Chapter 37
At the end of the first day of Cider Season, the Apple family, Rick, Fluttershy, Rarity and Twilight enjoyed an early dinner and turned in around sundown to get ready for the next day. The rest of the week went smoothly, thanks to word spreading of the new ‘enforcer’ that kept things civil around the farm. Thanks to this fact, Rick was able to increase supply, Twilight and Fluttershy stayed on to help, or so they claimed, really, they just wanted an excuse to spend time with Rick and make sure Applejack didn’t get any bright ideas. Rarity would have liked to stay and help, but with Nightmare Night just around the corner, she had a lot of orders to fill and couldn’t be away from her boutique.
By the end of the week, there was enough bits earned to not only easily keep the farm running through the winter, but even replace, in AJ’s words, “that saggy ol’ plow.” Rick wasn’t sure how a plow got ‘saggy’, but he loved the way she said it just the same. On the last day of Cider Season, there was a big feast to celebrate the success of this year’s sales. Rick was secretly happy to be returning to his own bed in his own home and outwardly ecstatic to be able to sleep past sunrise. The girls, minus Applejack, walked out the door being magically held open by Rick, he turned to say goodbye to AJ and was rewarded for hi hard work with another, longer kiss on his cheek.
“Ya’ll were a huge help, Sugarcube. Ah only wish we coulda had yur help years ago.” She drew back with a slightly sultry look on her face that only made Rick smile stupidly and blush heavily.
“It, um, was my… pleasure,” a thought occurred to him, “Honeycrisp.” As soon as he said it, he wished he hadn’t.
“Wh-what did ya call meh?” the sultry look was gone and replaced with one of confusion.
“I’m sorry, I, look, on Earth, couples often give each other nicknames or pet names. But here, in Equestria, everyone has names that are a lot like the pet names we would use, so I thought I would try… an apple. The Honeycrisp is a sweet and attractive apple from Earth. I… just thought it would fit you.”
He was wrapped in an extreme hug and nuzzled ‘til he felt his shoulders and neck would snap. “It’s uh very sweet thought, Sugar, but keep tryin’,we have those apple too and the trees tend to be weak. You don’t think I’m weak now, do you?” The way she asked the question, with a slight pout on her face and in her large, emerald eyes, cut him like a knife. He reciprocated her hug.
“You are the strongest filly I know,” he could practically feel six eyes boring into the back of his head, “I better get going. I need a full night’s rest if I’m going to help Rarity with her boutique tomorrow.” He backed away from her and waved goodbye before he joined the other fillies and headed back toward town and some well-deserved rest.
Chapter 38
Waking up an hour after sunrise had never felt so good. After a week and a half of bucking apple trees and making cider took a lot more out of him than he wanted to admit. The work did make him feel good though. His official job may be Royal Protector of the Elements, but that doesn’t mean he felt like he was in fact working. On Earth, as a human, he spent his days as a handyman. It was good, honest, hard work that kept him busy and allowed him to set his own hours. Another huge benefit was the physical training he got from the shear exertion of the work. It was the reason he was able to pick up Pinkie with one arm when he first arrived in Equestria seven months ago and why he was almost on par with Applejack now. But the absolute best part of being a self-employed handyman was the time he was able to spend with Annie.
He would often refuse jobs simply so he could take her to the park. He would get a kick out of taking Annie along with him to the job site, it was worth it just to watch her try lift his heavier tools.
She was getting pretty good at giving him the right tool he asked for. It was a skill that he was extremely proud to nurture in his little girl. But the best thing was the fact that he got every single holiday off and Halloween was one of his favorites. It was the only time of year, when his little princess could actually be a little princess without getting weird looks. Admittedly, any girl her age could do the same at any time, but not when they had a knight in, literally, shining armor. He was very proud of the suit, he made it himself out of stainless steel.
Now, Rick was going to get the chance to relive those days. Nightmare Night was in a few days and from what he understood, it was very much like Halloween. There were costumes, ghost stories, a form of trick-or-treating and even a carnival complete with games and food. He couldn’t wait to get started.
He arrived at the boutique and let himself in. The sound of jingling bells let Rarity know someone had just entered and she came bounding around the corner with her usual salespony smile and energy.
"Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where every garment is chic, unique and magnifique." Her eyes widened as did her smile when she realized who it was that entered her store, “Rick! Good morning, Darling. Are you here to assist me?”
“Of course, plus it’s always good to spend time with you.” This remark earned him an ‘aww’ from Rarity, then a dainty hug. “Besides, on Earth, I always loved Halloween, and my understanding is that Nightmare Night is the same thing, with the costumes and treats and everything. I couldn’t wait to get started.”
“Now that is the right attitude. Let me show you my designs thus far.”
Rarity led the tour of costumes in her boutique. She had made simple ghost costumes and elaborate vampire costumes. There were even designs for werewolves and clowns. Rick marveled at the devils and royal guards. There was something missing though. With all the common Halloween costumes present the one thing that was missing was all that much more difficult to pinpoint. He had almost figured it out when he was caught off guard by something else.
“Is that… a… human?”
The costume in question had been designed to allow the wearer to stand on two legs using modified crutches for balance. There was a shirt and a pair of pants, both made for easy manipulation by a pony’s hooves. The body was amazing, but the mask was extremely creepy.
“Oh, yes, I designed it from memory. I didn’t exactly have a model to go by. What do you think?”
Every man and stallion above the age of ten should be able to recognize this trap. There’s no right answer. Your only hope is very, very, VERY delicate diplomacy.
“I gotta say, the design is remarkable. The fact that you managed to get it so a pony could stand on two legs is fantastic. You, Milady, are a genius.”
“Why, thank you.” “SUCCESS!”
“I don’t suppose I could try it on?” That should really seal the deal.
“Oh, well, I do apologize, Dear, but it is simply too small for a stallion of your… stature.”
“I see, I suppose I am on the large side.” For some reason, Rarity’s face glowed a bright red and her eyes seemed to be unable to focus on one spot.
To her benefit, Sweetie Belle came bounding through the door at that very moment. “Mr. Rick!”
“Sweetie Belle!” He plucked her off the showroom floor with his magic hands and while he spun her around in the air, formed a force field slide. He placed her at the top and let her glide down it. The upturned end made her launch into the air and land on his back. She was laughing herself silly the whole time. It was music to Rick’s ears and he bathed in it.
Looking over his shoulder, he asked little Sweetie Belle, “so, what are you going to dress up as for Nightmare Night?”
“I don’t really know yet. Last year, I went as a vampire but I just can’t figure it out.”
“You know, my little girl always went as a princess. She would dress up in a frilly dress and I would be her knight in shining armor. Maybe you could do that.”
“Yeah, that’s a good idea.”
“Maybe you can even go as Princess Luna since its Nightmare Night.”
“How about it, Rarity, can you do it?” The look she gave should have, by all rights, given Rarity diabetes.
“Well, I suppose I could try. Perhaps we could do something with your fur and mane then we will have to make some wings…” Rarity trailed off in thought.
“Then I suppose it’s a good thing you love a challenge.” Rick smirked at her and Rarity smiled in return.
Later, Rick had resigned himself to simply holding material for Rarity as she worked on her costume designs. She would work on the mannequins and he would hold rolls of cloth or boxes of thread, whatever Rarity might need at a moment’s notice. All the while, just like Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle was napping on his back. Truthfully, the cute little unicorn was so light; he had merely forgotten she was even there.
Rarity was working on a costume that looked like a witch; it was still too early to tell. She would constantly go back and forth from the mannequin and the cloth choices Rick was holding with his magic. He would watch her studying the fabric with a pair of glasses that reminded him of a librarian’s horn rim glasses. His subconscious was screaming at him to stop staring, but there was no way he could.
“Good grief, her eyes are so beautiful. I could just get lost in them. There just like…”
“What do you think?” Rarity had been talking, but he hadn’t been listening.
“The deepest blue sea.”
“Wh-what…?”
Reality snapped back into place for Rick, “what?”
“You just said ‘the deepest blue sea’.”
“Uh, um, I was uh…” he gave in, “I was… thinking about your eyes.” He clenched his eyes and turned his head waiting for some form of backlash. Instead, he got another pleasant surprise.
Rarity had placed a hoof on either side of his face and turned it to hers. There was a gentle look in her eyes and sweet smile on her lips, she was even blushing lightly. Rarity pulled his head in closer and pressed her lips to his. Both closed their eyes and she let out a soft moan.
“What else are you thinking about?” Rarity asked as her eyes opened again
“Hmm…?” His brain had shut down and it hadn’t kicked over again yet.
This made Rarity giggle, “Are you in there, Darling?”
“Huh, whu?”
“I said, what else are you thinking about?”
Rick chuckled, “well, I have always thought your mane and tail were beautiful, since the first day I came here.”
This one caught her off guard. “You mean it? Even as a human, you thought my mane was beautiful?”
He only had time to nod before she wrapped her arms around him. It would have been a lot more special if Rarity hadn’t accidently bumped Sweetie Belle, waken her from her nap.
“Hmm, what?” Sweetie Belle rubbed her eyes, luckily, Rick’s back was broad enough to keep her from rolling off. Rarity slid back from Rick and both smiled at each other.
“Hello there, Sweetie Belle, Dear. You seem to have fallen asleep whilst riding atop Rick.”
“Oh, uh, sorry about that.”
“Don’t worry about it, Sweetie, I didn’t mind in the least,” Rick told her over his shoulder. A force field slide formed off to his side and Sweetie Belle took that as a cue and slid off his back.
“Hey, Rarity, is it okay if I go make myself a snack?”
“Of course Sweetie Belle, help yourself.” As Sweetie Belle trotted happily into the kitchen. “Now, where were we,” Rarity was slowly closing the distance to Rick, then a look of absolute horror came to her face and she galloped off to the kitchen. “SWEETIE BELLE!!”