//------------------------------//
// Call of Duty: Ghosts 
// Story: Extremely Loud, Intensely Bright, Drastically Tense, Exceedingly Tight 
// by h4ns 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 20: Call of Duty: Ghosts

Searching around the barn, Bryce found the milk cans in an inconspicuous place. Kicking them once to ensure they were void of anything living or otherwise Bryce bent down to pick them up. 

From behind him a voice shouted, "Hey!"

Bryce threw the milk can he had in his grasp up into the air. It hit the ceiling and rebounded onto the top of his head making him fall back onto the ground.

As his vision began to clear a pair of large, green eyes looked down at him. "Are yuh okay?"

"Uh... yeah."

"Good. Then care ta explain what the hay is going on?!"

"Wha... what does it look like; I'm just trying to get the milk ca-"

Applejack stomped a hoof down close to his head. "That's not what Ah mean. Why is everypony cuddling up to yuh so much?"

Bryce broke is gaze with her. "I... I don't know. I'm as surprised as you are."

"Well you're doing something. You've been nothin but trouble since yuh got here, and Ah'm at my wits end in trying ta figure you out. So spill it!"

"I... I really don't know. I just have that effect on kids and, and old people."

Gritting her teeth Applejack said, "Well somehow yuh are, but you seem ta be telling me the truth. Now get up." Bryce slowly did so; his vision never out of sight of the apple mare. When he was back on his feet Applejack said, "Now Ah don't know if you can tell, but Ah don't like you."

"Really, from the way you were looking at me it looked like you were about to kiss-" Bryce stopped when Applejack furrowed her brow.

"Ah don't know what brought yuh here, but if you're gonna be staying here for a while you will listen ta me. If you do anything ta hurt anypony in my family Ah won't be responsible for what happens to yuh. Now Ah'm giving you one chance," she said as she lifted a hoof. "Just one chance ta tell me the truth. Have you ever done anything to hurt anypony, or even done anything that would get us all in a heap of trouble?"

"Well... I-" Both Bryce and the apple mare turned when they heard the barn door creak open.

"Hey, Bryce, are yuh in here?" Apple Bloom yelled as she stuck her head in through the barn door. When she saw Applejack standing in front of Bryce she asked, "Is everything all right sis?"

"Ah-"

Bryce interrupted. "She was just telling me the best way to grab onto the cow's utters because I haven't ever had the pleasure of doing so. Isn't that right, Capo?" Bryce smirked

"Uh... yeah, that's uh... exactly what Ah was saying. Yuh gotta grab'em firm but uh... not too hard or they'll get agitated. Then uh... pull down." Applejack forced a smile.

"Oh, okay. Ah just wanted ta tell yuh that Miss Derpy's here."

"Well tell her we'll be out in a second."

Apple Bloom nodded before she ran back outside. Alone once more, Applejack turned back to Bryce. "It's stuff like that. How come she listens to you?"

Bryce shrugged.

Applejack shook her head. "Why did yuh lie to her like that?"

"Because she doesn't need to know about this."

"Ah guess yuh have a point, but why'd yuh do that for me?"

"I didn't do it for you, I did it for her."

"What?"

"I may play the fool sometimes, but I'm no idiot. I know you don't like me. I've gotten enough people aggravated at me to know when I'm not welcome. I know you're jealous because she's getting so close to me, but I'm telling you the truth. I really don't know why she likes me so much, and I'm not trying to break you both apart."

"How did you...?" 

"I know only two things: I have less than a handful of friends, and I'm going to do almost whatever it takes to keep them."

Bryce stared down at Applejack. After a few seconds of silence, the apple mare said, "This doesn't change anything between us, just so yuh know."

"I know."

"And Ah still expect yuh ta do what Ah tell yuh ta do."

"I know."

"And... Ugh, just get your chores done."

Bryce collected a few milk cans and started out the barn door. "Hey, Capo."

Applejack was in the process of hooking herself into the wagon to go to town and sell apples. "What?"

"Two things. First, you're a terrible liar."

"Ah know Ah am, so what?"

"It's a compliment, I like that in a person. The second thing is could you check and see if my clothes are ready, if you have the time?"

"If Ah can find the time Ah'll run by Rarity's place."

Bryce turned back around. "Thanks for that. And thank you for telling me how to milk the cows; I really didn't how to do it." Bryce walked out the door and made his way towards the house.

As he rounded the corner, Apple Bloom was the first to take notice of his arrival. "There yuh are, we've been waiting 'forever'!"

Ditzy and her daughters tensed up at his approach. "Hey, Bryce. A... are you feeling better?" Ditzy asked.

This dowsed Bryce's mood a little. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"I brought you some... muffins." Ditzy grabbed a basket of muffins in her teeth and presented them to Bryce. He took notice that a few seemed to have already been picked at. With the basket still in her teeth, Ditzy explained, "Ve vere getting tired of vaiting and had a vittle snack."

Bryce dropped a few of the milk cans and took the basket out of her mouth, all the while doing his best to avoid looking at her walleyes. "Well... thanks, but y'all didn't have to do this." Bryce took a step forward forcing Dinky to hide behind her mother.

Ditzy bent down to reassure the greyish-purple filly. "It's alright, Muffin, Bryce is fine now. He wasn't mad at you."

Dinky was slow to give a reply. "He wasn't?"

Bryce answered, "It's alright, Dinky, you didn't do anything wrong."

"But why were you mad?"

"I wasn't mad; I just wasn't feeling well. It didn't have anything to do with you or anyone else." Dinky smiled up at Bryce. Bryce looked over at Amethyst. "Good to see you came back too."

"*Pfft* It's not like I had a choose." She began to give her little sister a noogie. "I had to make sure nothing happened to this twerp."

"Ahh, stop it, Amy. You know I hate that," Dinky playfully replied.

Bryce laughed at this. "Well you're much more of a Sparkler today now aren't you?" 

Amethyst shot a death glare at him. "Don't! Ever! Call me that!"

"Now, Amy, he-"

Amethyst snarled at Ditzy, "My name is Amethyst!" She walked away.

When she was out of earshot, Ditzy said, "Her father was the only pony she allowed to call her that. She doesn't like it when somepony else says that."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know. Is she going to be like this all day?"

"It really comes and goes. I'd tell you more, but I'm already late as it is." Ditzy bent down to kiss Dinky on the forehead. "Now be good for Bryce, your sister, and the Apples, alright?"

"Okay, mama. I love you."

"I love you too, Muffin." Feeling her daughters were in good hooves, Ditzy jumped into the air and flew off to do her mail route.

When the grey pegasus was out of sight of the farm, Bryce said, "Okay, Dinky, here's what's going to happen: I have chores I need to get done. Now first I need to milk all the cows, so in the mean time you can both play something together. After that I'm supposed to clean out the chicken coops. Now if you want, you can help me with that. Apple Bloom here as already volunteered to help. You can too, but I must warn you; it's going to be dirty, filthy, and smelly all wrapped into one heaping pile of chicken... manure." Dinky slowly nodded. "Now I'm going to give you the time it takes for me to milk the cows to think about it, but the sooner it gets done the sooner we can all do stuff together. Okay?"

"Okay. Hey, Apple Bloom, do you think we could play hopscotch first?" Apple Bloom nodded in agreement. 

Both of the fillies ran off to set up the course, leaving Bryce to set off to his first task. Along the way he found Amethyst lying against the side of the house. "Hey, Amethyst." The magenta unicorn took one look at the tall human, giving him a look of disgust. "I just wanted to apologize for-" Amethyst rolled her eyes, not caring how it made the human feel. Bryce dropped the basket of muffins beside her. "Well you can have any of these you want." As he walked away, he uttered under his breath, "Fucking teenage bitch!"

Approaching the cows he dropped the milk cans onto the ground rightside-up. Placing one under the nearest cow he took a knee and firmly grasped her utters, like Applejack had told him to. As he started pulling on her utters, he heard the cow say, "Whoa there son. That's a little too rough."

"Oh, sorry. It's my first time."

"You're pulling down too hard. It feels like you're trying to rip it off."

"Again first..." Wait... that wasn't in my head! Looking to his left, Bryce found the cow he was milking staring back. "Did you just...?"

"Afriad so, you better get your chores done if you want to get back to those fillies."

Bryce continued milking the cow. He kept dead silent. His only response was to alter the way he milked when the cows told him how he was doing it wrong. I really wanted that steak, damn it all!!!

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Rarity was busy at work, her tape measure zipping through the air. The fashionista was trying to take the measurements of a client, and her client was getting antsy. "It's been way more than half an hour, I need to get home and pratice for my recital."

"Now, Lyra, I know it has been. I assure we're nearly done. Just a few more measurements." A few seconds later the door to Carousel Boutique opened; it's usual resonance of bells coming with it. "If you would be so kind to have a seat, I'll be with you in a-"

"Uh, I really don't the time Rarity."

"Hmm... Oh, it's you Applejack. What brings you around these parts? Finally decided to give good manners and fine taste a try?"

Just keep calm now sugarcube, just ask if that varmint's clothes are ready and you can leave. "Actually Ah came to check and see if... you know who's clothes are ready."

"I know who?"

"You know... that thing." 

"Oh... OH! Lyra I hate to ask, but could you step down for a few minutes while I-" 

Lyra let out a loud groan. "Fine!" Lyra stepped down from the pedestal and decided to pass the time by browsing the outfits on Rarity's ponniquins.

Rarity waved a hoof towards the kitchen. When she and Applejack had entered she said, "Unfortunately I had a big order come out of the blue last week, so I really haven't had the time. On the other hoof I was able to repair his shoes... I think that's what he called them."

"What, those things that smell like something crawled in'em and died?"

"Well I can't deny they did have an off-putting odor; and being of such an odd shape and material they weren't easy to manage. But by Celestia I did it." Using her magic, Rarity opened up a cupboard and brought out Bryce's formerly worn out tennis shoes. They looked as though they had been just taken out of the box; soles, laces, and all. "There you are, Applejack. Tell Bryce his clothes should be ready by the end of the week, and do tell him I send the biggest apology I can for taking so long."

"Uh... sure." Grabbing them out of the air Applejack placed them into her saddlebags. Before leaving she asked, "So what'd that fella do ta make yuh do this for him?"

"Whatever could you possibly mean?"

"How come yuh agreed ta make all these clothes for him? And Ah bet you're gonna charge it all ta me, aren't yuh?"

"Why wouldn't I make that poor boy clothes? He asked for clothes and I'm making them for him. According to him it's very uncivilized for his kind to prance around in such a manner, but I guess to a country bumpkin, like yourself, it's all second nature."

Applejack furrowed her brow. "What was that?"

"And if you must know I was going to do it all for free, but he wouldn't allow me to. He promised that he would pay me back when he was able. Now if you don't mind, I'm with a client." Rarity walked past Applejack and back into her boutique. As she entered she said, "Okay, Lyra, if you could... What on Equus are you doing?"

Lyra quickly closed the drawer she'd been peeping in. "What, me? Oh I was..." Lyra pointed behind Rarity. "Is that Photo Finish?"

Rarity took the bait and turned around. "Really!? Where!?!?!?" She was met with one of her many ponniquins. "Lyra, you seem to be confused, that's-"

"Oh, really. I could have sworn... Oh is it that late already? Well gotta get home, you know; have to practice for my recital, get home before Bon Bon gets worried, ha ha."

"But we haven't finished with your-"

"Oh I can always come by and do that tomorrow. Gottarunseeyoubye!" Lyra quickly ran out the door, almost colliding with Applejack. 

Applejack responded with, "Okay... that was weird."

"I know. She usually isn't... That drawer."

"What about it?"

"She couldn't have!"

Rarity opened the drawer, hoping against hope she was wrong. When she opened it, however, her pupils shrank to pinpricks. Inside were the patterns for Bryce's clothes. And they looked like they had been stuffed back in at random. "Applejack, we need to get to your farm. NOW!"

"Why, what's the problem?"

"Lyra knows about Bryce."

"Lyra knows about Bryce?"

"Yes, Bryce the HUMAN!"

"Bryce the hu... Oh no."

"Good, we're on the same pages now. We have to get to her before she gets to him."