//------------------------------// // Chapter 28 // Story: Joe // by JMDARE //------------------------------// It had been quite a late night with making notes for the talk at the school, then doing chores and exercise, and then making notes of all the thoughts that had occurred to him while he was doing those. Exercise and routine could help ideas occur to you so Joe hoped not too many would occur while he was doing whatever work they had for him at Sweet Apple Acres today. It was frustrating when you had ideas, couldn’t note them down, and then had to sit down later and try to reconstruct those trains of thought. As he approached with his tool laden and festooned backpack Joe saw Applejack apparently waiting for him. This suspicion was confirmed as she waved a friendly hoof and began walking to meet him. “Howdy, Joe.” “Doing well, Applejack. Yourself?” “Right fine. Ah hear you might be talking to mah sister and her classmates?” “Your brother helped their teacher track me down to ask, and between Cheerilee and Twilight I was ground down. Millstones of persistence.” “A flattering way ta put it, but ah can imagine.” “So,” Joe asked, “what needs doing today?” Rather than reply at once Applejack began walking and Joe followed as she led the way towards one of the barns. She glanced to him. “Ah hear a rumour you are going to Canterlot later?” “Yep, so, as I said to Big Macintosh yesterday, I want to be leaving here fairly soon after noon.” “Not a problem, and if you want to leave early to get ready for that or to get ready for th’ talking then ah’d understand.” Joe nodded. “I should manage.” “But ah don’t want you too tired,” Applejack replied, “so ah ain’t going to have you pounding fence posts or diggin’ ditches all morning.” “Not only could I do that all morning now, rather than collapsing,” chuckled Joe, “I think I might be able to do it and not be tired to appreciate art.” “Eee’yup, seems magic and exercise has been good for you, but no need to take silly chances.” Then Applejack winked. “Even if you seem inclined that way.” “Ah, true, and I don’t know how good it has been for me. Spent a couple of hours attached to the machines that go ‘ping’ but I wasn’t sure how much better the magic has made me than the exercise should and Twilight didn’t say how good it has made me compared with a Pony.” Applejack nodded and led the way into the barn and across to some tubs and some deeper barrels. As all bar one of the former were stacked high with apples and the latter were empty and had no lids on them the task seemed obvious to Joe. “Ah’d like you to help sort these here apples,” Applejack said, not to Joe’s surprise, “ain’t too strenuous, but does need ta be done and ah do think you know enough about apples and your eyes are good enough to spot bad ones.” “I think so,” nodded Joe. “Though I don’t recall ever having my eyes or ears tested to check my visual or hearing range compared with yours. Which could make some of the art interesting if I can tell a difference where there shouldn’t be or can’t where there should.” “Can you tell the difference between these?” Applejack asked, balancing on her hindlegs with an apple in each forehoof. “As one is red and the other is green, yes,” replied Joe. “I’m not red-green colour blind like a dog, though I think that is the most common form of colour blindness in humans.” “Ah was just checking,” Applejack smiled, letting Joe see the human-like effect of all the teeth Ponies had on this world and putting the apples back and dropping down to a more comfortable all-fours. “Can you tell the difference between these?” asked Joe, after spending several seconds searching. “One is a mite redder and th’ other a bit more yellow.” “Right,” nodded Joe. “We seem well able then.” They began sorting the apples with the bad ones going into the empty tub and others into the barrels. Most of these were a simple split between large barrels of red and green but there were a few ones with unusual shades and those had to go into different and smaller barrels. Applejack explained there were gourmands who thought those tasted different, but she thought they were full of something other than apples. Joe confirmed that ponyfolk had wine snobs and mentioned how when some white wine was dyed red some of those experts thought it tasted like red wine. “Joe?” Applejack said, as he tapped a barrel lid in place with his hammer and wished he had a wooden mallet. “Ah am glad Rainbow managed to find you th’ day before yesterday.” “So am I,” replied Joe carefully. “She was very helpful with the model and telling Rarity an…” “Not that!” Applejack interrupted. “So you could invite her to Canterlot.” “And how do you know about that?” frowned Joe. “Ahm” “Tell.” “Well, ah, Rarity mentioned you might be inviting someone,” Applejack explained, “and when Rainbow looked so embarrassed we guessed.” “Fair enough, I’d said there was someone but hadn’t asked her to not discuss or speculate. Though when was this?” “When we went to the Spa, day you helped Fluttershy.” Joe gave the barrel lid a few more taps, more to mark time for his thoughts than because it needed it. “So I take it was not a coincidence that Dash found me?” “Ah, if you mean she was looking for you then she was. Came here and ah suggested the Cutie Mark Crusader Clubhouse.” “I shall have to repay her then,” Joe nodded, putting the hammer aside and lifting the barrel. “She said she’d just seen me from the air and wondered what I was doing there.” “Good luck.” “Hmm,” Joe mused, carrying the barrel to join the other sealed ones. “I’d known Rarity knew, but thought she’d learned when Dash asked her about a dress. I’d known Twilight knew as she’d commented in front of Spike and hadn’t asked him to not say anything to me.” He put the barrel down and turned to look at Applejack. “But if you talked at the Spa then all six of you knew?” “Ah, yes?” “I think I will leave myself some illusions though,” Joe smiled, “and won’t ask if everything as well as everyone.” “Ahm, maybe not everything,” said Applejack, not very reassuringly. They sorted apples for a while longer and were getting close to finishing when Joe wondered about two things. Would they be able to fit all the remaining apples in the barrels they had started or would they have to start new barrels that would be quite close to empty. And why was it that Applejack had that expression on her face. The first seemed entirely Applejack’s decision but the second he could perhaps discover. “Okay, what?” “Ah don’t know what you mean,” Applejack said unconvincingly. “You are looking as nervous as I felt when I mentioned the event and Dash, pretending to not know why I’d mentioned it, said it sounded stuffy.” “Well, it does and ah doubt ah look that nervous, but fine… are humans Bonobo?” “What?” Joe asked, too surprised to continue for a second or two. “No humans are humans and Bonobo are Bonobo, two different sorts of Great Ape…” “Ah know that, Fluttershy mentioned her chat about what humans are related to.” “That I don’t mind being shared.” “An’ she mentioned th’ special habits of Bonobo, that they settle disputes a certain way rather than fight like Chimpanzees…” Joe closed his eyes with a wince. “Or maybe I do mind that being shared,” he sighed. “I’d told her that humans also weren’t as inclined to casual violence as Chimpanzees… are you asking me if humans shag as much as Bonobo?” “If by ‘shag’ you mean what ah think then yes.” “I have already discussed this aspect of things with Dash,” Joe said, opening his eyes to meet Applejack’s, “the day before yesterday rather than the day before that…” “Ah didn’t mean ta offend you.” “I’ll say truthfully the answer is no, humans are more restrained than Bonobo in that way as well as more restrained than Chimpanzees in the other.” “Ah thought so, but er… let me say this,” Applejack said, hesitating a little before continuing. “Ponies come into season and want ta do things more, other times we still like to but are more content with not as often or not as… complete.” Joe felt relief and then fear and then considered mentioning Rainbow Dash had already embarrassed Twilight Sparkle with talk of magic to help him make it more ‘complete’. Instead though he just commented, “I won’t ask why you are reassuring me of that…” “And ah won’t say,” Applejack winked. == Rainbow Dash looked at herself in the mirror in the Carousel Boutique, eyes a little wide at the Mare staring back at her. She liked bright colours so it had only been her trust in Rarity’s taste, hard earned by the time she had interfered too much, that had allowed her to take the chance of not objecting to this dress while it was still a design on paper. But her coat was a light enough blue to contrast with the darker shades of the dress and it made her rainbow mane and tail appear even more vibrant by comparison. She tried turning and moving a little and blinked at how this caused the upper layers to shift and flashes of colour from the decoration. “Whoa,” Rainbow Dash breathed. “Whoa!” echoed Applejack. “Applejack, darling,” Rarity said, turning and greeting, “it’s a… bit… late, but do you want to come after all? I’m sure I could tidy up one of your dresses from the other formal occasions…” “Ah thank you kindly Rarity, but ah’m just here because ah owe Rainbow an apology.” “Oh, what now?” Rainbow Dash said, getting close to what Rarity would describe as complaining and everyone else as whining. “Ah’m right sorry Rainbow,” blinked Applejack, deciding this reaction called for her to take her hat off and hold it across her chest with one forehoof. “But ah let slip to Joe that you were looking for him, ah didn’t know you said was accidental, and that you’d known he intended ta invite you, he commented that seemed you’d pretended ta not know why he’d mentioned it.” “What else?” “Well, ah… ah might have had to admit that we’d talked a spell at th’ Spa, so he knows all six of us know, though he said he’d not ask how much…” “And?” “And ah did ask Joe about humans and Bonobo, he winced when he realised why, but he did say humans were more restrained.” Applejack stopped and looked Rainbow Dash up and down again. “But ah’m not sure how much more, especially with that dress.” “Thank you, darling,” Rarity said as Rainbow Dash blushed, “I was hoping for that effect.” “And ah did tell Joe pony habits, season and all,” concluded Applejack. “Seemed fair after he answered my question, and made him look a mite relaxed as well as embarrassed and then more scared for a moment.” Rainbow Dash seemed to be struggling with her words so after a few seconds of this Rarity decided to slightly change the subject. “Right,” Rarity nodded, “I need to replace some stitches with permanent ones, so that gives a question Rainbow, dear.” “What?” asked Rainbow Dash. “Watch this Applejack,” Rarity replied as her horn glowed and the upper layers and decoration detached so that within a minute they were floating to one side. “Hwhoo-whee, that’s right pretty as well,” nodded Applejack, “though maybe not enough fancy?” “It will need the extra for the event,” Rarity agreed, “but for travel and for seeing a few sights in Canterlot this will be more convenient and more than enough… ‘fancy’.” “Looking real good there, sugar cube,” smiled Applejack. “Thanks,” Rainbow Dash said, her blush returning a little, “but what was the question?” “I’d suggest you let Joe see you like this and then with the full ‘fancy’, be less changing, but would you rather give Joe the full ‘fancy’ and then change to this and then back again for the event?” “Ah think that if he’s going to make Rainbow wait one way then that’s what she should do with th’ dress and that being full and complete!” “AJ!” Rainbow Dash protested, adding after a moment. “And it’s not like he’s making me wait…” “Ah know honey, not waiting as not time yet.” “So?” Rarity asked. Rainbow Dash nodded with a smile. “Applejack is right, about the dress at least.” “Ah’m always right…” Applejack winked, “except when ah’m wrong.” == Joe looked at the earth bank and was looked back at by some rabbits, a couple of which seemed to make rude gestures and show that Angel Bunny was not unique for his kind here. Attempting to not dwell on the lack of his bow and arrows, or suitable stones to throw, Joe continued to inspect for signs this bank had been undermined too much and might slip down towards the path. He moved a little off this to examine the bank more closely and a rabbit moved a little further up the bank and showed its opinion of having to move. “Never eaten rabbit…” Joe grumbled, “don’t tempt me.” The rabbits looked at him and made more rude gestures and eloquent showing of fluffy tails and what was beneath those. “Bah.” “Eaten rabbit?” “Omnivore, remember,” nodded Joe, turning to look at Big Macintosh, “if vegetarian now.” “Eee’yup.” “Rabbits were kept as food animals,” admitted Joe, “still are a lot of places, but in my country attitude has become more ‘look at the cute bunny’.” There was another flurry of rude gestures. “Eee’yup,” Big Macintosh agreed. “That looks cute.” “At least the bank doesn’t look too undermined.” “Nope.” Joe started walking along to examine the next section, Big Macintosh’s hooves thudding beside him as he followed. “I take it you’d have asked Fluttershy to talk to them if it had?” “Eee’yup, mahself or Applejack,” nodded Big Macintosh. “Ask her to ask them to fill in some and be more careful.” “Which shows these rabbits are smart enough to understand such a request,” Joe nodded back. “Eee’yup. Take it rabbits on your world aren’t?” “Nope. Seems everything here is smarter,” Joe replied before giving Big Macintosh a rueful expression. “Which makes me glad you lot are vegetarian so I made the change immediately rather than discovering that later.” “Ah suppose ah can understand that,” said Big Macintosh. “Some things ah’d feel less guilty if ah accidentally stepped on them, cain’t understand wanting ta eat critters but ah can understand why if you did th’ same might apply ta killing them for that.” Joe nodded. “Fluttershy would be upset if I killed a rabbit, but she’s happy, or willing at least, to kill fish to feed things at her cottage.” “Eee’yup.” They stopped and looked at the bank, thankfully without the joy of rabbit gesturing. From the exposed roots they could see there seemed to have been some slippage, but those roots also seemed to have limited that and be binding the face of the bank together. Joe gave one a bit of a tug and prodded at the soil around and behind it with his fingers while Big Macintosh watched. “Handy things hands,” commented Big Macintosh, “though expect that’s why they’re called that.” “Or with humans why the word means what it does,” Joe nodded, rejoining him. “Eee’yup.” Joe brushed some lingering soil from his fingers and then wiped them on the cloth stuck in his belt. “So, I take it Applejack has vanished?” “Ah don’t know where she is,” Big Macintosh replied, thinking again how useful Joe made it look having belts to stick things in and hang things from and pockets to put them in, “if that is what you mean?” “I think I know where she is.” “Eee’yup?” “I’m going to Canterlot with Rainbow Dash…” Joe smiled. “Seemed a mite of a coincidence that right after Sweetie Belle mentioned her sister was busy with a dress that th’ very next comment was ta suggest you might be at Rainbow’s cottage. Almost as if th’ two things were connected.” Joe nodded and started walking towards the final section of bank. “After they learned I’d asked the Cutie Mark Crusaders to keep it quiet, but as we’d all four be leaving from Ponyville in formal clothes today that ‘secret’ has not long left in it.” “Eee’yup,” agreed Big Macintosh, “could be a little notice taken, but what’s that to do with Applejack?” “By strange coincidence after your sister accidentally let a few things slip…” “She is honest,” nodded Big Macintosh. “About how much ‘girl talk’ had gone on,” Joe continued, “she asked me to come all the way out here to check these banks” “Eee’yup. Where you’d not notice her going for more ‘girl talk’ ta warn she’d let slip. And ah admit ah didn’t think this needed checking until after th’ next lot of heavy weather.” “It looks fine,” Joe agreed, “this part is well grassed with no signs of any instability and even where there were all those rabbit holes…” “Do you mean th’ warren or what they were waving at us?” “Both,” Joe smiled, “but even there there was still plenty of grass and no signs of slipping or crumbling.” “Eee’nope.” “So, why are you here? Seems I’m here as a distraction…” “Applejack did tell Granny Smith where she’d sent you,” Big Macintosh replied. “Ah figured you’d be about done so ah came to get you so we can straighten a few fence posts.” Joe chuckled and then explained at Big Macintosh’s puzzled expression. “When your sister had me help sort apples she said one reason for that was she didn’t want me to be too tired, wasn’t going to have me pounding fence posts all morning.” “Well…” Big Macintosh said, starting to walk and lead the way. “Ain’t going ta be all morning, and ah won’t tell her if you don’t.” “Fair enough.” == Behind Rarity a blue Pegasus passed from left to right with the sound of beating wings, then from right to left, and back, and back again, and this time with the sound of hooves on floorboards, and a few more times before Rainbow Dash took to the air again. Each stitch Rarity put into the dress was placed with perfection but as her annoyance increased this took more and more effort. Then Rainbow Dash flew to where she was just at the edge of Rarity’s sight and began flitting around there, the movement drawing Rarity’s eye as she continued to try to stitch and Rainbow Dash began to stick her nose in things. “Darling!” Rarity said, forcing a smile. “You seem… energetic.” “What?” asked Rainbow Dash, letting the lid of a hamper down. “Oh, sorry” The Pegasus flew over to one of the cushioned benches and as she settled Rarity hoped for a moment she was going to nap. But then Rainbow Dash began to fidget and look around and within a minute or so she’d begun to whistle a medley of various unrecognisable tunes. Rarity took a deep breath, counted slowly to quite a high number, which didn’t help as much as sometimes as that gave the extra annoyance when the whistling nearly made her lose track of what number she’d got to, and then smiled to her friend again. “Why don’t you… go to the Gym and work off some of that energy?” Rainbow Dash blinked. “I remember how you reacted when Pinkie Pie was working off some energy on a trampoline before the Grand Galloping Gala…” “Then you also remember what we did after I’d reacted that way.” “Yeah we… wait…” Rainbow Dash said before stopping in suspicion. “Are you going to take Joe…” “I had intended it as a surprise for all of you,” admitted Rarity, “but I might need your help to persuade him. Rather than trying to persuade you both at the same time.” “Yeah,” Rainbow Dash smiled. “Joe might be harder to persuade for you than Spike” “Or for me to persuade than you?” “I’m in,” Rainbow Dash nodded, the smile turning into a grin. “This could be fun.” == Joe walked through Ponyville, nodding to any Ponies who seemed to be being friendly and needed acknowledging and not realising the contrast with his older habit of keeping his eyes more on the ground and trying to not catch anyone’s eye. If he’d been asked about it he’d have made some analogy with knowing you had spilt something on yourself and knowing people would notice but not wanting to see them noticing. Applejack had appeared again while he and Big Macintosh were still working on the fence posts. It had taken a while to decide whether to try to just shove them straight or to partially dig up and replant them and whether, once they were straight, if they would need some diagonal braces added. It had been on the last of this that Joe had been working, Big Macintosh holding the post steady as Joe hammered the brace into the roughly chiselled hole at one end and the ground at the other. She’d opened her mouth to comment but Joe had told her that he wouldn’t ask where she’d been if she didn’t beat up her brother and that had seemed a fair deal. They’d finished the chores at Sweet Apple Acres and Joe had gone back to his hut for lunch and to relax and jot down a few ideas and make a few notes for the talk at the school. Joe looked around the Carousel Boutique as he entered and got a look in return from Opalescence. She seemed to want it so Joe wandered across to her and offered a hand, whose attentions were accepted. After a few moments of kitty stroking Joe looked around again. “Hello?” “Joe? …hold on.” There was a short delay and Rarity bustled out of the back room with a smile. “Hello.” “Am I early?” Joe asked, as Opalescence withdrew and pretended she hadn’t been accepting love and Joe standing next to her was sheer coincidence. “This was the time I mentioned to Spike.” “Rainbow was here,” replied Rarity, “but she was anxious about her dress so I sent her to work off some energy.” “I hope that is going well,” Joe nodded, adding after a pause, “the dress I mean, though I suppose I also hope the energy working off.” “It’s almost finished, so why don’t you go fetch Rainbow from the Gym?” That, Joe thought, would give him the chance to chat to her privately. Which of course was probably Rarity’s intent in suggesting this. “Sure,” Joe nodded. He wasn’t that sure where the Gym was as he’d not been there more than once or twice. Leaving aside the fact the others were Ponies it would have been embarrassing with how of shape he’d been and solving the latter problem had put him in the habit, and given the preference, of using his own weight and chin-up and sit-up bars. Besides there was the fun of being underestimated and that he did like to also exercise in armour and with his shield and spear. Inside all appeared rather normal by human standards with the only usual aspect being that rather than a sweaty man it was a Pegasus with a rainbow mane who was beating up the punchbag. “You look nice with your hair up,” Joe commented after watching a few hoof strikes, “shows what a pretty neck you have.” Rainbow Dash whirled. “Joe!” She was glad she was already a little flushed with exertion as though that compliment was not worth blushing about in itself it did remind her of all the advice Rarity had given her about what Joe might find attractive, based on what he’d said about human fashion. Rarity had warned her that Joe had been talking about the subject theoretically rather than thinking there any real practical application or consequences to him, but had suggested that meant he was being all the more honest as well as charmingly embarrassed. “What are you doing here?” “Rarity asked me to come fetch you,” Joe smiled. “Okay.” “And, probably as Rarity expected,” Joe continued, “I shall take the chance to talk to you.” He winked. “I hope you and Applejack had a nice chat.” Rainbow Dash felt a definite extra flush join the one the exercise had given. “Er…” “I’ll take that as a yes,” Joe said with another smile. “I thought she’d come to warn you of what she’d said. Then that seemed confirmed when she sent me to the far side of Sweet Apple Acres to have rude gestures made at me by rabbits and that Big Macintosh, when he came to fetch me, didn’t know where she was.” “Rabbits?” asked Rainbow Dash before shaking her head. “Never mind.” She looked to Joe. “I’m sorry if you are embarrassed that the others know… things.” Joe had been moving across to join her and he gave the punchbag a few punches while he thought. “I’m not embarrassed,” he said, giving it another punch, “I trust them and I have mentioned to Spike and Big Macintosh us going…” A couple more punches and he continued. “But I only told Spike when he guessed right yesterday and Big Macintosh a few hours ago to explain why I thought I knew where Applejack had gone.” “That seems fair,” Rainbow Dash nodded, watching Joe move and his muscles flex under his shirt. She considered asking if he should take that shirt off to avoid it getting sweaty but then Joe continued speaking. “A lot of Ponies will notice you and Rarity in your finery, so if it is a secret it wouldn’t be soon.” “True.” “I didn’t mention your name to Rarity though, just that there was someone I should ask,” Joe continued, looking at his hands and flexing them after the latest pair of punches. He started walking towards some cloth strips. “And even though I thought she’d likely know, I didn’t mention your name to Twilight.” “Twilight?” “I think we are going to have to spare her blushes,” Joe nodded as he began wrapping cloth around over his knuckles. “When Spike confirmed she knew who I was going to Canterlot with, before I gave him his guess, she confessed we’d asked her questions about the same sort of magic.” “Oh…” Joe had no grudge against the punchbag and no idea of wanting to flex for what was becoming ‘his’ lady, but hitting it was a good excuse to not always be meeting Rainbow Dash’s eyes. He finished wrapping his knuckles and went back to it and gave it a few more punches. An image from a film came to mind but as everyone here had strength enhanced to that sort of degree he doubted that even if he was that on edge he’d manage to punch it free. “I thought she probably knew who the somepony I was talking about earlier that day was,” Joe admitted between punches, “but I’ll not ask when you talked to her or what you think I’d look like as a Pony.” “A Pony… oh,” said Rainbow Dash, cutting off her question as she realised Joe thought she’d asked about him changing rather than her. “I think you’d look good.” “Thanks,” Joe nodded, giving the punchbag another short flurry. “Erm… Joe.” “Yes?” “AJ mentioned she’d mentioned Pony seasons to you…” “Ah,” Joe replied, trying to sound calm but betrayed by the blush and that the next few punches were a little more violent. “And that you looked scared…” Joe sighed, stopped punching and turned to look at her. “Trying to not presume on things, even knowing we embarrassed Twilight the same way…” “Right.” “But my first thought was the reassurance I think Applejack meant, that you might be happier than I’d fear with as much as I can give and with having to take our time seeing if I can give any more…” “Don’t humans have seasons?” Rainbow Dash frowned. “Human women have a monthly cycle, so at some times of the month they don’t feel like it,” smiled Joe, “and human men have to provide chocolate ice cream and foot rubs. But that’s as far as it goes.” “And don’t think you’d avoid providing the chocolate ice cream and rubs here… more often than monthly.” “No Ma’am.” “But why did you look scared?” Joe blushed a little more. “Because if I felt like some of the pressure had been taken off for right now,” he admitted, “I then wondered if I had a deadline.” “Deadline? Oh… when I next come on…” “Yeah,” Joe nodded, turning back to the Punchbag and really putting some gusto into the next several punches. Rainbow Dash watched and thought. Joe did seem to be assuming their relationship was heading that way, despite his previous claims that tonight was to explore their feelings. Which was good as, although she didn’t want to do anything too far too fast, that was the direction she wanted to explore. It might be that he’d not manage to overcome his problem, it might be that they’d only dip briefly into romance from friendship, but finding out could be fun. And though he’d not know when his ‘deadline’ was, Mares tended to disguise that and keep their timing secret to avoid opportunistic stallions… or having to kick those stallions in the face… it was promising that he was assuming they’d still be together whenever that occurred. “You’re quite good at that,” Rainbow Dash commented, finding a more neutral topic. “Same reason as throwing?” “I…” said Joe, his rhythm thrown off. Regaining it he mused, “I’m not sure, though you can jab from the arm.” He demonstrated. “You do get more power from the shoulder.” Another demonstration. “And some similarities in the motions… which might explain our hands as well.” “Your hands?” “There’s been a suggestion that human hands are shaped the way they are so we can punch things with them. As long as they are clenched into a fist.” “Still looks squishier than a hoof,” scoffed Rainbow Dash as Joe paused and showed her this ‘fist’. “Able to do more without magic though, but the point of the scientists,” Joe explained, going back to punching, “was that human hands could be even more similar in shape to things like Chimpanzees and still do everything they can. Except Chimpanzees don’t punch, they grab and wrestle and bite, and they can’t form a fist. Or at least not one where all the bones of the hand brace against each other.” He gave her a smile between flurries. “So maybe you are right, we can’t match their arm strength, they can’t match our arm speed, and their hands can grab and ours can grab or punch.” “Seriously?” asked Rainbow Dash. “You are suggesting those squishy looking things are weapons?” “Alas,” Joe declared to an imaginary audience, putting more effort into a few more punches, “the lady is not impressed.” “No offence…” said Rainbow Dash, not admitting she was at least mildly impressed by the impacts. “None taken,” Joe reassured her, feeling a slight twinge in his left wrist from that last punch. “And was a little embarrassing to admit the suggestion that the human hand was not made to pen sonnets,” he added with pair of lighter punches, “nor paint masterpieces, or even to give lovely Pegasi neck rubs but to be able to do all that…” Joe smiled and looked at her. “If I’d the talent for the first two, and be able to punch things as well.” “You seem to be assuming you had the talent for the third thing though,” winked Rainbow Dash. “Oh?” Joe asked, for the moment not going back to punching. “Did I misinterpret the sounds you were making?” “No!” grinned Rainbow Dash.