//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 
// Story: A New Colt in Town 
// by Tony Flash 
//------------------------------//

A new colt in town 3

The next morning was no piece of cake, I woke up with a sugar hangover...and that's worse than the other kind.
"Urrgh" i stumbled out of bed and downstairs moaning like a zombie
"cccccccccoooooooooooooooooooooooooofffffffffffffeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"
I dunno how i got downstairs without falling.  Next thing I know, the coffee kicked in.  I found my hooves full of cup, a practically smirking Pinkie and three sets of stunned eyes looking at me, one of those pairs being Applejack's
"Mornin everpony...what's wrong"
"Oh you poor dear" came from Mrs. Cake
"You shoulda told us, son" came from Mr. Cake
"What the hay?" came from applejack "I thought you was an earth pony?"
She was looking pointedly at my back
My back...uhoh...
"I have been for a few years, Applejack*
I sighed, and looked back at the long stubs that were all I had left
"Guess I wasn't thinking this morning," i yawned "I got to talking with someone"
Pinkie gave a knowing grin, and Applejack got this twinkle in her eyes
"Y'all got a fillyfreind or somethin'?"
I did a spit-take, and Pinky started rolling in the aisles
"Dangnabbit, that was a waste of good coffee, Applejack!"
She didn't answer; she just stood there and dripped coffee with this look on her face
Snrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrkkk BWAHAHAHAHA"
She didn't last long holding it in either, and laughed as damn hard as the rest of us. Pinkie was utterly breathless.

* * * * * * 

I explained my situation, including the accident that cost me my wings.
"I been grounded for a long time cause of some dang fool colt...shouldna waited so long to try but..." I looked at my exposed hooves under fetlocks in bad need of a trim 'figured I was just too dang heavy to try."
"Looks like you guessed right the first time, sugarcube"
"I know. Figure I'm more earth pony than pegasus, after all" we had finished packing the load Applejack had brought
"I just couldn't lie all the way to her, for some reason "I know I'm a foundling.  I was talking with my sister last night"
"Ya got family, and that counts"
I sighed "It's...been a while since we talked.  We had problems"
"Kinda like Pinkie's?"
I looked up, startled. "She finally told you-uns bout hers?"
"I uh...kinda found out by accident"
"Then you know not ta poke your muzz in too far.  Don’t want her turning into Pinkamena again"
She stopped cold and shuddered "That ain't a pleasant thought"
"I better get these wrapped up before customers start coming in"
"Y'all mean..."
"Yup.  Why I keep em wrapped.  There's one thing that hurts worse than that memory. Dang near took someone with me, afterwards"
She looked up at that.
"While you were unconscious?"
"She tried to catch me, apparently.  Found out later she'd had a crush on me.  Paid for it with a concussion that screwed up her sight, again."
"Wait a...DERPY?"
"That what they're callin her now? Girl needs to wear her glasses more often.  Her real name is Bright Eyes"
The bell promptly jingled over the door out front.  Already the first customer had come in for the day
"Horseapples, that late?  Better get to work."
* * * * * * 
I nipped upstairs real quick, and, with a little bit of help from Pinkie, covered up the offending stumps, and tamed my bad case of Bedmane for the most part.  Just enough so it wouldn't get into what I was working on.  I really got into the groove, that day with one less secret to hide.