//------------------------------//
// Chapter 6 - And Then They Met 
// Story: The Farmer and The Rocker 
// by mibevan 
//------------------------------//



Chapter 6
And Then They Met


After spending two hours in the Ponyville museum, Thrash left feeling refreshed and filled wth knowledge.
“Nothing like a good museum to start the adventure.” he said. “Now what’s a stallion gotta do to get a drink around here?”
He looked around at his surroundings. He then realized he had no idea where he was. 
“This is exactly why I hate going out alone.” he grumbled to himself.
He then saw another pony walking down the path towards him. A purple mare with a pinkish mane. She had a saddle bag filled to the top with a variety of fruits and vegetables. Her cutie mark had 3 happy sunflowers. Seeing that there was nopony else around, he ran towards her hoping to be pointed in the right direction.
“Excuse me, I’m kind of new here. Where can I get something to drink that’s both cheap and refreshing?”
The stranger stopped to think.
“Well I don’t know about cheap, but there is a cider bar over there. I’ve only been there once but it had some decent beverages.” she said as she pointed towards a barrel shaped building.
“Thank You Msssssssss....”
“Cheerilee. It’s Cheerilee.”
“Of course. Thank you Ms. Cheerilee”
He started his way towards the cider bar. 
“Wait! Do I know you from somewhere? You seem familiar.”
Thrash began to get nervous. If his cover was blown there goes his perfect day. He had to pull himself together if he wanted to get out of this situation.
“Oh....no. Like I said, I’m not from around here. You must have me confused for somepony else” he said with a smile
“Maybe your right . Sorry about that.”
Ms. Cheerilee continued her way down the trail. He sighed with relief and proceeded towards the cider bar entrance. 


The room was dimly lit. There were wooden tables and chairs scatters throughout the circular room. There was only one customer sitting at the counter. Thrash proceeded his way to the counter and sat next to the stranger. Since there were no fans around to bug him he politely removed his sunglasses.

Applejack looked at the white stallion that sat next to her. He was wearing a dark blue outfit with a red vest and his eyes were ruby red. She couldn’t recognize him at all. He clearly wasn’t from Ponyville. He looked really confused.

Thrash had no Idea what to order.
“What’ll it be?” said the chubby grey mule behind the counter. He didn’t seem happy, most likely because it was a slow day.  At least he had no idea who he was serving so Thrash was still safe.
He looked at the menu hanging above. He wasn’t in the mood for water, and was open to anything. He then noticed the wooden mug by the pony next to him. 
	“I’ll have what he’s having.” he said. The mule left to get his beverage. The other pony perked up and looked at him.

“Hey! What do you mean by what “he’s” having!? Do I look like a stallion to you!?”

Thrash had no idea what he had said
“I wasn’t being observant at that time...But to be honest you kinda have that stallion look...”

“Well the nerve of you!”

“I never got a look at your face is all.”

“So your saying my face is the only thing that makes me look like the mare that I am? Then what about this mane and tail style? You ever seen a stallion wear that!?”

“Yes. As a matter of fact I have.”

Applejack thought he was trying to be smart with her.
“Really? Yea right!”

“No I'm serious. When you’ve been on the road as long as I have, you tend to see some really crazy things along the way.” 
The waiter set a wooden mug in front of him.
“Three bits.” he said. 
Thrash paid him three bit coins, and went back to talking to the orange earth pony. 
“Then again, I’m not from here. So I don't know how the locals style themselves.”

“Your still a jerk.”

“Eh. I’ve been called worse.”

Applejack just tried to ignore this stranger.

He looked into the hot mug of brown liquid. He had no idea what he just ordered. He slowly dipped his hoof into it to stir in the flavoring. 

Applejack saw him repel quickly after he burnt his hoof in the hot apple cider.
“What in tarnation are you doing!?” she asked

“I wanted to stir it up a bit. Just to give it some more flavor.”

“Can’t you see the steam? It’s obviously a hot beverage?”

“I’ve seen cold items give a little fog. But then again I don’t even know what I ordered.” 

Applejack looked dumbfounded.
“...Are you for real?”

“Quite sure that I am.”

“That’s hot apple cider you got there. Red delicious flavored to be precise. I’d blow on it before drinking it otherwise your burn your lips off.”

Thrash blew on the beverage and took a drink. The taste of fruit and spice was tingling on his lips. It was like nothing he ever tasted before. 
“Not bad. I might get some for the road.”

“Where are you from Anyway?”

“Fillydelphia.”

“Really, and I suppose every stallion in Fillydelphia looks like a mare?”

“You’re still on that?”

“Well it would make sense. The style of your mane must have some logical explanation.”

“Whats wrong with my mane?"

"You look like you may as well be wearing a dress.”

"I like it like this. ”

“Why?

“Eh. I just do. You don’t seem to be a city pony, so you may not know what kind of looks anypony can have.”

“No I’m not, nor do I care!” she said angrely

“Have you ever been to a big city before?”

“Yes.”

“Which one?”

“Manehatten.”

“Vacation?”

“Does the tone of my voice give you any sign that I don’t wanna talk to you?!”

“Yes it does, but I do.”

“What?”

“Yea, its not everyday I get to talk with a complete stranger. But really, were you there on vacation?”

“Why would you wanna talk to me?”

“Why aren’t you answering my question?”

She rolled her eyes. This Stallion was really beginning to annoy her.
“The reason I was in Manehatten is none of your business, but no I was not there for vacation.”

“...I was just hoping to get a story is all.”

Applejack paused. Who in Celestias name was this pony?

“Hey can I get a refill for me and her.” 
Thrash dropped six bits on the table. And the waiter got two more mugs.

“Why did you do that...?”

“I thought we should have something to drink while you told me the story.”

“I said it’s none of your business.”

“Why?”

Applejack grabbed the stallion by the collar of his vest.
“Look, you don’t know me and I think you’re a weirdo...”

“I thought you said I was a jerk...”

“WHATEVER! The point is I don’t know why you're talking to me but I want you to stop!”
She let go of his vest and turned away from him, blocking all means of eye contact. 	

“I just like talking to you is all. I wanted to...”

“What!?”

“...I wanted to get to know someone new. You know make a new friend or something.”

Applejack froze
“What did you say?”

“I just answered your question. That’s why I wanted to talk to you.”

Was this stallion really legit. She literally just said in his face that she didn't want to talk to him. Why would he like talking to her? But she could tell that he was in a similar situation that she was in only he had NO friends, at least thats what it sounded like to her. She took a drink from the mug and took a deep breath. 
“Well I guess you could say I was in Manehatten for family reasons.”

“What do you mean?”

“I wanted to live with my Aunt and Uncle, but their life was just too fancy for me to handle”

“I take it the you're not the type of pony that can live a life like that.”

"Kind of. They were trying to change who I was. They made me act different, talk different, eat different, and none of the other fancy ponies could understand me."

"Ouch."

“Yea. I returned to my real home here in Ponyville as soon as I could. It was wear I belonged all along."

"So it all turned out well in the end. Good for you."

"Yea. What about you?”

“Huh?”

“I told you a story about me, now you tell me one about you. What did you mean by on the road?”

“Uhhhhhhhhh...”
Thrash had to think carefully. He didn’t want to expose himself as a famous vocalist. He looked at the waiter at the end of the counter who was reading a newspaper. He looked back at Thrash and went into the backroom to read in peace with no distractions. 
“I’m sorry, what did you mean by that?”

“You said you were on the road right?”

“Yes.”

“Do you travel alone?”

“I got five other roommates.”

“You travel with five roommates?”

“In a big vehicle with a lot of space.”

“What do you do?”

Thrash choked down the cider and coughed a bit. He quickly pulled himself out of it.
“I’m uhhh.... in the entertainment industry.”
Thrash knew he couldn’t hide who he was for long and he would have his cover blown if she kept asking him questions like this. But he noticed how she never recognized who he was when he removed his sunglasses. Maybe she wasn’t a fan? Or didn’t even knew who he was for that matter. If that was the case, it may be safe to tell her who he was. But he had to pick into it slowly .

“Entertainment? Like what? Filmmaking?”

“Music. I’m...a vocalist in a band.”

“Really?” 
Applejack was a bit impressed.
“Have you worked with or met any famous ponies?”

“I’ve recently worked with a mare named Octavia on an album.” 

“Interesting.”

“Yeeeea we did a duet. Oh, and I did meet Princess Celestia yesterday.”

“No kiddin’? So did my sister?”

Thrash choked down another sip of cider the moment this she said this. He started thinking about the party last night.
“What?”

“Yea, she went with my friends to go see a concert. I was invited but I gave her my ticket.”

“Why didn’t you go?”

“I’m not much of a fan of rock or metal music.”

“So this was a rock band?”

“Yea. I forgot the name though...”

“Blank Flank?” 

“Yes! That’s it! How did you...wait?”

“What was your sisters name?”

“When did you say you were with Celestia?”

“I won’t answer that until you answer my question?”

At first she thought that was a bit rude, but there was no other way to get an answer from him.
“Applebloom. Her name is Applebloom. Why?”

Thrash remembered Applebloom. The filly without the cutie mark. During the party she had mentioned her sister...Applejack.

“Well? Are you gonna to answer my question...?”

“Your name wouldn’t happen to be Applejack would it?”

Applejack froze.
“How did you know that was my name? Who are you?”

Thrash had no way to hide his identity now. The room was empty with just him and her, and she obviously didn’t know him so he might as well confess.
“Well it seems you got me.”

Applejack was confused.
“What?” 

“First let me say that I feel honored sitting next to the Element of Honesty.”

She couldn’t believe it. Not only did he know who she was but he also knew her own element. 

“I met your sister when I was with Celestia last night. At first I thought she was the Element of Honesty. But she corrected me and said it was you.”

“Ok?”

“As for who I am...I’m only telling you because there’s nobody here”
He cleared his throat and spoke slowly and quietly.
“I'm the lead vocalist of Blank Flank.”

“...Beg your pardon?”

“My name is Thrash. Thrash Trotter”

“Your Thrash!?”

He panicked and tried to quiet her down.
“Yes. Please, not so loud. If anypony knows I’m here, my cover is blown.”

“Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be with your band mates or something?”

“Nah, we’re all rehearsed for today. I came to Ponyville to explore it a little while we prepared for our show in Cloudsburg.”

“Cloudsdale?”

“Cloudsdale.”

“Well...not that its any of my business suger, but I’d say your taking a huge risk.”

“It's Thrash, not sugar.” he joked. “And I have no risk that should be taken. Other then being caught by the fans that is.” 

“But aren’t you worried about how your performance will turn out if you don’t practice for a show that'll be viewed by all the citizens of Cloudsdale.”  

“Nah. We got it under control.”

“You realize the Pegasus population is huge there. We’re talking hundreds of ponies watching you.”

“I know, maybe even thousands!” he said clenching his hooves with excitement

Applejack sighed as she drank her cider.
“You are something else, son.”
She stopped him with her hoof right when he was about to say something.
“If the next thing coming out of your mouth is a smart-alecky comeback about my accent, just keep it to yourself!”
She lowered her hoof away from his face.

“Well you don’t have to mean about it, nor do I have a problem with it. You seem down. Is something bothering you?”

“What in Celestias sake gave you that ridicules idea?” she scolded back to him.

	“Well when I came in you just looked sad and bored is all. You looked like you were feeling alone.”

Applejack just looked back at him as he took another drink of his cider.
“Was...was I really that obvious?”

“Those beautiful eye’s of yours don’t lie.”

“Beg pardon?”

Thrash stopped himself. He had no idea what he just said.
“Your...your eyes, they...they just looked sad?”

“Do you really think my eye's are beautiful?”

He was beaten there. 
“Better then these red frauds on my face.” he said with a smile

“Frauds? Those eyes aren’t your natural color?”

“Nah. I got my brown eyes magically changed when I was 14.”

“Why do that?”

“I don’t know. I just like the color red. I think it’s a rather soothing color then brown.”

“Oh.” 

“But anyway, what’s got you down?”

“Well...”
She was a bit shy. Applejack wasn't used to talking about her problems, ESPECIALLY when it involved telling them to a complete stranger.
“Usually I work on the weekdays, and I take the weekends off. My family thinks I work to hard, so they took my alarm clock and made me sleep in a few hours past my usual wake up time. Then they made me take a day off and none of my friends are available because they all work on the weekdays.”

Thrash felt bad for her.
“So you just have no friends to hang with is all?”

“That and I was kinda’ looking forward to work today.”

Thrash gave a dumbfounded look.
 “Let me get this straight. Your upset..because you got the day off as well?!” he laughed. “And you’re calling me the weird one?”

“Hey, I enjoy my hard work at the apple orchard, thank you very much!”

He pulled himself together.
“Sorry, I just never thought I’d hear somepony say something like that...Well except for Rush.”

“I haven’t been out for three hours and its only 10:57am. What am I supposed to do to pass the time when there’s nopony to be with?”
She looked down at her cider, irritated by the thought as she took another drink.

Thrash wanted to do something about her problem. He didn’t like seeing other ponies feel down in the dumps. He took a moment to think.
“Have...have you ever been to the museum?”

“What?”  she asked as she lowered her cider.

“I mean you’re a resident so you probably have, bur I was just curious?”

“Well not in a while. Why you askin’?”

“No reason. I enjoy going to museums. I always check them out when I’m in big town such as this.”

“You?”  she asked surprisingly. “An energetic, smart-alecky, rock vocalist like yourself, are interested...in museums?”
She laughed.

“Well that and more. I like sight seeing around the local areas. I just like museums for the art, history, and culture. Why so surprised? Did I not look like that kinda stallion?”

“To be honest, no.” 
She continued to laugh.

He rolled his eyes and smiled.
“Anyway, I was just there and they had a display of foreign art that looked pretty cool. And since your obviously not doing anything with anypony today...”

Applejack stopped him again with her hoof,
“Thrash, are you asking me to go with you to the museum of Ponyville to see some old foreign craftwork?” 

“In a way yes. I’ll even buy your ticket for admission.”

Applejack was a little shy but mostly confused. First he gets her a cup of cider and now he’s offering to get her into a museum. Was he trying to impress her with his wealth or something?
“I don’t know?”

Thrash was a bit disappointed. He hated seeing her in such a sad state. But he couldn't force her too join him.
“Well if you don’t want to it's fine. I wanted to make you happy by being your friend since you had no pony to hang out with.” 

Maybe he was just trying to be friendly.
“Umm...”

“Well I don’t know my way around here very well, so I’ll be there if you change your mind.” he said as he put his sunglasses back on. “It was a pleasure talking to you Ms. Applejack. You take care.” 
He waved goodbye and trotted out the door.

Applejack thought about this stallion to herself. He was really nice to her. He was like her other friend’s that treated her like a sister. And she hadn’t been to the Ponyville museum since she was a filly in school.
...She finished her cider as quick as she could.

Thrash was proceeded his way back up the dirt path. He was looking forward to spending more time in the museum. Yet he couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed that Applejack didn't wish to join him. 

“HEY! HOLD ON, WAIT A SECOND!” Applejack shouted as she ran towards Thrash.

Thrash turned around to see Applejack, approaching him from behind. She stopped right in front of him to catch her breath. Thrash just starred at her.

“So, what kind of art did you say was in that museum today?”  She said catching her breath.

Thrash smiled
“Just come with me I’ll show you.”
He walked towards the museum.

Applejack followed him from behind. 

“Thanks for not using my name in the public Ms. Applejack, I don’t want anypony to ruin this great day.”

“Just call me, Applejack sugar cube.” she said with a smile

They both laughed