The Last Man

by YoloSwagginz

Chapter 6: An Important Cargo

I awoke suddenly and opened my eyes. As I lay there I can feel the floor beneath me moving and I can even smell my own vomit... I turned my gaze away from the ceiling and immediately noticed my splitting head ache. I brought a hand up to my fore head and I began to breath slowly. When I sat up, I was again reminded of my inglorious hang over. I looked around and felt quite dazed, especially when I noticed my boot was gone... I stood up and stretched, beginning the search for my gear. For I believe I over stayed my welcome. I looked down at my toes and gave them a wiggle. "Hmm" I thought, "Where did my strange lizard friend go?" I slowly walked over to a window at the front of the cabin and looked yonder. There was Yulis, sitting on the bow and smoking some strange object, looking quite pleased with himself I might add. I simply laughed at the lizard and walked towards where my sword lay. It was sitting at and angle underneath a barrel, and on the side of the barrel was my dagger. Stabbed into the wood along with some bolts. My helmet was on a broom stick and my boot was... Covered in old wine...

"I should watch my drinks more often heh..."

I grabbed my stuff and started to put it together on the table, I then took my wine covered boot with me outside for a washing. I opened the cabin door and walked towards Yulis, the air was pretty fresh and the amount of forest along the river was quite nice. He turned to me and blew a puff of smoke out over the slowly moving water. He then caught sight of my boot and smirked.

"Hah, that didn't work as well as I had hoped."

All I did was smile and show him the boot, "Yeah, bloody brilliant!"

Yulis still looked at the boot and smiled. He inhaled another bought of smoke and this time blew it out of his nostrils. His claw came up and stroked his whisker and he said,

"Well, we're about 3 hours from Ponyville, maybe we'll meet your friend?" This comment was followed by Yulis making some strange clicking noise, a clicking of excitement it seemed.

"That sounds great, thank you again Yulis, you have significantly shortened my travels!"

"Ah, no troubles friend, It was nice meeting someone who could handle so much wine!"

To this I smirked, and began washing my boot out with river water. I started getting the red colour out of the cloth and was thinking about the Pegasus. "What would I say to this creature? I had no idea she was a hero... I was kind of embarrassed to think I didn't know of her status..."

Yulis walked over to a large handle near the front of the cabin and began steering the small ship onto the left side of the river. He took another puff of his wooden pipe and smiled.

"I'm just glad I got a free crossbow." he rasped almost to himself

I turned and looked at him giving a short laugh,

"I don't even know why I would gamble, I'm utterly useless with cards"

"That's for certain!" Yulis retorted quickly.

"Aye, you wingless dragon!"

Yulis couldn't have grinned more, "Soar loser eh? We could play again if you want?"

"Well, It's that time of year, time to give that weird feller the cider he liked so much" thought Applejack

Applejack was fresh from working the fields and was now looking around the barn for the reserve barrels of Apple Cider, and just to her luck they were sitting not too far from the entrance. She stretched her slightly soar legs and gave them a look. "yeup, gotta find the cart now.." She went around a wooden pillar and found the old cart sitting fallow next to some hay. She gave the thing a couple tugs and put it next to the three barrels. She started to push the first barrel onto the cart until Applebloom walked in.

Giving a long yawn Applebloom looked around the barn and landed her eyes on Applejack, she started strolling towards Applejack and said

"There you are sis, what's for breakfast?"

"Apples, oh and would you help me with the barrels here pumpkin?" Replied Applajack

"Sure sis"

The two worked and eventually pushed the barrels into the cart. Applebloom was puffing after putting one barrel in and looked at Applejack,

"Gee Applejack, why do yah got all these barrels of cider still? I thought cider season was over?"

Applejack started to strap the cart to herself and said,

"Well Applebloom, I got this strange dragon feller, who comes down from the eastern ocean every year and buys three barrels of cider for about 300 bits. So he is a mighty fine customer to keep. You can come with me if Y'all want.

"Ah no that's ok Applejack, I was going to hang out with the crusaders. But Thanks fer the offer."

"Alright have fun Applebloom, but you be careful now, I don't want what happened at Sugercube corner again!"

Applebloom laughed nervously and scampered off with a "Ok wont happen again!"

Applejack rolled her eyes and started for the path leading to the river. Big Mac was walking back from the apple trees and nodded as he passed.

"Workin Big Mac?"

"Yeup."

The hour long walk was pretty uneventful, and Applejack thought she was going to have to start singing to pass time until she looked up and saw Rainbow Dash kicking some stray rain clouds.

"Rainbow Dash!...Hey Rainbow!"

The busy mare looked away from her cloud and saw her orange friend pulling a cart along the road, she quickly stopped her monotonous work and glided down to Applejack.

"Hey there AJ, what you up to?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed half bored and now floating about a foot off the ground.

"Well, I'm just pulling some reserve cider to a buyer of mine. How's you work? That storm was crazy last night!"

Rainbow Dash looked a little stunned "Reserve cider? What the hay AJ? Why are you holding out on me? You know I love that stuff!"

Suddenly Applejack regretted bringing up the cider...

"Uh well, you see Rainbow, I got a buyer who pays big for this stuff, and we really need the money on the farm, so I save some for this fella who sails a couple hundred miles to buy."

"Lame! I would fly 6000 miles for three barrels! What makes him so special?" Rainbow was visibly shocked now...

"Well Rainbow, he pays 300 bits..."

Rainbow Dash's face changed from disbelief to disappointment.

"Oh, what the hay I couldn't pay that."

Applejack felt kind of bad and looked sympathetically at her low flying friend.

"Well, this guy has always been pretty nice, I'm sure you could ask him to trade you for something. He is a trader after all."

Rainbow Dash brightened, "Really? You think he would trade me? What would he want of me you think?"

Applejack shrugged and just said, "Anything interesting I guess"

Rainbow Dash started to contemplate aloud, "What about a Daring Do book? Or maybe another one of my lucky horse shoes? I have like 90 bits at home I'll be right back, don't go anywhere!"

Applejack just kept plodding along as Dash sped off.

The boat was coming around a corner and It struck me that houses were becoming visible. I took the wet stone off my blade and stood up off the box. Yulis pulled the pipe from his mouth and said, "about a moment here" I stretched and felt my head ache again. The sight of the sun was quite brilliant actually, the way it gleamed on the water towards the boat. It almost made my head hurt. I put the longsword back into it's leather hilt and slowly walked towards Yulis. The dragon held the pipe out to me and said

"Hold this friend, the dock is just up ahead."

I grabbed the pipe from his clawed hand and inspected it. It looked pretty neat actually, it was a dark wood of sorts and had gold engravings on it. It was most likely hand crafted, or perhaps "claw crafted". Yulis walked over to the bow and threw a rope onto the dock we we're next to. Yulis was pretty busy wrapping up the boat and was looking to the shore every couple of seconds. I took the pipe and puffed on it. It was a little strange to be honest but what do you expect? This was a dragons pipe. I walked over and stepped onto the dock handing the pipe back to Yulis.

Yulis began sniffing the air, and looked around with his strange golden eyes.

"She's not here yet." He exclaimed, "But I think she will be soon"

I looked over at him and started to stroke my beard.

"Should I wait here with you or head off to Ponyville?"

Yulis shrugged and said "It is your decision Jan, you are old enough I think"

I looked around and thought about Rainbow Dash,

"Well I don't exactly know my way around these lands, I will wait for you."

I hadn't really decided what I was to do when I got here. I was kind of just following my new friend around. The thought of the minotaur gave me reason to visit. Perhaps to warn the people or uh, ponies here that there was a slaver out in the Everfree still. I was starting to ponder the minotaur and other things until Yulis tapped my plated shoulder with a claw.

"There she is, my seller, after this we can probably find that Pegasus of yours."

There, walking down a dirt path was an orange pony. I felt a little uneasy, thinking about the stone imprisonment, but as it got closer I noticed it had no horn. I put my helmet on for I was pretty nervous. I crossed my arms and waited for the pony with a hat to approach Yulis. Yulis on the other hand was quite the opposite, he walked up to the pony and gave a loud greeting and a shake of limb to the pony. I slowly walked up and looked at this thing. It had blonde hair and a hat. It had apples on it's flank much like Rainbow Dash had had a stormcloud. Yulis was talking to the pony and I was surprised at how much of an accent this creature owned. These ponies talked funny for sure.

Yulis returned from the boat with a large coin purse, holding it up high and bowing in front of the pony. Handing it to her mouth and then grabbing the barrels with his claws, I stood up to help Yulis with the barrels and walked off the dock and onto the grass. I started for the cart until something took me by surprise. I was instantly grabbed from behind and held tight. My initial reaction was one of combat so I started trying to wriggle free, only to be lifted off the ground. The grip was a good one and I was starting to lose my bearings. I was then put on the ground and I whirled to face my attacker. My hand was drawing the sword but when I saw that it was the creature which I somewhat adored I immediately put the thing back. There she was and my heart was jumping, from adrenaline and something else. I was stirred and I pulled my helmet off with a smile I could not put away. I gave her a bow and went down to a knee. I started to quickly think of something to say but my tongue was laughing at me. I heard her and her friend laugh and I looked up. She flew in for another hug and this one I meekly tried to avoid but was foiled. She grabbed me tight saying words of excitement and I noticed that she was really, REALLY close to me. I could no longer handle consciousness and decided that blacking out was the most considerable choice. I am pretty foolish. I slowly started to fall down and heard the laughter of all around... What is my problem? My heart has perhaps been taken...

-*-*-

Yulis looked down at the fainted knight and laughed aloud with the ponies, he turned and looked at Applejack,

"He is a strange one is he not?"

Rainbow Dash stood over him poking with a hoof, "What a light weight! Couldn't even stand my awesomeness!"

The orange pony looked a little worried, "I reckon that is the weirdest thing I've ever seen, and I've seen Rainbow Dash!"

"Hey!"