//------------------------------//
// 20. Bitterness 
// Story: The Rock Farmer's Daughters 
// by Sketcha-Holic 
//------------------------------//

After Igneous' visit, Haralson went upstairs to talk to his son, only to find that he had slipped out through the window and to the back of the house. From there, Cortland had run off to somewhere. There was no doubt in Haralson's mind that he had galloped to that old treehouse at the edge of the orchard, where he and his friends had used when they were small colts. Haralson broke into a trot and headed that direction.

Along the way, he thought about what Igneous had said. His son, a liar? What kind of fool idea was that? After all, Apples were raised to be honest, and though they did make mistakes here or there, they upheld that value. To think of one as a dishonest gossiper was mind-boggling!

Still, Igneous was no liar either, often to the point of being blunt and a bit harsh. Not that Haralson could blame him; it was the rock farmer's daughter being the unfortunate object of Cortland's affections. He was sure that when Idared got to that age and started attracting stallions, he'd be protective of her as well.

Haralson was astounded at how things could change over the years. As a colt, Cortland had found Pinkamena—who had been a cheerful and talkative little filly until her grandmothers' deaths—annoying. And then, one day, when manning the apple stand in town, he was suddenly infatuated with her.

Haralson didn't know if it was because Pinkamena grew into a lovely mare, or if it was just the challenge of wooing a rock farmer mare that enticed Cortland. Maybe it was both. Either way, his persistence had gone too far. Igneous was about ready to kill him if he went even further with this insanity, if Pinkamena didn't do it first.

He found himself at the tree which was very thick at the base, and cradled a well-built treehouse—which was big and strong enough to hold five large adult stallions—in its branches. He smiled fondly at the memory of building the treehouse for his son, and the squeals of glee from a seven-year-old Cortland having been presented with it. He circled the tree until he reached a ramp, and then proceeded to climb it.

Just as he thought, Cortland was there, staring out the window at the river in the distance.

"Son?"

He was met with silence.

"Cortland."

The younger stallion responded with a grumble.

Haralson walked to the window and sat down beside him. "Son, it wasn't polite to slam the door in Igneous' face."

Cortland snorted and replied, "Jus' scared me, is all."

"Oh? And why did he scare ya?"

"Didya see him glare, Pa?"

"Ah did. But do ya know why he was glaring?"

Cortland was silent, and he refused to meet his father in the eyes. That told the older pony that he knew, but he didn't want to admit it.

Haralson stomped a couple of times. "Well?"

Still silent.

"Cortland, answer me."

"Or what? Ah get shipped off to Sweet Apple Acres in Ponyville? Or to Appleloosa? Or the Salt Lick Valley? Or do Ah have a choice of where Ah get to go?"

"Just answer! It ain't that hard!"

Cortland brought his hoof down on the floor with a loud BANG. "Ah don't get it! Why don't she like me? Ah'm the most eligible bachelor in town! Ah'm a strong, hard-working pony, born into one of the most widespread and well-loved families in Equestria! And yet, Ah've now got a bruise on mah face with her name on it! What is wrong with that mare?!"

Haralson sighed and shook his head. "Cortland, she's not the problem."

"Oh, she isn't? Well, then, Ah suppose her father's the problem! Yeah, after all, he keeps those poor gals under his hoof and makes them work under the sun nonstop and with no breaks!"

"Cortland… quit making stuff up. Ah've been to the rock farm, they do take breaks. They even have a watering trough for a quick drink. Also, it's mostly cloudy over there."

"Well, he comes off as the type who gives his daughters a lickin' for the smallest muck-up."

"Igneous is not the problem. He's just tryin' to protect his daughter."

"Seems awful overprotective ta me."

"Cortland, haven't ya figured out that yer comin' on too strong?"

Cortland looked at him incredulously. "Too strong? Pardon, but Ah thought a strong approach was how ya won Ma."

"Well, she liked that, yes, but not all mares are the same. Fer example, while yer Ma liked how I flirted with her openly, Cloudy Quartz preferred Igneous' more subtle approach. Love just hit 'em before they knew it. And well… ya can't exactly force it, yanno?"

"Pinkamena didn't have ta hit me."

"Ya kissed her when she didn't want it. Cortland… ya told me that you'd leave her alone, but ya didn't, and now the town's gone crazy over thinkin' you two are destined when yer not!"

"Yeah, Ah know. But, c'mon, you know Ah can't back down from a challenge."

"This is one challenge yer just going to hafta give up. That bruise on yer cheek tells me she hates ya somethin' awful, so it's best that you just let it go, leave her alone, and help me kill off those rumors in town."

Cortland nearly jumped out of his skin at his father's suggestion. "But… but… what will they think of me?!"

"Ah dunno, and frankly, you shouldn't care. Yer not defined by your reputation in town; yer defined by yer character. Now, why don't you just focus on the work you have ta do and the family you love, instead of a mare that doesn't return yer affections? Ah'm certain you'd be much happier, son."

Cortland turned away and looked at the river in the distance once again. Haralson patted him on the back and said, "You can do it, son. Remember that yer an Apple, and we Apples are an honest bunch."

With that, the older stallion left his son to his thoughts.





Cortland still stared at the river, thinking about what his father just said. The thought of him risking his reputation in Nickerlite was frightening, and he wasn't sure he'd handle being the outcast of the town. After all, he was an Apple, reputed to be honest, and no lies could ever come from one of their mouths!

Not to mention that the townsponies were eagerly awaiting his conquest of the young Pinkamena's heart, which was frankly now impossible. How was he supposed to explain that to them, that he can see that she had truly been uninterested? It didn't help that he felt such a wild thrill in so much of his body around her unlike any other, which he was sure was love. After all, she was a beautiful mare, with her color contrasting the rest of her family, her perfectly sculpted body from hard work, and the sweet taste of her lips when he had kissed her. If only those lips smiled, which would make her perfection complete.

He was the perfect complement to her; why was she unable to see that? Had she been brainwashed by that father of hers? Had she been hit in the head with one of those rocks? Was that hired hoof distracting her?

The hired hoof. Cortland wrinkled his muzzle in disgust. Why would Pinkamena be interested in that scrawny, wild-haired, homeless colt? His name was Cheese, for crying out loud! What luck would he have in seducing a mare?

Then again, Cheese could pull off a strange charm that somehow made the Pies hire him and Cortland's family interested in him. That was a cause for concern.

Those fools; it was difficult to trust a drifter. If Pinkamena was attracted to him, it was a lost cause, for once he'd earn the bits he came for, he was out of town. Cheese would inevitably break her heart once that day came.

But how far away was that day? The thought of Cheese staying for months, working alongside the Pies, was an alarming one, especially if that charm was working its magic on those rock farmers. Especially Pinkamena.

"Now we can't have that darn colt stealing mah mare!" he hissed. "Ah've got ta drive him outta town somehow…" He tapped his chin in thought, humming a little tune.

"Ah need a plan to get Igneous to fire him…"





Bluejinx sat on the couch, looking over the notes that he took during that long day. Currently, dinner was being made, and the Pies were okay with him staying long enough to eat, but told him that he'd have to leave before night fell. The path back to town wasn't exactly safe in the dark, and he wouldn't want to trip and break something while he was alone. He made note of that, and set a time for him to return to his aunt's place.

"So, they move rocks, break rocks, smell rocks, sort rocks… a lot of stuff with rocks…" he mumbled. He went over his notes, reading the things that he observed the Pies doing and the answers to the questions he asked. Tough as they were, they didn't seem to mind his observations, and there was hardly any objection to any questions he asked. The only questions that had them wary were the questions about Cortland and the rumors, of which came only coldness and negative responses.

"Those ponies are gullible," Igneous had said. "They don't seem to grasp how annoyed Pinkamena is when he's around."

"If I could, I would knock some sense into their heads," Cloudy's response was.

"I've had to raise my voice to drive him away," Maud had stated impassively.

"You saw what happened," Pinkamena had growled.

"I wish he'd just give it up," Limestone had said. "Pinkamena was hardly interested, and she sure is much less interested now."

"Sometimes I wonder if we should move to some other place where rock farming's good," Marble had said. "Anywhere without a silly rumor about any of us would be nice."

Cheese had not said anything, only snorted and grumbled. Bluejinx had no idea whether it was his response to the question, or he was still angry about what had happened years ago. Either way, at least Bluejinx knew that Cheese was not too fond of Cortland, given his reaction to learning about Pinkamena being harassed.

Still, it bothered him that Cheese was still bitter over the incident that spurred him to make the decision to run away. He wondered if Cheese even missed the family he left.

Hopefully he could be reasoned with.

"All right, have some supper!" Cloudy Quartz hollered.

He was reminded of how hungry he was, and put away his notepad. Standing up and stretching, he trotted into the kitchen to find a simple meal of bread, mashed potatoes, and hay. He sat down with the mares that had prepared the meal—Cloudy, Pinkamena, and Marble—and soon Limestone and Maud had come to the table as well. After a few moments, Igneous joined them.

However, there was no Cheese in sight.

"Cheese Sandwich, you come down here right now!" Cloudy shouted.

A few moments of silence passed, and the sound of hooves descending down the stairs echoed in the house. Sure enough, Cheese slipped into the kitchen, and took a seat, holding a face not unlike those of the Pies.

Bluejinx noticed a confused Pinkamena sitting across from him, and she glanced at the equally confused Marble and Limestone. The three sisters seemed to exchange thoughts silently, and Pinkamena turned to Maud, who only blinked at her and nodded.

And so, they began to eat.





Dinner had been as quiet as Cheese's first with the Pies. While they hadn't been a barrel of laughs, they were okay with his telling stories at the dinner table after they visited the Apples' farm. However, he didn't feel like talking this time.

Out of all the towns that one of his brother's friends could have visited, why did it have to be Nickerlite? He munched on his potato, avoiding eye contact with Bluejinx. Looking at him would only remind him of what he had left behind all of those years ago, when he had gotten fed up with the misery that had plagued his childhood.

He was expecting a slew of questions from the other stallion, but the silence still lingered as the family ate. He knew Bluejinx was very curious about what he had been doing all these years; and frankly, Cheese was curious about things back at home. Even so, he was reluctant to ask, especially in front of the Pies. They wouldn't exactly understand the reason he left home.

Before he knew it, supper was finished, and the dishes were to be done. Cheese was given the chore, and Bluejinx volunteered to help. He inwardly groaned when the unicorn offered his assistance. Couldn't he wash the dishes in peace?

So they washed the dishes in silence as the Pies cleared the table and tucked in the chairs. A few stray crumbs were swept up, and soon enough, the Pies had gone into their own rooms, in the cellar to check on the grains and the rock collection, or in the case of Pinkamena, outside for a breath of the evening air. Glancing back, Bluejinx spoke in a hushed voice.

"He misses you."

Cheese dropped the plate into the water, splashing it on his face. He wiped his glasses in annoyance, and then retrieved the plate from the soapy depths. He gave a quick glance of acknowledgement, knowing exactly who Bluejinx was talking about.

Bluejinx held a wet plate in his magic as he dried it off. "Do you miss him?"

Of course he missed his brother. He didn't like to think about it too much, due to the memory of how hurt he was during that fateful day. There were times that he wondered just how hurt Tommy was over his big brother leaving, but there was a small bit of doubt of if he even cared. In fact, he was a little unsure if Bluejinx was telling the truth.

Still, Bluejinx continued to talk. "Look… I'm sorry for my part in driving you away. I never realized that you'd be upset over a broken accordion for over a decade."

Cheese ground his teeth. "I told him not to touch it. Besides, it wasn't just that."

"Oh? Would you be willing to share what it was then?"

"Pfft, figures that you didn't notice."

Bluejinx blinked in confusion. "Well, you were always quite shy… but come on, Tomato did want to show us just why he worshipped you. Admittedly, we all thought he was crazy…"

"Well, he was crazy. He couldn't see just how worthless I am."

"Hey now, nopony's worthless."

Cheese turned to him with a sharp glare. "My special talent is being a hobo. If that's not pathetic, I don't know what is. I could die, and nopony would care because I haven't done anything of worth in this world. I may have been worth something to my brother once, but with those friends of his, what does he need me for?"

Bluejinx was silent for a moment, and dried another dish. With a sigh, he answered, "Like I said, he misses you. He wants to apologize for what happened, and he wants his brother back. A sibling is supposed to be one's most steady and faithful friend, even with those tumultuous sibling rivalry moments that can't really be avoided. I certainly could never take your place."

Cheese shook his head. "Doesn't matter. Once he sees what I've become, he'll just forget it. He'll join the ranks of everypony else, those who think that I've failed at life, either ridicule or ignore me, and forget that I even have a name. Just who would value me then?"

The last of the dishes were dried and put away, and Cheese went to the stairs and ascended, saying in a low, gruff voice, "You've had your fun. Now leave."





The sun was touching the horizon now, and as she leaned on the fence, Pinkamena wondered how Princess Celestia could do it. Raising and lowering the sun was no simple task she was sure, and the thought of the ruler of the land learning just how to manipulate it was an odd one. And kind of amusing once she thought of the sun wobbling and weaving through the sky. It was enough for a giggle to escape her mouth.

Wow, a giggle, she thought. I haven't giggled since Granny and Nana were alive.

First a smile, then a giggle. She was grateful that Cheese had been hired. He was bringing sunshine to her home, and she could feel herself growing warmer and warmer toward him with each passing day. Marble and Limestone may have been the first to soften, but she had been the first to smile. But the scrunching of their muzzles told her that they were close.

Even so, it bothered her that Cheese had been so cold that day. What was it that he had against Bluejinx? He was a nice enough fellow, and he sure didn't believe that stupid rumor. And yet Cheese was acting as cold as he did that time when she mentioned Manehattan.

That's when a thought struck her. Was Bluejinx from Manehattan, and had lived in the same neighborhood as Cheese? It was a bit of a stretch, given that Cheese could have made enemies all over Equestria, but she figured she could ask Bluejinx before he left.

Speaking of whom, he had just come out the front door.

Immediately, she galloped toward him. She skidded to a halt in front of him, making him jump and whinny in fright. After a few moments of his awkward staring and her heavy breathing, she asked, "Where… are you from?"

"Uh, Manehattan," he answered confusedly. "Why?"

Aha! There was a chance that Bluejinx was a figure from Cheese's childhood. True, it was a bit of a stretch, given that she had read that Manehattan was a big city, but there was still a possible explanation for Cheese's behavior. She casually kicked at the dirt and replied, "Oh… no reason."

Bluejinx raised an eyebrow, opened his mouth to say something, and then shook his head. "I better get back to town before the sun fully sets."

"Yeah, you should."

Bluejinx nodded and started walking away. "I thank you folks for having me. It was quite the experience. I'll do what I can to dispel those awful rumors."

Pinkamena gave a nod in response, and turned to go back inside. As she walked through the door, she started to devise ways on how to approach Cheese on the subject. Those periodic bouts of coldness were concerning her, and with somepony that Cheese seemed to recognize, she was closer to the truth about him.

Somehow, she was going to find out what was going on with him.