//------------------------------// // Things that Matter // Story: Painted Mirror // by Lord of Turtles //------------------------------// Hours later Raj was inspecting the newly re-done marks on his back, knitted back together with red cord and ruddy staining. Granny Smith had been able to get his stitches fixed and cleaned with a minimal amount of geriatric crankiness, much to his muted surprise. He wrapped the scratchy bandages back around his torso, tying them with a loose knot centered in his chest. He pulled his shirt on and found the grating itch to be far too much. He yanked the article off and simply decided to dress like a caveman for a while. Going over to the vanity, he unwrapped the now-filthy patka tied around his head and shook it, freeing a wave of pine needles and other forest debris onto the floor. Frowning, he scooped the mess up with his hands and tossed it out the window. He undid his braid and started running a borrowed brush through his long hair, humming a familiar melody while he did so. After a few minutes of that he gave a similar treatment to his dog, much the creature's silent delight. In the process, he noticed a layer of dried mud caked on Banjo's paws, the accumulation of a day's worth of unsupervised canine adventures no doubt. Chuffing indignantly, he retrieved a cloth and a basin of water from the Apple's washroom and set to wiping down the worst of the dog's grime, much to his less-than-silent chagrin. Raj was about halfway through the dog's third paw when he realized that he was putting something unpleasant off. “Come see me in the kitchen after everypony else turns in for the night. We gotta talk.” The words she drawled at him as soon as they were back on the property still echoed in his head. She hadn't said one word to him after that the whole evening, nor anything on their long trek back. Actually, as far as he could recall the only time she'd spoken was to entreat Granny Smith to patch up his back. For someone as talkative as Applejack, that could only be a bad sign. He knew that there was going to be words between them, but Applejack's behavior gave it a sense of gravity. One does not call a clandestine meeting in the middle of the night to discuss frivolous things. At best, they'd both go to bed upset, at worst she might kick him out right then and there, promises be-damned. He desperately didn't want that happen, he had nowhere else to go, but also wasn't willing to swallow his pride and just agree with whatever she said. It was a ridiculous situation he did not feel like sorting out. It'd been at least an hour since he heard Big Mac clop his way to his room, and he'd been ignoring Granny Smith's whistling snores for twice that. Even Apple Bloom had gone to bed at her actual bedtime, something of a rarity in the Apple household. He didn't have to go downstairs, he reasoned. He could just lie down, go to sleep, and hopefully deal with the situation at a later time. Raj considered that for all of a second before he imagined Applejack slumped over the kitchen table having tried to stay awake all night waiting to holler at him. Then she would have another thing to be mad about. Banjo yipped and rolled up to his paws. He stepped over to the door and scratched at the frame a few times before looking up at him expectantly. Raj scowled and silently cursed. Once again the dog's bladder had gotten the better of him. He tiptoed out of his room, careful not to disturb the slumbering ponies nearby and lightly padded down the stairs, mindful of the creaking wood. The last thing he wanted was to talk to two Apples that night. Applejack was seated at the kitchen table, a wooden mug in her hooves and a large pitcher set next to her discarded hat. Even in the meager lantern-light, Raj could tell she was dead tired. She took a long sip and drawled “What took ya?” Raj went over to the door and hooked Banjo up to his lead, letting him take care of himself outside. “Waiting for everybody else to fall asleep.” “Yer lyin'.” He shrugged “Well that's the answer you're getting.” “Fine, sit.” She kicked a chair out for him and he squatted down into it. She held up her mug and gave it a shake “Cider?” “Hard cider?” “This'n is.” “No thanks then.” “Suit yerself.” She took a long draw from her mug and wiped a leg across her mouth. “Dang, that's a good batch we got this year.” Raj leaned forward, palms flat on the table “So what's this about?” “Smooth finish, great color. Real crisp, amber flavor. Pony folks're gonna line up for miles for this.” He tapped his fingers on his arm, “Applejack I had a long day and I would really like some sleep. Do you mind?” “Seriously, ah don't think we've had cider this fine since my Pa brewed it. Gonna have to set aside a few more barrels.” She grabbed the pitcher and poured another mug halfway. “Did you really call me down here to talk about beverages? Cause if so I'm gonna-” “Pretty dang annoying ain't it Rajrishi? When somepony ignores what ya have to say.” Raj leaned back, staring at her for a few silent seconds. When she didn't say anything else he spoke up “Seriously, is that all you called me down here for? Because you're ticked I acted less than gently. Great.” He stood up “Thanks for wasting my time.” “Sit yer keister back down if ya know what's good for ya.” She drained her mug again and set it on the table top down. Raj shot a look at the mostly empty pitcher and asked “How many of those have you had?” “A few.” “A few too many you mean?” “Ah drink when ah'm mad, 'n ah am pretty pissed.” She pointed a wobbly hoof at his chest. “Pissed at you, ya idgit, now siddown!” “Alright Applejack, calm down.” Raj put a hand on her outstretched hoof and lowered it to the table, slyly sliding the pitcher of cider out her reach as he did so. “What do you want to talk about?” “You! We're gonna talk about you Rajrishi.” She mulled over her words for a few seconds before blurting out “Did ya know Applebloom thinks ya hate her?” “What?” Raj asked, baffled “I don't hate Applebloom.” “Coulda fooled me, with how ya ignore her and just leave her alone all dang day. When ah told her that you were gonna be staying with us, why, she was so excited she was bouncing off the walls. She made all these plans to show you her clubhouse, tell you all about her crusadin' adventures. She worked herself up into a frenzy with everything she wanted to do with ya.” Applejack's eyes went downcast “Ya don't see how disappointed she is when ya walk out that door everyday.” Raj cocked an eyebrow, genuinely confused “Bloom's a strong kid. I'm sure she'll be fine.” “Not just her neither.” She slurred “Mac's been wanting to make proper amends with ya on account of what he did to yer arm. Been wracking his brain all week trying to think of a way to make it up to ya, but yer always gone before he gets a chance to ask. Both of 'em wanted to get in yer face about it, but I warned them off.” Raj looked about, not sure what to make of that, and hesitantly said “Thanks?” Applejack ignored him “The girls told me that you 'n yer pooch were livin' in them woods like a couple of vagrant ponies. Sleepin' in a burned out hole, cookin' over an open fire, always caked with dirt 'n other foulness, and half starved to boot.” Rajrishi looked away “It wasn't as bad as all that.” “When're you gonna learn ya can't lie to me Rajrishi?” She asked with an ill-natured look. “Fine. I'd hit a rough patch.” he admitted “What of it?” She clucked her tongue indignantly “Ah warned them two off cause ah figured you musta had a good reason for disappearing all the time, that you were doing some human thing. Imagine how sad they're gonna be when ah tell them the first thing you did was go back there, by yourself ah might add.” Raj crossed his arms “Are you seriously trying to guilt me here? To make me feel bad for doing something necessary.” “They, we, invited you into our home. We deserve some dang consideration!” she spat. Raj blinked “So what, you're ticked that I'm not being grateful enough? That I'm not showing proper reverence for being saved from the horrors of the Everfree forest?” He swept his black hands wide, his words dripping sarcasm “Maybe I should sing a song about it or go on a merry skip across the farm. Would that make things better?” Applejack sneered “There ya go again. The moment anypony starts to show any interest in ya, act like they give half a damn about yer sorry hide, ya get all sarcastic 'n standoffish. Like yesterday with yer bogus story. It's childish.” Raj leaned in, practically hissing “I don't feel like indulging the curiosity of a nosy little pony who can't mind her own business.” “Ah'm not doing it cause ah'm curious you miserable varmint, ah'm doin' it cause ah care about you!” The pair went silent, Applejack's shout echoing through the house. They both strained their ears and looked at the stairs, listening for the telltale stirring of awakened ponies. After close to a minute the house was still silent save Granny's distant snoring. “Hooee, that was close.” said Applejack as she let out a breath. “Yeah. Could've been awkward. Why did you decide to do this at night?” She shrugged “Figured it would keep me from yelling.” “Well that didn't work.” He turned back to her “So you wanted to make sure I didn't get hurt, is that it?” “Partly, yeah.” She replied, suddenly sheepish. “Well you don't have to worry about that. I lived in those woods for...” he paused for a moment, “a long time. I'm not afraid to be out there.” “That's only part of the reason. The rest is, well, every night when you come back you look so, so...” Her gaze softened “well, down.” “What do you mean?” “You know what ah mean. Every day when you trudge on through that door, yer as miserable as ah've ever seen somepony. Don't matter if it's early enough for you to have supper or late enough the moon's high in the sky, ya always look so dang defeated. Even today, when you were with me, it was like the moon was sittin' on yer shoulders.” Raj blinked, taken aback. “Well, I, uh-” Applejack cut him off “Ah'm not the only one who's noticed. Applebloom picked up on it real early, Granny too, even Big Mac eventually saw. We didn't ask 'bout it cause you weren't offerin', but we been worried somethin' fierce.” Rajrishi stared for a few seconds before blurting out “What?” “You heard me. All of us been real concerned.” she admitted, her hard gaze softening. Raj looked away, his face anxious. “But, why? I'm nobody to you people. I'm not a pony, not even close to one. Why give a crap about me?” “Cause yer an Apple, that's why.” She said it like it was most natural thing in the world. “Don't matter if yer not a pony. Yer family.” Raj stared at her, uncomprehending, for a full minute before speaking. “But I- you-, how does that even work? You didn't know me two weeks ago.” “That don't matter, specially after what you did for us.” “What, help some defenseless little girls?” He said with a layer of incredulity “Who wouldn't do something like that?” “It was more than that! So much more, you..." She trailed off, her eyes narrowing in appraisal, "ya don't realize, do ya?” Raj blinked “Realize what?” “What ya did for them girls, what ya did for all of us. Ya didn't just help 'em Rajrishi. Ya risked yer life to keep them fillies alive, 'gainst monsters and all the nastiness of the Everfree, and ya didn't quit until them girls were safe and sound.” She pointed a hoof at his chest “That's not the kind of thing anypony does, that's the kind of thing family does.” Rajrishi shifted in his seat, suddenly abashed. “I guess so, but-” She cut him off “And it wasn't just her ya rescued. Ya saved all of us Rajrishi.” That statement draped a patient silence over the kitchen for a good ten seconds before it was broken by him blurting “Come again?” “All of us. Me, Granny, Macintosh, Bloom and a few other Apples besides.” She explained “All of us. If something happened to Applebloom, we wouldn't make it.” “What do you mean?” Raj asked, steepling his fingers on the tabletop. Applejack opened her mouth to speak then bit back the words. She lowered her head, wondering and absently reached for the pitcher. She forcibly stopped herself, yanking her hoof back and folding them on the table in front of her, eyes closed with a thin glittering of tears along her lashes. Rajrishi leaned forward, suddenly concerned. “Applejack, are you okay? We don't have to keep talking, it's fine.” “No, ah'm okay” she answered, a slight hitch in her voice that might have been a sob. She took a deep breath before continuing. “Mah folks're dead Rajrishi.” She flatly said, a line of moisture running down her cheek. “Died when ah was just a little filly.” “Oh,” He said lamely, suddenly glad he went with the Count of Monte Cristo for his false cover story rather than Batman. “I'm sorry to hear that Applejack.” “Thank you, but...” she trailed off for a second, blinking away tears. “Granny was a wreck for months after, Mama was her only daughter y'see. Macintosh blamed himself, still does ah reckon. Bloom was real young, barely even weaned at the time. All she knew was that all the adults were mopin' around so she wailed her head off day and night. 'N as for me, well ah... ah” She sniffed “Ah ran from this muddy little apple farm as soon as ah got the chance.” “Well, you came back, right?” he asked lamely. “Ah wasn't gone long, but it took an act of friggin' destiny to bring me home.” Raj made a mental note to ask about that later. “Even after ah did come to mah senses, it was a while before ah got to what ah'd call 'fine'. Ah miss mah Mama n' Daddy everyday.” She wiped a foreleg across her eyes. Raj stared at her sadly, unsure of what to do. Applejack continued, her voice flickering “And if something happened to Applebloom?” She squeezed her eyes shut and shivered. “Ah mean, you've seen how ah handle being upset.” She tilted her head at the pitcher sitting just out of reach. “Granny 'n Mac wouldn't be no better. If something happened to that little filly, well, we'd just... stop.” They sat in silence in the dark kitchen, staring down at the table. It cost Applejack something to admit that, something important to her. Raj felt ashamed for forcing these things out of her, even unwittingly. Applejack let out a sigh and stretched her eyes, fatigue clearly catching up with her. She stood up and grabbed the Cider pitcher. “So yeah, the lot of us do care about ya, more'n you seemed to realize. 'N if ya didn't come back one day, if ya were just gone, well... our lives would be poorer for it.” She hoofed over to the sink and upended the pitcher into it, dumping the rest of the cider down the drain. She snorted “Stuff's never any good after it sits for a bit anyway.” She turned back and walked over to the steps. She went up a few, paused, and turned to him, still sitting at the kitchen table. “Rajrishi?” He twisted in his seat “Yeah, Applejack?” “Ah know ya don't care 'bout us as much as we do you, but, ain't we at least earned a chance yet?” She said, almost pleading. He wanted to lie, he really did. To make her feel better, to make this problem go away, for a multitude of reasons, but one thing he definitely owed Applejack was his honesty. He met her gaze and honestly said “I don't know.” Applejack wilted a bit, but smiled lightly nonetheless “Ah, ah suppose that's all I can ask.” She turned away “Don't forget to lock up after you let your pooch in. G'night Rajrishi.” “Goodnight Applejack.”