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// dead eye, dead past 
// Story: Random Worlds in Equestria 
// by ezio dementay 
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Marston’s mind was blank. He was a sleep. This is what his dreams were always like, completely blank, the old memory here and there but nothing much. It was just a blank. Kinder sad if you ask me. I mean no dreams, no nightmares no nothing, just memories half the time which were boring. Well at least in my eyes but what do I know anyway? 
Oh yeah we have a story to continue here.

Marston woke up from the hospital bed, his leg while not fully healed, he could walk and set off to the farm. He left a note for the doctor saying were he had gone to. He didn't want the doctors to be worried about some small problems.
The trip from the hospital to the farm was fairly long but Marston liked this. He could look at the scenery.
He could see flowers blooming, tree's in full beauty, birds gracing the sky's. He felt at peace for once.
"Maybe I could live here? I could forget about getting revenge on my old gang and live in peace for once." thought Marston.

He neared the farm and was greeted by apple bloom, still wearing his hat and tipped it towards Marston.
"Hello Marston. Finally your here. I’ve been waiting half an hour for you to get here." said apple bloom.
"You didn't have to wait for me. I owe your family for helping me that's all." said Marston.
"Oh it wasn't for that. Apple jack told me to wait here for you so I could bring you to the work. By the way, do you want the hat back now?" asked apple bloom.
"nah. You keep it until the end of the day. You seem to like it a lot." said Marston.
"I do. It’s so soft and it looks nice with all the holes and roughed up edges. I really do like it." said apple bloom.
"Well maybe I’ll let you keep It." said Marston. He felt happy and smiled at the young fille. "Wish I had something like that." thought Marston. "So are ya gonna stand there or follow me to what ya have to do?" Marston followed apple bloom to whatever work he was doing.

Apple bloom had taken Marston to apple jack and Macintosh. "Well howdy Marston. Time to do some apple bucking."
Said apple jack.
"So what do I have to do exactly?" asked Marston. "Well you kick the trees and collect the apples. Don’t collect the bad ones like the ones that are too hot or have worms in them and that's all. Grab a couple of buckets and start bucking!" said an excited apple jack. "Apple bloom you can go with Macintosh to help with any spare apple's he misses and I’ll go with marstane due to the bad leg." everyone nodded and went off to work.

Marston had to use his right leg to kick the tree's but this was easier then using a bad leg that could easily go back to being easily broken or start bleeding again. This slowed down the bucking for him but he was trying his best.
He kicked the tree and only a couple of apple's fell so he kept kicking until all the apples had fallen. It took him 7 kicks to get all the apples down but he had done it: his first basket of apples but by then apple jack was onto the third tree.

"What’s taking you so long?" said apple jack. "if you want to kick the apples down in 1 kick or I guess 2 kicks in your case, then you have to do it right." apple jack showed Marston how to do it but it was the exact same way.
"Looks just like the way I’ve been doing it. Maybe it's because you’re stronger than me and..." Marston was saying but was stopped mid speech by apple jack. "Wait did you just admit that I’m stronger then you?" Marston nodded.
"Well I have respect for any pony that admits who's better than themselves."
"It’s true though. You are stronger than me and I don't say that often. Is there another way I could get the apples down?"
Asked Marston.

Apple jack went to her satchel and got a lasso for Marston to use. "Are you any good with a lasso Marston?"
"I’ve used one before I’ll say that." Marston grinned and was passed the lasso.
"Let’s see how many apples you can get in one throw." said apple jack. Marston threw the lasso and pulled about 10 or so apples from the tree. "Much better than your kicking that's for sure." apple jack smugly said.

After about 5 hours, the trees had been bucked and they were all tired. "Well Marston, I gotta hand it to ya, your good with a lasso." said apple jack.
"Well I learned from a friend of mine how to lasso." Marston was smiling at the sunset. “This is beautiful." said Marston.
"Yeah. I guess it is." sighed apple jack. "listen Marston, your welcome to stay here, earn a bit of money and then find your own place or stay here if you want." apple jack smiled at Marston.
"I don't know. I’ll have to think about it but that's very kind of you. Why the offer though?" asked Marston.
"I guess it's because you remind me of my pa. He was a good man and never gave up on anything." said apple jack smiling.
"So where is he now? Asked Marston, his smile replaced with curiosity. "He’s not here anymore. I don't want to talk about."
Apple jack's smile had disappeared. "I understand. I try to forget the past as well. It’s not something that easy to get rid of and to be honest, I wish I would just have a clean slate and start over."
"Well thanks’ for understanding. Look let's head back. Suppers on in about a couple of minutes. They nodded and went to have supper.

Some apple pies and some cider were set out for supper. Macintosh arrived with a sleeping apple bloom oh his back.
"Let me guess: she tried getting her cutie mark from apple bucking?" asked apple jack.
"eyup." said Macintosh. He took apple bloom up to bed and left Marston and apple jack outside.
Marston drank the cider in one go. “That’s some strong stuff you got here. Perfect for a day like this." said Marston.
"Look I’ve been thinking and I’ll take up your offer to stay here for a while. Until I can get my own place of course."
Apple jack nodded at this and passed him some pie. It was delicious.

Macintosh came downstairs with Marston’s hat. "Here’s your hat. Apple bloom said to give it back to you."
"That’s mighty kind of you but I won't need it anymore. I’m staying here for a while, if ya don't mind of course."
"Nope. I don't mind." said Macintosh. "You can use the spare bed in the attic. Just be careful of the spiders."
"Will do." after a couple of hours everyone went off to bed.

"I guess I could start of here. Nice folks, good weather, decent work. I could get used to this." thought Marston as he fell to sleep.