace, trembling uncontrollably. However the combined reactions of every other pony couldn't hold a flicker of a spark of a candle to that of Rainbow Dash and Rainbow Blitz. As the two pegasi realised that Scootaloo, Scootaloo!, was heading their way, they screamed in unison, hair standing on end. Their wings very nearly locked up! “AAAAHHHHH!!” As soon as their lungs emptied and without so much as a word of goodbye, they took to the air to seek refuge amongst the clouds, leaving nothing but a fading rainbow trail. The remaining eight ponies watched the phenomenon of the, albeit brief, double rainbow in slack jawed amazement for a moment, before a sputter in the buzzing jolted them all back to reality. Wild looks were exchanged: thought stalled, panic mode engaged! Rearing up on her back hooves, Rarity screamed, “EVERYPONY FOR THEMSELVES!” The two ivory unicorns bolted off in the direction of Carousel Boutique, instinctively seeking their place of refuge. Everypony else had similar thoughts. Applejack and AJ raced into town, taking the long way around to Sweet Apple Acres to avoid the oncoming Cutie Mark Crusaders. Twilight grabbed Dusk and both quickly moved towards the library, neither relishing having to explain the story at all, let alone to one of those little fillies, and especially not all of them at once. Fluttershy and Butterscotch simply leapt into the nearest bush, wings wrapped around each other in fright. … Scootaloo braked with a flourish, spinning her scooter and accompanying wagon around in a perfect little arch. The filly smirked to herself, removing her helmet. “That's right. That's how Scootaloo scootarolls!” Applebloom and Sweetie Belle climbed out of the wagon, stumbling slightly. The youngest Apple had often said that high-speed manoeuvres were not exactly to her liking, but Scootaloo could never resist. Who knew when Rainbow Dash might be watching! As if in response to her thoughts, Sweetie Belle spoke up. “Well, Scootaloo?” she said, eyes darting left and right. “Here we are, and I don't see any chariots, or royal pegasi, or anything!” “Ah couldn't even see 'em when ya pointed 'em out earlier...” muttered Applebloom. Apparently not quite quietly enough, as Scootaloo swept a hoof over her shoulders, drawing her in close with a condescending grin. “Aw, don't you worry Applebloom!” The pegasus patted her on the head. “Your eyes just aren't as sharp as mine! We pegasi are made for it!” The farmfilly glared at her. “Besides, I know I saw them around here somewhere. Come on, everypony split up. There's bound to be something around here!” The Cutie Mark Crusaders broke off, each moving slowly in a different direction to look for clues. “Hey, maybe this is our special talent!” exclaimed Applebloom suddenly. She turned her excited gaze to to see her friend's quizzical expressions, her bow waving in the breeze. “Maybe we're meant to be detective ponies!” Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stared at her blankly for a moment, before turning to each other. Slowly, a smile crawled across all of their muzzles. “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS, DETECTIVE PONIES! YAY!” The three fillies glued their eyes to the ground, inspecting every nook and every cranny, every rock and every clod of dirt. Their zeal was almost palpable. None of them happened to notice a trembling quartet of cyan eyes peeking out from within the nearby shrubbery. After a few minutes of intense searching, each filly not quite making the connection between the wheels of a chariot and the shallow grooves in the recently disturbed earth, they were ready to give up. Sweetie Belle collapsed on her haunches with a sigh. “I guess we're not meant to be detective ponies either. Come on girls, let's head back to base.” “Wait a second!” Scootaloo's excited voice filled the air. “I think I found something!” The little orange pegasus was directly in front of the bush that Fluttershy and Butterscotch were hiding in, hovering a few inches off the ground in her excitement. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were at her side in an instant. “What is it?” “Wadja see?” Slowly, Scootaloo raised a hoof, pointing into the bush directly in front of her. The two hiding pegasi scarcely dared to breathe. For a tense, terrifying moment, the little filly was pointing right at them. Suddenly, Scootaloo shot her hoof higher, pointing into the tree branches directly overhead. “See? Up there! There's something suspicious in that tree! It must be a CLUE!” The Elements of Kindness released a breath they hadn't known they were holding. Sweetie Belle cocked her head, twitching her well-trained ears. “Did anypony hear that?” Scootaloo raised a brow. “Hear what?” “I thought I heard something just now, like someone sighing.” Applebloom grinned fiercely, coming up beneath the unicorn filly and lifting her into the air. “Alls Ah can hear is the sound of mah own destiny! Climb up Scootaloo, you're the lightest! Get that clue down!” With a whoop, the pegasus leapt on top of Sweetie Belle, flapping her wings for good measure. It couldn't hurt, right? “OW! Scootaloo!” “Oh, sorry Sweetie Belle, I didn't mean to hit your horn!” “Would you two mind hurryin' things up?” “Hold still Sweetie Belle, I can't reach it!” “Ah! Horseapples Sweetie Belle, get off mah mane!” “Maybe if Scootaloo wasn't leaning so far over!” “Hey, it's not my fault! We're too far away! Applebloom, move us over!” “In case y'all didn't realise, carryin' two ponies on your back is hard!” “It doesn't seem too tough...” “That's 'cos you're carrying the pony meant to float through the air!” “HEY! What's that supposed to mean!” “Scootaloo, would you just be quiet and get whatever it is down? Applebloom is slippery!” “Oh, Ah'm slippery now, am Ah? I'll show you slippery!” Back and forth the trio bickered, getting no closer to their goal and eventually forgetting about it entirely. The three pony stack began to sway dangerously, barely seeming to notice. Threats were issued, challenges laid down, insults thrown. A bare-hoof-brawl seemed imminent. Applebloom's hoof caught in the dirt. The earth pony stumbled, and all sense of equilibrium was lost. “Scootaloo!” Her voice cut through the bickering. “Grab it! NOW!” As the three of them tumbled to the ground, Scootaloo made a flying leap off Sweetie Belle's back, wings churning, hooves outstretched. She just barely managed to nick the very corner of the mysterious object, upsetting its balance, causing it to wobble dangerously... …and to fully tip over, dumping its load of tree sap all over the three fillies. “In hindsight,” said Sweetie Belle after a moment, “We should have expected that.” … Slowly, Butterscotch and Fluttershy's breathing returned to normal, the near hyperventilation of a few minutes ago almost passed. Oh my goodness, that had been so close! To think that... Well, not to say that they weren't good girls, but having to explain something like this to them... that was something the two gentle pegasi did not want to have to deal with! So, they did the logical thing. Step one, find closest shelter. Step two, enter it. Step three, cling to nearest pony. Butterscotch suddenly flushed bright red. Ohmygoodnessshe'sclingingtome!! He didn't dare make a move, not wanting to startle the mare next to him... But then again, he couldn't stay perfectly still, that would be weird! Oh my goodness, what's the perfect amount of movement so she won't think I'm creepy?! Fluttershy suddenly both solved his problem and created a multitude of new ones. With a gentle sigh, the pegasus sagged, leaning heavily against Butterscotch. “That was a close one,” she said. Butterscotch swallowed nervously. Sure, he had talked with this mare before, in startling depth actually, but that had been before... Well, before what had happened on the chariot ride to Ponyville. “Yes... Um... It sure was... I mean, if you think so...” It wasn't that it had been awkward to hold each other and to cry on her shoulder... But that was just it: it hadn't been awkward. It had just been a pony comforting another; age, gender, that stuff hadn't mattered. Still, there had been something there. Butterscotch had felt it. And now, to hold her after that... Startling him, a pair of cyan eyes swivelled around to face him. In the small confines of the bush, with their wings still wrapped around each other, they were startlingly close. Incredibly close. Too close. Butterscotch gulped. Fluttershy blushed darkly. In one simultaneous motion... … the two pegasi sprung apart, leaping bodily out of the bush to land a respectable distance away from each other. Suddenly the pair were all “um”s and “ah”s once again, nerves back in full force. For a solid minute the two stood there, kicking at the ground and looking absolutely anywhere but at the other pony. Finally a loud crash in the distance jolted them both into action. “Weshouldprobablyheadbacktomycottage!” gushed Fluttershy, still hiding behind her mane slightly. “Um... Ok,” nodded Butterscotch, putting on a brave smile. The stallion attempted conversation, trying to put the awkwardness behind them. “I wonder what that noise could have been...” Desperate to move past the uncomfortable silence, Fluttershy clung to his conversational lifeline like a drowning pony. “Oh, yes, so do I! Maybe it was Twilight and Dusk trying out a new spell already?” “Maybe.” Butterscotch smiled. “Or maybe it's Pinkie and Berry... doing what they do.” Fluttershy giggled at his comment, and the two ponies walked off down the path, chatting amiably to each other as they went, each comment easier than the last. … “Aw, hayseed!” “What is it Applebloom?” “I forgot mah helmet Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo! Turn us around, Ah need to go back for mah helmet!” “You got it sister!” … Trotting along next to each other, Fluttershy and Butterscotch were content to enjoy the quiet of nature all around them, even more so with another pony who loved it as much as they did. Fluttershy sighed wistfully. “Oh, I love this time of the year, but I do miss the butterflies.” It took Butterscotch a moment to clue on. “That's right, it hasn't been long enough for them to have hatched yet, has it?” Fluttershy shook her head sadly. “No, Winter Wrap Up wasn't that long ago.” The stallion thought for a moment, before an idea came to him and he spread his wings. “Fluttershy, come with me! Quickly!” Having beaten this path many times before, he knew exactly where he was going. With a hop, skip and a jump he launched himself into the air and began flying smoothly away, Fluttershy right behind him. After just a couple hundred paces, the stallion touched down again, reaching back a gentlecoltly hoof to help Fluttershy out of the air. It was an old-fashioned thing to do, but it earned him a beautiful smile, so it was well worth it. “Now,” he thought to himself as he trotted along, “where did I see it?” His eyes roved over the trees on either side of the path. “Oh, it was around here somewhere...” A bright flash of orange caught his attention. With a delighted gasp, he bolted over to it. “Fluttershy! Come and see!” Intensely curious, the mare followed, hot on his hooves. When she saw what had so excited Butterscotch, she brought a hoof to her mouth as tears sprang to her eyes. How could she possibly have forgotten? Directly in front of them, just beginning to wriggle back and forth, was the chrysalis of a Giant Monarch Butterfly. “Oh, Butterscotch! I can't believe I forgot the first butterfly of the season! I remember helping him spin his cocoon when he was just a little hungry caterpillar.” Butterscotch nodded in fond reminiscence. “Me too.” “That you remembered... A-and you brought me here... Well, I... Ummm....” She trailed off, mumbling quietly. When she finally worked up the nerve to look at him, he smiled shyly, completely understanding. The pair stood there and watched the first butterfly of the season emerge, giving it gentle encouragement when it grew tired. Slowly, the tiny insect emerged from its brief prison, lifting its still moist wings. As the beautiful pattern emblazoned on them slowly came into view, Butterscotch took a deep breath and steeled himself. Not even daring to look at her, he raised a trembling wing in Fluttershy's direction. Ohmygoodnessohmygoodness... The mare snuggled right into him. … “Do either of you two see it anywhere?” “Ah still haven't seen it yet Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo, how about your fancy-shmancy pegasus eyes?” “I haven't seen the helmet yet, but maybe those two ponies over there have?” … Applejack and AJ had been enjoying a quiet walk on a nice spring day, but now that they had entered Ponyville proper the mood was slightly spoiled. Much as it pained her to eat her own words, AJ was doing her best to keep to the backstreets and alleyways to make sure no one noticed Applejack. It wasn't that she wanted to keep him under wraps, she agreed wholeheartedly with Twilight that it would do no good just to coop the stallions up, but this was the sort of thing she wanted to clear with her family first, before any crazy rumours got back to them. In fact, she found herself mentally checking off everypony she ducked out of sight from, reminding herself to seek them out later and explain it to them. For one of the first times in her life, AJ found herself appreciating how small she was. If she was about to be spotted, no problem, she could just duck behind a cart or a barrel. It was a much more difficult task for Applejack. Sure, the stallion wasn't quite in Big Macintosh's league, but he wasn't too far from it either. “Ah shoot!” The mailmare's gaze passed over them (at least, she thought it did). “Applejack, down!” “Ooph!” The stallion flopped flat on his stomach, hooves spread-eagled behind a bale of hay. Thankfully he was in full agreement that the Apple family had a right to know about their predicament first, but he seemed to be the one worse for wear because of it. After several more near-misses, and a painfully long time, the stallion took a particularly nasty blow to the head, trying to duck underneath a cart. “OUCH! Ah, that tears it!” “Applejack, shhh!” AJ frantically hushed the larger pony, eyes locked on the teal unicorn sitting oddly nearby, staring forlornly at her front hooves. The stallion clamped his mouth shut before continuing in a much more subdued tone, “While Ah think this is a good idea AJ, Ah don't think this is the best way to go about it. Ah don't know if you've noticed, but Ah ain't no ninja pony!” The filly made to protest, before catching Applejack's Seriously? look. Nodding in defeat, she cast her gaze around for inspiration. “Well, what do you think we should do then?” Applejack was quiet for a moment, eyes narrowed in concentration. After a brief pause, he uttered two unwise words, laced with more than a hint of a challenge. “Race ya.” “What?” AJ looked at him incredulously. The stallion grinned fiercely. “Y'all heard me. Ah'll race ya home; it’s not too far to th' Acres from here.” AJ was about to protest, dismiss his idea, even lay into him a little for how foalish it was, but even as she opened her mouth, she knew she couldn't resist. It just wasn't in her nature to turn down a challenge, and it apparently wasn't in his either. “That is...” Ohoho, what was this? Applejack flashed his best Rainbow Blitz smile, trying to push the filly over the edge. “... If y'all think you can keep up. Ah'm gonna have to move pretty quick t' make sure nopony gets a good look at me.” AJ could have bucked clean through Bloomberg himself at that. Narrowing her eyes but with a smile on her lips, the filly said, “On three.” Applejack couldn't help but let out a little laugh. “One...” AJ raised herself up and stood in plain sight, secrecy be damned. She needed a good start and wasn't going to lose this thing! “Two...” The stallion stood next to her, mirroring her pose exactly. Head down, hoof raised, body tilted slightly forwards. This wasn't quite Iron Pony... But it sure was Iron Apple. A stray leaf fluttered into their field of vision, dancing in the breeze. Two sets of bright green eyes tracked it back and forth, unblinking. As it touched earth the farmponies both yelled out, “THREE!” Like a couple of apple-scented bullets, the two athletes took off, hooves pounding into the dirt. The thrill of the challenge fizzed in their veins, energising them, pushing them to greater and greater heights. They raced past Lyra, the musician turning to just catch a pair of orange flanks disappearing around the corner. Through the streets they swept, ducking and weaving through the crowds of ponies, never staying in one place long enough for somepony to get a good look at them. More than once they had to throw “Pardon!” and “'Scuse me!” back over their shoulders, but never once did either of their courses waver. Their inherent sportsmanship made sure that they both stayed on the main path out to Sweet Apple Acres, which of course swept right through the centre of Ponyville, but it didn't stop either of them from hugging the corners, jostling to try and get the better position. Applejack made good use of his stature, leaping over obstacles that were just slightly too high for AJ, his bulk forcing her to take second place through narrow gaps, but AJ was not without her own edge. She was definitely more agile and manoeuvrable than Applejack, making tighter turns and weaving through crowds of ponies the stallion had to swerve completely around. Their advantages and disadvantages complimented each other, and the two stayed more or less dead even. “Well, Ah'll be!” panted AJ, looking sidelong at her opponent. “You're quicker than Ah thought you'd be!” Applejack managed to grin, even as he poured on the speed. “Likewise!” The filly grunted, straining to match his pace. Up ahead, there was a small stand of market stalls, then it was a clear shot out to the Acres. She had to pull ahead before then, otherwise she'd never outpace him! Pulling out the stops, AJ hit her top speed, hooves flying, mane and tail whipping in the breeze. She brushed past Applejack, ignoring his surprised exclamation. Her field of vision narrowed down to the path directly in front of her, though she still had enough presence of mind to hear the pounding of heavy hooves right behind her. “Land sakes!”, she thought. “Ah'll never beat 'im at this rate!” The farmfilly grimaced, trying to come up with an idea. A vague memory nagged at her. “Wait a second... What was it that Granny Smith used t' say t' me?” The venerable matriarch of the Apple clan had always been a veritable paragon of wisdom, but she had neglected to give the same advice to Big Macintosh. Applebloom too, so far. AJ grinned fiercely as she remembered why. “'Use what Celestia gave ya'!” Seconds before the duo entered the final patch of market stalls, AJ turned her head and made sure to catch Applejack's eye. Giving him a cheeky grin, the mare winked. Not two seconds later there was a grunt, a thud, and a muttered curse. “Oh, motherbu-!” CRASH! The stallion plowed right into the side of one of the market stalls, tipping it over but thankfully not damaging the sturdy structure. AJ skidded to a halt a few steps later, her jaw dropping. She hadn't been expecting such a severe response! Stars in his eyes, Applejack unsteadily rose to his hooves, accidentally upsetting a couple of bunches of grapes. The purple stall owner grumbled, before rising almost as tremblingly to her own hooves. Applejack was nothing if not polite. “Oh, Ah'm terribly sorry miss! Please allow me to help you clean that up!” He immediately set his shoulder against the stall, pushing it upright once more, as the mare stumbled over to him, waving a hoof. “S'no problem, acksdents happen!” The stallion looked up, a couple of bunches of grapes gripped in his jaws, at the ponies strange speech pattern. It almost sounded like... “Oh, Berry Punch!” Mystery solved. “So nice to see y'all again! How's little Ruby Pinch?” The mare gave him a somewhat unfocussed but nonetheless confused look. “'Scuse me, but've we met?” Applejack looked at her perplexedly. “Why, o' course we have! It's me, Appleja-!” “THERE you are!” A loud voice cut him off as AJ came rushing up to him. She gave him a stern look that said in no uncertain terms Keep quiet! “Applejack, you know 'ths guy?” AJ nodded, keeping a wary eye on the dazed stallion to make sure he realised who was being addressed. “Well ah sure do Berry! He's, uh... He's a friend of mine, from out of town!” Her eyes shifted back and forth. Berry Punch eyed the stallion critically. “He is, huh?” Her vision swam, but she'd have to be blind not to notice. “He looks 'n awful lot like you.” AJ cleared her throat. Horseapples, Ah'm no good at this! “Well, yeah! He's family! Yeah, that's it, mah cousin!” The purple mare raised her brow. “Thought you said he's a friend?” AJ nodded heartily as Applejack busied himself picking up the rest of the grapes, trying to avoid scrutiny. “Yeah, that's right! He's a friend, but he's also family! Ah'm friends with all mah family! Heh, you know us Apples!” Berry Punch narrowed her eyes, training her suspicious gaze on a sweating AJ, before smiling and nodding her head. “Well, any friend 'f Applejack's 's a friend 'f mine! I'm Berry Punch, nice to meet you...?” The stallion raised his hoof with a smile. “Pleasures all mine, Ah'm Apple-ooph!” “AAAAAnyway,” said AJ, retracting her hoof from Applejack's side with a glare, “We gotta get on back to Sweet Apple Acres! Plenty of work to do! Come on, let's go!” Half-dragging the stallion along with her, AJ started off towards Sweet Apple Acres at a gallop. Berry Punch waved to them as they left. “Nice to meet you Appleooph!” She could've sworn she heard a stifled guffaw as the two ponies ran off into the distance. … “You're darn right you ain't no ninja-pony! Whatever happened to keepin' things quiet!” “In case ya hadn't noticed, that stall was pretty solid! Ah still can't decide which of the three of ya t' talk to!” … “'Scuse me, but've either of y'all seen a little blue helmet lyin' around?”