//------------------------------// // Not Just a Little Pony // Story: The Clydesdale // by Ocean Heart //------------------------------// Please...I know I already have everything I could ever want...but I just want to be normal! The humans weren't happy that I bucked that weird cart off its wheels, but they still keep me here like a caged rat...Please just take me away from this place so I can understand this feeling deep in my soul! Jake stepped over to the small pile of hay in the corner of his stall and dropped down, letting the soft cushion of hay take his weight rather than the cold stone. Time started drifting slowly...feeling foolish that he even pulled a Disney and wished upon a star.. Though he did feel worse that he had become that desperate for change. All of the other stallions thought he was strange for wanting to change, and the mares...well to be frank he never got to actually speak with a mare.... It was mundane! It was boring! Every day he would wake up, eat an apple or two, go for a run and then sit by the road and pray something would come along to take him away from this pit. Food was even losing its luster...and that fence seemed just that bit more jumpable...yet he was too afraid of the real world to go off on his own. The clydesdale put his head on the hay and sighed heavily...staring back up at the stars outside his small window and somehow finding that same star he prayed to in seconds. The soft glow of the moon became blocked by a growing amount of storm clouds, Jake huffed and got up slowly, nudging over the post that kept his window open so he would be spared the coming downpour. It was nice though, that the soft sound of rain could lul the stallion to sleep so quickly... "You have been heard..." The morning rooster crowed proudly over the barn just like every other day, animals stirring awake and the sound of farmers outside starting their morning chores. Jake woke up slowly, no hunger for breakfast this morning..the same soft summer air filling his lungs and same pit in his heart. With his last prayer unanswered, he sighed out when the same hay and wooden stall he feel asleep in, still surrounded his vision. The humans had taken the rope off his neck, a good sign. Perhaps they still wanted him to at least help fix the cart or something...it would only make sense to make him pay for his crime. Jake looked up but closed his eyes to the blinding sunlight beaming though the other windows, huffing angrily at the rooster before plopping his head back down on the hay pile. The sound of a farmer faceplanting into the bar door made him let out a surprised nicker of laughter, seems they forgot that rain messes with wood again. Jake slowly got to his feet for the coming breakfast, maybe the farmers would just scold him because of how depressed he's been...frankly it would be nice to hear if his owner cared for his well being. Jake sighed heavily and just as he got to his hooves... he knocked his head into the ceiling. "Ow! What the-" Jake's eyes widened... "Applebloom! Get your gosh darn flank over here and help me get the doors open, the rain swelled the boards again..." Jake stood up slowly again and peaked over the stall...knowing full well that the female voice was not his usual caretaker. The fact that he, a horse, just speaking english was now the least of his worries... "Ahm commin'! Keep your hat on, sis." Kids weren't even ALLOWED on the farm! None of this made sense!! Jake crouched down again and started hyper-ventilating. Scenarios rushing in his head until he came to the true realization...Suddenly his cushy life didn't seem so bad now that he was the victim of....horsenapping! Jake totally forgot that he even spoke, he was horsenapped and his owners probably didn't even care after the stunt he pulled! The barn doors opened slowly and soon he heard the voices even clearer, forcing him to duck as low as he could inside the stall and hope they forgot he was there... "Alright, youngn, today you and I are gonna hit the west field; before that though, you best not keep those hungry ones waitn'." Did they mean me?! Was this some sick cult of horse eating freaks!? The sound of a bucket made his ear twitch, it was where they kept all the knives, the saws for bones and meat grinders, he was as good as- "Come an get it..dumb pigs..." The child voice said with a whispering grimace.. Soon the sound of trough getting filled and a horde of hungry farm animals rushing it filled the barn. It wasn't the end...there were no meat grinders, no satan worshiping horse eaters. Still, he was stuck in a tiny stall with no hope of getting out without being noticed. Maybe he could wait...? It seemed that his stall was unlocked, at best he could try and get over the low door and work out a plan once the two captors were gone. Jake nodded to himself and grinned, now that he had a plan, he was put at ease...the horsenappers forgot he was even there! He let out a long sigh in relief... "Hey! Who was that just now freeloading in my barn?!" The older voice shouted. Jake felt his ears flatten and heart start beating rapidly again. No one! No helpless horse thats possibly been drugged by monstrous horsenappers! The stall door flew open with a thunderous slam, Jake closed his eyes and jumped up; pressing his flank against the opposite wall in that small hope he could find a way to run. It felt strange to be so afraid of a human...and a woman no less, yet so much happened so quickly that he felt nothing but fear, for whatever stood before him now, human or dirty horsenapper... Oddly the woman was silent for a few moments..Jake was even about to open his eyes when she bolted off. "B-Big Macintosh!" The women yelled, suddenly he head her run and the child with her... _ _ "Big Maaaaac! Where the hay are ya?!" Applejack shouted, voice reaching clear across the farm. Applejack was just plain dumbfounded, shocked and even a little scared. A pony could never scare the thick skinned farm pony...but this?!The stallion was huge compared to her, she even thought he would have a foot or two over her brother! Applejack looked back to check if Applebloom was behind her, thankful that the filly was sprinting to keep up. Big Mac was rearing up to buck a tree when Applejack dashed into view. "There ya are!" She shouted. Big Mac found himself being dragged along by the harness around his neck, running to keep up with his sister and not end up face first into the ground. "I got no clue how or why but I need you to help me give this guy the boot!" It was rare to see Applejack so deeply disturbed, Applebloom was panting behind the two, just interested in the sudden craziness. Soon the three tore back into the barn just to find Granny Smith laughing her head off while the massive guest was hunched in his stall laughing quietly...Now it started making a little sense...Granny Smith was known for her unusual friends, perhaps this was an old and very distant family friend... "Now I still can't believe my eyes..." The old pony said once the laughing fit was quelled. Big Mac actually felt his jaw drop...this..pony? Was nearly six feet tall compared to his five and a half...and he was normally the big one... Not only was he tall, it was obvious that his thick legs and built chest had strength meant for something way tougher than apple bucking. A dark and shimmering coat seemed more fitting on Canterlot folks rather than the stallion, what was just another oddity...was his legs...draped in white fur that flowed with the wind rather than hug against his body. Jake lowered his head brushed a little of the white mane out of his face while turning his attention to the tan mare. All the signs of fear plastering back on his face, keeping his eyes low and on the ground to avoid the stare of the terrifying mare... "Granny..please tell me this is one of your friends..." Applejack said, locked on the stallion and looking for any signs of danger. Granny Smith smiled softly. Jake was a little upset though that the one who was able to talk him back down was leaving so soon...she started slowly for the barn exit, explaining as she walked. "Now, hun, you be kind to our guest. He's just a fella who got himself a little lost. I want you and Big Mac to add setting up a cot for him in the barn to your chores. He'll be staying until he can afford a place of his own." The old pony left without another word, leaving Applejack floored. Granny Smith even managed to ignore the rapid fire questions of Applebloom. Big Mac shook his head and turned for the exit, wanting nothing but to clear his head with more bucking. Hopefully this...situation..would sort itself out, his sister was an element of harmony after all, and he noticed that most things tended to work out well for her; even if they do start out on the wrong hoof. Plus, his sister wasn't easily tricked; not even he could get a lie across that mare without getting an ear full. So he was sure in Applejack's capability in handling this on her own. "Eeeyup..." Applejack snapped out of her confused stupor and realized she was left to fix this mess...The farm pony sighed heavily and glared back at her brother. "I'll remember that one you lazy block head!" Big Mac trotted faster suddenly to get away before Applejack guilt trips him into helping. While on any normal day he would be ready to help his sis at the drop of a hat...this kind of weird was her department, not his. Applejack looked back up at the giant guest and wondered what was keeping him so quiet. "I don't know what your deal is, but whatever it is you're thinkin'..forget it." Jake reeled back when she suddenly got in his face, standing on the tips of her hooves and only managing to reach halfway up his chest. Applejack huffed and suddenly trotted straight past Jake, wanting to get this job done as quickly as possible so she could find Twilight... _ _ Applejack hammered in the last nail with a swift buck, barn wall shuddering from the force but holding fast to her makeshift design. A vaulted ceiling that, while unsightly, would provide the stallion with enough room to stand in the stall she found him in. Applejack took a step back and felt a little pride gave her that confidant smile she lost earlier that morning, the light sweat and sore legs took all her cares away and put her mind back on track...until she felt a big hoof nudge her shoulder. "What is it big fella..?" She asked, turning around to face him. Jake was holding a bucket of apples in his jaw with a slight smile on his face, setting them down and looking up at Applejack as if offering them. While the gesture was a bit odd, she was indeed a bit hungry after all the work; Applejack picked up an apple and bit into it eagerly, Jake's smile brightening and digging headfirst into the bucket to get his own. "Woah nelly...how hungry were you, sugercube?" Applejack said with concern edging into her tone. Jake nearly took half the buckets worth before he looked back up, face covered in applejuice and seeds, cheeks bulging with apples before he gulped them down with that same confused stare on his face. Well...guess I didn't realize how hungry I was... Applejack couldn't help but laugh now, the edge of timid fear in his eyes but brash and bulky look was so unexpected that she dropped the rest of her apple and feel on her flank laughing. All this time she was worried about the giant being some insane villain, when he was just what granny said he was...a lost pony. Lost,confused and just as scared as she was. Worse for him though, it seemed he was even less eager to talk than Big Mac was... When Applejack regained her composure, she wiped the tear from her face and looked back up at the still confused stallion. "You don't talk much, do you?" Uhm...last time I checked,horses can't talk...even if you go by different rules. "Are you mute then...?" She asked...hoping not to offend. Jake looked up as if thinking on it,shrugging in his mind and nodding to the tan mare. It would at least explain his situation a little, Applejack nodded in understanding and looked down at the apples again. "You get these from my brother?" She asked. Jake shook his head and quickly got up to trot to a tree just outside the barn. Applejack followed to watch him make a bucking motion, hooves landing in a freshly formed indent in the tree... "Guess you got an eye for bucking, I was gonna hit this side of the field tomorrow...but I guess some of them were ripe and ready." Jake smiled even brighter.. Was I just...did I just do something good?! Even though he wouldn't admit it, he didn't even think about the apples. Jake only followed the little fillies instructions and kicked the tree so he could get something to say thanks for building him a new home for the time being. Applejack looked up at the tree, not a single apple hung on after the good bucking; perhaps the stallion might be a bit of use around the farm...Applejack found herself staring at Jake while she was in thought, shaking herself out and back to the real world. No matter what, this was a problem, after she helped Big Mac clear the rest of the field, she would race over to Twilight's and start explaining the situation... Or.. Applejack let out another laugh and tipped her hat up a little, making Jake a bit confused again. If that lazy block head saw fit to leave his sister to do all that work, its only fair to make him take care of the field on his own. The farm pony began a victorious stride, revenge already paid back in full. Jake followed quickly and leaned down to try and get the pony to explain what was going on. "Come on, sugercube, Big Macintosh can handle himself. I need you to meet one of my friends...she might be able to help you out." _ _ "But Granny! What is he?!" Applebloom whined next to Granny Smith,who rocked in her chair peacefully. In all her years, she never thought it would happen a second time...was Celestia really that caring? Of course everypony knew she had a pure heart, but even Granny Smith thought the alicorn would be far too busy to see the problems of more than just Equestria... Perhaps she had a deeper plan for this lost pony...after all, Celestia was known for having an inexhaustible supply of convoluted and just plain crazy plans. Yet they always showed even this old pony that you can never stop being surprised, and that you can never stop learning. The real question though...was this a test for Twilight? or was it a test for the giant pony..? Celestia never used that kind of power just on a hope that maybe somepony learns a lesson about friendship. Whatever it was, this pony was here to stay...and it seems that he has big things ahead of him... "Heck if I know! Now go help your brother ya lazy filly!"