Chapter 2 - New Clothes
Applejack woke up the next morning with a yawn. She then remembered the events of yesterday and looked down to see Mike still snuggled up next to her. She smiled down at the young human child and started nuzzling his cheek lightly.
“Time to wake up sugarcube,” she whispered softly in his ear. Mike stirred in his sleep and opened his eyes. He smiled up at Applejack after fully waking up.
“Good morning Applejack,” he said.
“G’mornin’ Mike,” she replied, “Have a good sleep?”
“I did,” Mike said nodding, “Thank you for letting me stay.”
“It was no trouble at all sugarcube,” Applejack said giving him a noogie bringing a giggle from his mouth. Applejack then stepped off the bed and leaned her side against it. “Hop on Mike,” she said. Mike did so and wrapped his arms gently around her neck. She then walked out of her bedroom and trotted downstairs. She and Mike could smell breakfast being cooked in the kitchen. When they entered, they saw the rest of the family in the kitchen, with Granny cooking, and Big Mac and the two fillies setting the table. Apple Bloom looked up as Applejack and Mike entered.
“Mornin’ Applejack!” she said, “Mornin’ Mike!”
“Mornin’ Apple Bloom,” Applejack said, “Mornin’ everypony.”
“Good morning everyone,” Mike said waving.
“’Bout time you two woke up,” Granny said, “Breakfast is just ‘bout ready.”
True to her word, breakfast was ready after a few minutes. Everyone sat in the same places at last night’s dinner. Granny made some haycakes, eggs, and apple juice to drink.
“Applejack,” Mike said after a little bit, “What are we going to do today?”
“Well,” Applejack started, “First AB, Babs an’ I are going to take you to see our friend Rarity. Hopefully she’ll make ya a new set of clothes that’ll be more comfortable than the torn ones ya got on ya right now.”
“That sound nice,” Mike said, “Then what?”
“Then we’ll take you to meet the rest of our friends,” Applejack continued.
“Are they nice like you all are?” Mike asked starting to get nervous.
“’Course they are,” Apple Bloom said placing a hoof on his back, “and maybe Babs an’ Ah can introduce ya to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo too.”
“Okay,” Mike said deciding to trust them. After breakfast was cleaned up, Applejack set Mike on her back and with Apple Bloom and Babs on either side of her, the four of them started their trek toward Ponyville.
Mike looked all around while on Applejack’s back. He was amazed at how much brighter everything was compared to where he came from. When he looked back in front of him, he saw a small town a short distance away.
“Is that Ponyville?” he asked.
“Yep,” Applejack replied, “The Carousel Boutique where we’re headin’ is just up ahead.”
“Is that where, Rarity was it, lives?”
“Yep,” Apple Bloom replied, “She also has a younger sister name Sweetie Belle, who’s one of our other friends. Maybe she’s inside with Rarity.”
The four of them approached the door and entered in. The bell above the door announced their arrival. They all saw Sweetie Belle sitting in the middle of the room drawing. She looked up at seeing the ponies and human enter.
“Hi Apple Bloom! Hi Babs!” she greeted her fellow crusaders, “Hi Applejack!”
“Hey Sweetie Belle,” Applejack said, “Is Rarity in? Ah need to ask a favor from her.”
“Sure, I’ll go get...” she paused when spotting Mike and gained a look of interest, “Who’s that?” she asked pointing a hoof at Mike. Mike tried hiding behind Applejack’s mane, feeling shy about meeting Sweetie Belle. Applejack noticed this.
“It’s okay sugarcube,” she said to Mike, “That’s Sweetie Belle, Rarity’s little sister.” Applejack took Mike off her back and placed him in front of her while keeping a forehoof on his shoulder.
“Sweetie Belle, this is Mike,” Applejack said.
“Hello,” Mike said waving shyly.
“Hi Mike!” Sweetie Belle said, “It’s nice to meet you!”
“Sweetie Belle?” came Rarity’s voice from the back room, “Who’s come?”
“It’s Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Babs Rarity,” Sweetie Belle said, “And they have someone new here with them!”
“I’ll be right out,” Rarity called. A few seconds later, Rarity stepped out levitating a few rolls of fabric with her. “Hello there everypony,” she said. She then noticed Mike and the clothes he was wearing. “Goodness gracious darling, whatever happened?!”
“Rarity, this here is Mike,” Applejack explained, “Apple Bloom and Babs found him like this in our barn last night. We came here to see if you could fix up a new outfit fer him.”
“I’d be delighted,” Rarity said. She then looked back down at Mike. “If you could follow me please, I’ll take your measurements down for your new clothes okay?”
Mike looked up at Applejack, and she nodded at him.
“Okay,” Mike said. Rarity then led him over to the area of the room where three mirrors were arranged. Mike stood in front of the mirrors, and Rarity levitated her glasses, measuring tape, pencil, and notepad over. While measuring Mike, Rarity was thinking to herself.
Mike certainly does fit the description of those “humans” Twilight said she encountered over in the other world, but how exactly did Mike’s clothes end up torn and tattered like this? It certainly does look like it was a wonderful outfit.
“Well Mike,” Rarity said a few minutes later, “I’ve gotten all your measurements down, and it shouldn’t take me long to make this.”
“Thank you Miss Rarity,” Mike said.
“You’re quite welcome darling,” Rarity said with a smile, “but just Rarity is fine.”
Mike nodded and gave Rarity a hug around one of her forelegs. Rarity used her free foreleg and hugged Mike back. After they finished the hug, Mike went back to stand with Applejack. Just then the door opened and the bell rang. Everyone turned and saw a small purple and green dragon.
“Hey Rarity,” Spike said, “Hey everypony.”
“Ah, Spikey-wikey, excellent timing,” Rarity said, “Could you come and give me a claw please?”
“Of course milady,” Spike said with a slight bow. He briskly hurried over to Rarity. When Mike saw Spike, he started clinging tighter to Applejack’s foreleg. Applejack looked down at Mike, saw him shaking, and started using her free foreleg to rub his back. Mike looked up at Applejack with a hint of fear in his eyes.
“Applejack, i-i-is that a dragon?” he asked pointing at Spike.
“Don’t worry sugarcube,” Applejack said, “Spike’s just a baby dragon. He wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
While Rarity was stitching the materials for Mike’s new outfit, Spike spoke up.
“Rarity, is that for me, because it looks kinda small.”
“Oh no Spike,” Rarity said, “It’s for Mike over there.” She pointed behind the two of them over to the human next Applejack. Spike looked over to Applejack and was surprised.
“How’d a human get here?” he asked. He hadn’t seen a human since he was turned into a dog in the other world.
“I’m not too sure myself,” Rarity said, “You’ll have to ask Applejack. Why don’t you go and introduce yourself, but be gentle though. The poor thing looks as if he was beaten up.”
As Spike began walking over, he began thinking to himself. Who’d hurt a little kid like that? He stopped in front of Applejack and Mike. “Hey there Mike,” he said gently holding out a claw, “I’m Spike.” Mike looked at Spike warily, then at the offered claw, and then looked back up at Spike with a small smile. He could see Applejack was right. He then put his hand in Spike’s claw and shook it gently.
“Hi Spike,” he said, “It’s nice to meet you.”
While Mike and Spike were getting acquainted, Sweetie Belle pulled Apple Bloom and Babs to the side for a private discussion.
“What happened yesterday after we went home?” she asked whispering.
“Well, when Babs an’ Ah got close to the barn, we heard whimperin’,” Apple Bloom whispered.
“At first we thought it was Winona,” Babs said whispering as well, “but it started soundin’ more like a young colt. Younger than us.”
“When we went inside to look,” Apple Bloom continued, “we found Mike inside behind the hay bales. He had bruises, dirt, and his clothes were torn like that. He told us that he didn’t have any ma or pa.”
“He’s an orphan?!” Sweetie Belle gasped quietly.
“Yeah,” Babs said sadly, “But that’s not the worst of it. The reason he had bruises on him, there were some kids bigger than him pickin’ on him for not havin’ a family to call his own. When he talked to the grownups at the school they all went too, the big kids got real mean and beat him up. They then tossed him in a dark alley far away from the orphanage he was stayin’ at.”
Sweetie Belle had tears stinging her eyes after hearing that. She excused herself from Apple Bloom and Babs and trotted over to Mike and Applejack. Spike had gone back over to helping Rarity.
“Mike?” she said getting his attention.
“What is it Sweetie Belle?” he asked. Sweetie Belle wrapped her forelegs warmly around Mike.
“Apple Bloom and Babs told me what happened to you,” she said, “I’m sorry to hear you got picked on.”
Mike smiled at Sweetie Belle and put his arms around her.
“There, I think that should do it,” Rarity said speaking up. She came up to her sister, Mike, and Applejack holding a plaid shirt that had red, yellow, and green colors, blue suspenders, white socks, and a pair of brown shoes in her magic.
“You can go and change in the bathroom just down the hall darling,” Rarity said lowering the clothes into Mike’s hands.
“Thank you Rarity,” he said taking the clothes in his hands. Applejack then guided him to the bathroom down the hall.
“Will you be okay by yerself sugarcube?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said looking back at Applejack, “I’ll be alright.” He then walked in and shut the door behind him. Applejack then trotted back to the room where Rarity and the others were. Rarity suddenly got up in Applejack’s face very quickly.
“Tell me it’s not true!” she said.
“What in tarnation?!” Applejack said suddenly.
“Apple Bloom and Babs told me about Mike,” Rarity replied, “Please tell me it’s not true!”
“As much as Ah hate to say it, it is true Rar,” Applejack said.
“Oh!” Rarity gasped placing a forehoof on her forehead in a dramatic pose, “What a travesty! The poor thing! No wonder his clothes were like that.”
“Well, at least nothin’ll harm him like that here,” Applejack said with a small smile.
“I suppose that’s true,” Rarity said getting back down on all fours, “So where are you all going to next?”
“Well,” Applejack said, “I’m gonna be takin’ him over to see Twilight. Maybe she can ask Princess Celestia what to do ‘bout him.”
“Who’s Twilight?” came a small voice. Everypony looked behind them and saw Mike. His old clothes were piled up in a ball in his hands, and his new ones were fitting him comfortably.
“Wow Rarity,” Applejack said, “That’s some mighty fine work you did there.”
“Thank you Applejack,” Rarity said, “Do those clothes suit you darling?”
“Yes Rarity,” Mike said. He came up to Rarity and hugged her foreleg again. Rarity returned the hug with a smile. After they finished, Mike went over to Applejack.
“Applejack, who is Twilight?”
“She’s one of our best friends, and a princess too,” Applejack explained, “In fact, she was in contact with humans not too long ago. We were thinkin’ about introducin’ ya to her.”
“Really?” Mike asked a little nervous.
“Don’t worry sugarcube,” Applejack said rubbing his shoulder, “We’ll be there beside ya.”
“Okay,” Mike said nodding. Applejack picked Mike back up and put him on her back. She then turned back to Rarity and Sweetie Belle.
“Y’all want to join us?” she asked the two sisters.
“No, but thank you for the offer,” Rarity said, “I have some important orders to fill out.”
“I’ll come along!” Sweetie Belle said bouncing over to Babs and Apple Bloom.
“Make sure you’re back before dinner Sweetie Belle,” Rarity said, “You’re my responsibility while our parents are out of town.”
“I will Rarity,” Sweetie Belle said.
“Need any more help Rarity?” Spike offered.
“I would most certainly appreciate it, Spikey-Wikey,” Rarity said. So the Apples, Sweetie Belle, and Mike exited the boutique, leaving Spike to help Rarity with her important order. But as the ponies and human trotted across Ponyville, they were unaware of a pair of eyes watching them, and the look they had was one of evil.
So, a human has come to Equestria, has it? the owner of the eyes thought to himself, Excellent. He’ll be the perfect tool for helping me get revenge on those two royal sisters.