//------------------------------// // Wolf and a Day on the Farm // Story: Apples and Wheat // by TheAlmightySage //------------------------------// Fair warning, some heavy metaphysical/mythological head-canon matters ahead regarding Holo. Editors: Tensemasterhalo and Jamza. Show them love. ---/\--- -- Apples and Wheat -- “The farmers are the founders of civilization. —Daniel Webster.” -- Wolf and a Day on The Farm -- Having lived with Twilight most of his life, Spike had long since grown used to the various personality quirks of his big sister. So after watching Twilight do the soothing breathing exercise, taught to her by Cadence, to soothe her frayed nerves, he was hardly surprised when she began quickly gathering things and loading up her saddlebags. "So much to do. So much to do," Twilight muttered to herself as she packed her saddle bags with several rolls of parchment paper, a couple of inkwells, a few quills, and, of course, some reference books. "Twilight, I don't think Princess Celestia is expecting you to have a big, multiple page report ready by tomorrow morning," Spike commented between bites of his sapphire sprinkled waffles. "Regardless of what Princess Celestia says she expects, I, as her personal student and protégé, have a much higher standard which I must hold myself to in order to meet the expectations that such a title comes with," Twilight explained, double checking her check list before putting a few extra quills into her saddlebag, "So, logically, I must always seek to surpass that which is expected of me." "You know, Twi, it was that kind of thinking that lead to your 'Want it; Need it' incident," Spike snarked, before stuffing another fork load of waffles into his mouth. Twilight gave Spike a rather pointed look, which the young drake shrugged off with a half smile that said he knew he was at least partially right. "The point being," Twilight said with a sigh, "That there's still a lot we don't know about Holo." Spike nodded as he chewed acknowledging his big sister's point. "And I do have quite a few questions of my own for Holo," Twilight said as she levitated her saddlebags onto her back. "Now then, Spike, are you sure you'll be fine by yourself?" "Yeah," Spike answered as he added another helping of syrup onto his waffles, "There's only like a dozen books to sort and shelve. It won't take too long." "And then you can see if Rarity needs any help?" Twilight asked with a sly grin. "Maybe?" Spike admitted with a slight blush swirling a bit of waffle in a puddle of syrup. "Just don't stay out too late," Twilight said with chuckle before charging her horn and vanishing in a flash of magic. -- Meanwhile -- "Took long enough," Applejack groaned as she finally pulled the cart up to the Apple family farmhouse. Though this hadn't been the first time Applejack had to pull the cart back from town while dealing with a hangover, it certainly didn't make the long trot any easier. With a groan AJ wiped the sweat from her brow and shrugged out of the cart's harness and tackle. "Holo, we're at the farm house," Applejack declared as she rubbed her forehead trying to ignore the dull throbbing of her headache. In response, Holo groaned from the cart's bed. Applejack sighed and looked into the cart, resting her hooves on the sidewall. The farm mare rolled her eyes when she saw Holo laying on a pile of empty sacks with her head hidden under her black wool vest. "Ah see you're paying for your indulgences," Applejack commented with a small grin. The wolfish mare did not respond, but Applejack did see her tail twitch in annoyance. She was fairly sure if she could she Holo's face there'd be a rather sour glare there. "Come on, let's get inside already," Applejack said feeling her the throbbing in her head slowly growing worse. With another groan, Holo let the vest slip off her head as she sat up, slowly blinking her bloodshot eyes. She wobbled slightly and placed a hoof against the sidewall to steady herself, only finding minor success. Applejack raised an eyebrow in concern, feeling a little worried, watching Holo struggling just to stay upright. "I am become death," Holo muttered before falling back into the pile of empty sacks she had been using as a bed. "Ain't gotta be so dramatic," Applejack deadpanned before going around to the back of the cart and climbing inside. "Holo? Holo, can ya hear me?" Applejack asked, gently brushing aside the wolfish mare's bangs with her hoof. "I think I may have over exerted myself last night," Holo muttered, slowly blinking her bleary eyes. "Big surprise," AJ said with a long suffering sigh, before coming to a decision and gently lifting Holo up and onto her back, "And since you're so helpless Ah guess I'll have to carry you." "I am not helpless and your back is like laying upon a rock," Holo grumbled and fidgeted as she lay across the farm mare's strong back. "That a compliment or an insult?" Applejack replied dryly, as she carried the hungover wolfish mare into the house. Holo wordlessly grumbled as she laid limply across the farm mare's back with her ears and tail drooping pitifully. "Granny, we're gonna need that hangover cure!" Applejack called out while opening the squeaky screen door. "Don't be yellin' in the house," Granny Smith chided AJ as she trotted into the room. "Sorry, Granny, but me and Holo are feelin' a bit under the weather," Applejack explained with a pained smile. - - - Applejack let out a quiet groan as she sat at the Apple family's dinner table, with her head face down on the table, attempting to help dull the aching. Her hat was offset and was hanging off her left ear. Across from the cowpony sat, or rather slouched, the equally hung over wolfish mare. Holo sat at the table with her forehead resting on it and her long mane draped around her head, mercifully shielding her eyes from the mid morning sunlight streaming in from the kitchen window. "I see ya both helped yerselves to plenty of drinks last night," Granny Smith said with a chuckle as she cracked two eggs over each glass, dropping a raw egg into each one. "Ah didn't drink that much, but the trot back to the farm just about did me in," Applejack groaned out miserably. Granny Smith nodded sagely while adding a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce to each cup. "And you, Holo?" "Two pitchers and four tall cups," Holo replied simply and dismally, "Plus a bit of dancing." "Was more than a bit," Applejack groaned out, sitting up and eyeing the wolfish mare sourly, "Plus you used me to cushion your fall off the table." Holo kept her head on the table and waved her hoof dismissively. "Yer first night out and ya overdo it," Granny Smith said shaking her head disapprovingly as she sprinkled salt and pepper into the two glasses, "I ain't exactly surprised." "I have never claimed to practice great restraint," Holo said with a groan rubbing her head with one eye directed to her old friend. "Gee, Ah never woulda guessed that one," Applejack said in a tone matching her sour stomach. Granny Smith chuckled at her granddaughter and Holo's hung over bickering, while she added a dash of tabasco sauce to each glass of her odd concoction. "You cannot possibly blame me for this aftereffect," Holo said with drooping ears and bleary eyes directed at AJ. "Don't mean Ah can't try," Applejack replied as stubbornly as she could manage. "That'll be enough outta both of ya," Granny Smith said firmly as she set down both of the glasses containing the raw, runny, and somewhat slimy concoction. "Is that... what I think it is?" Holo asked blinking in disbelief. "Sure enough is," Granny Smith stated with a grin. "Do Ah even want ta know?" AJ muttered miserably. "It is a prairie oyster and they are good for hangovers," Holo explained as she reached for the closest glass.1 Applejack nodded and slide the other glass closer to her. "Be sure ta drink 'em quick," Granny Smith said with a chuckle. "Yes, yes I remember," Holo replied with a sigh before quickly gulping down the runny concoction. After a wary sniff, Applejack followed Holo's example and downed her glass just as quickly. Her hat falling off her head in the process and drifting down and landing on table. The effect was rather instantaneous, both mares shuddered at the rather unique flavor and nearly gagged as the raw drink oozed its way down their throats. "Ugh, it is exactly as awful as I remember, Maria", Holo groused, sticking her tongue out in disgust. Meanwhile, Applejack darted to the fridge and commenced downing apple juice, straight from the jug, in hopes of riding her mouth of this particular flavor of horrible. "Heh, it certainly leaves a lastin' impression," Granny Smith said with a chuckle as she rounded up the glasses and began rinsing them out. "Ain't that the truth," Applejack grunted. "Still it got rid of my headache, so I can't complain much." "True enough," Holo said with a nod before stiffly trotting off towards the bathroom. Looks like somepony ain't feeling very sociable, Applejack thought with a raised eyebrow at the wolfish mare's short impersonal reply. Granny Smith hmm'd thoughtfully for a moment before turning back to the sink. Applejack idly wondered if her grandmother had any thoughts on the wolfish mare's behavior. Then again if it was important Granny would've said something, AJ thought to herself. Putting her concerns to the side, for the time being, Applejack pushed her chair in and slipped her Stetson back on. "Well Ah'm gonna check with Mac and see if there's any Sunday chores to do," Applejack said as she adjusted her hat. "Don't bother, sugar cube," Granny Smith replied before she started washing the dirty dishes from breakfast, "Ain't much ta do today and Big Mac took care of it, before headin' into town." Applejack blinked in surprise, "Big Mac went into town? Did he say what for?" "Somethin' about replacing some rotten floorboards at the schoolhouse for Miss Cheerilee," Granny Smith replied as she put the glasses on the drying rack, "Oh and mending a broken fence at yer friend Fluttershy's cottage." "Don't know why he didn't ask me ta help him," Applejack said rubbing her chin while thinking. "It'd be hard to go a courtin' with yer sister hangin' about," Granny Smith replied with a sly grin. "Granny! That'd be about the last thing Ah want to hear about," Applejack stated, blushing and briskly trotting out of the kitchen and the upstairs to her room. "Ah swear that filly gets all bashful too easy," Granny Smith grumbled watching her flustered granddaughter trot off, "Can't even ask her if she's got a nice stallion or mare ta court without her a turnin' red." Granny Smith mused as she leaned back into her rocking chair. - - - "I swear sometimes Granny shares way too much," Applejack grumbled under her breathe as she trotted up the old creaky staircase. "Maybe a nap would do me good," AJ said to herself as she opened the door to her room. Only to find Holo sprawled out on her bed. Applejack sighed and trotted up to the bed, "Holo, what are you doing in mah bed?" She asked, nudging the unconscious wolfish mare with her hoof. "My legs and back are in pain," Holo groaned out as she felt her legs began to spasm, the muscles twisting themselves into knots, sending shooting pain up her legs. Applejack gently ran her hooves over Holo's leg and felt various muscles tensed up tightly. "Feels like muscle cramps." The wolfish mare let out a quiet grunt as the cramps and pain intensified. "Ah got some volcano oil," Applejack said with a worried expression, "A bit of that and you'll be good as new." Holo gave a pained whimper in reply, encouraging Applejack to be quick about it. -- Meanwhile -- The idyllic tranquility of Sweet Apple Acres was broken by the sudden sound of an almost electrical zap. With a flash of purple light, Twilight Sparkle materialized before the Apple family farm house. Ah guess somepony is in a hurry, Granny Smith thought to herself watching Twilight appear with a grey arched eyebrow. Twilight glanced around to gather her bearings, Huh, I guess my long range teleportation isn't strong enough to get me onto Applejack's porch in one go. "Oh well, at least I didn't end up stuck in a wall again." Twilight thought out loud as she adjusted her saddlebag and began trotting up to the porch. "Good morning, ma'am," Twilight said with a charming smile. "That it is youngin'," Granny Smith declared with a smile of her own from her creaky rocking chair, "Ya here ta see AJ?" "Yes, do you know if Applejack and Holo are awake?" Twilight inquired politely glancing to the seemingly empty farmhouse. "Yup, they're both upstairs Ah believe," Granny Smith replied from her rocking chair. "Go on in, I'll be up in a minute or two." Twilight nodded in reply before going inside the farmhouse and trotting up the stairs. She paused for a moment then decided to check on Applejack before going to the guest bedroom, where Holo was most likely staying. Seeing that the door to AJ's room was closed, Twilight raised her hoof to give a polite knock to double check that her farm friend was indeed awake. However, Twilight's hoof stopped short when she heard a low moan coming from behind the door. Oh, I hope Applejack doesn't have too bad of a hangover, Twilight thought with a concerned frown. Until her concern was demolished by what sounded like a very different kind of moan. "Mmm, lower," Twilight heard Holo moan out, her voice slightly muffled by Applejack's door. Twilight felt her cheeks warming as her mind jumped through some very interesting chains of logic that would explain that particular tone of voice coming through a closed bedroom door. Then she heard Applejack grunt followed by, what sounded like, the squeaking of bed springs. This was quickly followed by Holo nearly shouting, "Ah! Yes, yes there. Harder!" Along with Applejack's heated, if quiet, reply, "Will you keep your voice down!?" Twilight just stood there, cheeks aflame and trying very hard to not imagine what could be going on in her friend's bedroom. "Whatcha waitn' fer, youngin?" Granny Smith asked from beside the befuddled unicorn. The youngin' in question jumped a bit at the appearance of the elderly Apple matriarch, apparently having missed her arrival. "Um, well I..." Twilight quickly tried to explain, but was cut off by a rather loud, shuddering moan. Granny Smith raised an eyebrow at that and then quietly opened the door. What they saw was quite the sight. A panting Holo was laying in AJ's bed, on her belly, with the farm mare herself delicately straddling the wolfish mare's lower back. "Will ya stop that makin' them kind of sounds?" Applejack said pulling her hooves away with a dark blush highlighting her cheeks. "But it feels so wonderfully good," Holo said with a pout looking over her shoulder at the farm mare. "Uh huh," Applejack deadpanned before noticing her grandmother and Twilight standing in the open doorway. "Um, morning?" AJ ventured with a nervous smile. Twilight just stood in the doorway not really sure what to say. "Shameless as ever, Ah see," Granny Smith said with a chuckle. "Come now, Maria, you know one such as myself will rarely, if ever, change their ways," Holo replied with a grin. "Are you gonna mind yourself or should I stop and leave your sore muscles ta' sort themselves out?" Applejack asked in an annoyed tone, looking down at the wolfish mare. "Very well, I shall hold my tongue," Holo said before groaning out, "My back aches more than my need for amusement." "How can ya be this sore after just one night of dancin'?" Applejack asked with a long suffering sigh and resumed rubbing the oil into the mischievous mare's sore back "I may live for long centuries, but I have not exerted myself in such a way for quite some time," Holo replied while her fine tail slowly swayed. "Meanin' yer an old coot," Granny Smith said with a chuckle as she sat down in a chair by the door. Holo rolled her eyes at her old friend's remark, but said nothing. While Applejack grinned and rubbed the last of the volcano oil into the wolfish mare's back before climbing down off the bed. "So whatcha doin' out here so early, Twi?" "Well, I have some questions for Holo. So I decided to come over as soon as I could to get started," Twilight replied and drew out a scroll and quill from her saddlebags. "Liar," Holo declared with a languid yawn. "What?!" Twilight blurted out, her eyes wide with surprise at the accusation. "You have another motive that you are not telling me," Holo explained before sitting up with her ears attentively twitching and directing a mild glare towards the Twilight, "My ears can detected even the most subtle of lies, it would behoove you to be on your best behavior, young scholar." Holo finished with a small, smug, superior smile. Twilight frowned and was about to reply in kind, when Applejack interceded. "Holo, be polite," Applejack said placing herself between the two mares, "but, Twi', I would appreciate it if you explained yourself." The Apple matriarch glanced between the three mares and came to a decision. "Come on down to the kitchen. Applejack can fix up some drinks, while Ah get started on lunch," she stated before trotting out of the bedroom. - - - "Alright, Twilight, can you explain why Holo said you were lying?" Applejack asked, setting a glass of apple cider in front of her bookish friend. Twilight nodded and took a sip from her glass before replying, "I received a letter from Princess Celestia-" Holo snorted, earning a reproachful look from Granny Smith as she carried a pot to the sink. "-asking me to write a report for her about Holo and what she's doing here in Ponyville." Twilight explained, her ears folded in embarrassment. "So why didn't ya say that from the get go?" Applejack asked a bit confused. "Well, the Wolf Tribes and Princess Celestia, um..." Twilight trailed off, unsure of how to breach the topic. "The wolves ain't got the best opinion of the Princess, if this one is any indication," Granny Smith finished for Twilight, nodding towards Holo, while she set a few bundles of vegetables on a cutting board. AJ looked to Holo, who nodded in agreement, as she drank some of her delicious, but sadly nonalcoholic, cider. "Does this have ta do with how stories about wolves always involve the moon?" Applejack asked, tilting her head. "Something along those lines, yes," Twilight said before taking a sip of her cider, "The Wolf Tribes revere the moon and by extension Princess Luna, so when she was banished a schism formed between the Wolf Tribes and Princess Celestia." "Makes sense, Ah suppose," Applejack said rubbing her chin. "Applejack," Granny Smith called. "Be a dear and start choppin' the vegetables fer the stew." "Sure thing, Granny," Applejack responded as she walked to the counter next to her grandmother. Which left Twilight alone with Holo, at the table. While the young scholar was fairly certain Holo wasn't exactly mad at her, Twilight knew she had annoyed the wolfish mare at the very least. Okay, time to put those etiquette lessons to good use, Twilight thought to herself as she mentally prepared herself. "I'm sorry if my lie offended you, Holo, I just wasn't sure how you would react if I told you it was a request from Princess Celestia," Twilight apologized as sincerely as she could. "Apology accepted," Holo stated simply with an approving nod. "Now then, you came to ask questions of me, yes?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. "Yes, like I said, I have quite a few questions and I was hoping you could answer them," Twilight replied with a hopeful smile as her magic once more lifted a blank scroll and quill from her saddle bags. Holo did not answer immediately, but paused to consider the scholarly mare while she sipped from her glass of apple cider. For a moment Twilight began to think the wolfish mare was going to decline answering any questions. "... Ask what you wish and I shall answer as I am able," Holo replied before sipping on her cider once more, much to Twilight's relief. "So, Holo, um why are you connected with bountiful harvests?" Twilight asked with her quill at the ready. "When I was young I would watch the wild vegetables and wild wheat grow in anticipation of the return of the deer and elk herds," Holo replied with a far away look in her eyes, "As I grew, I came to understand that all that is, stems from the earth in a cycle of sorts. After I had learnt the wisdom of that, I sought to learn more and more; as my wisdom grew so did my power. Eventually I came to be the alpha of the Wisewolves because of my wisdom and power." Twilight quickly jotted down all this, with Applejack listening in while chopping and dumping vegetables into the stew pot that Granny Smith was adding seasoning to. "Hmm, that sounds similar to how the Princesses came to power, once they understood their cutie marks," Twilight idly remarked chewing on the feathery tip of her quill. "It is how many of us came to be what we are now," Holo replied before sipping from her glass of cider. Twilight's ear twitched at that. "What do you mean by 'us'?" She asked with a frown. "When you are ready, you will see it," Holo said with a pleasant smile. Twilight blinked in confusion, while Granny Smith chuckled, stirring the simmering and delicious smelling apple cabbage stew. "Don't bother askin' Holo ta explain when she's a smilin' like that," Granny Smith said giving the wolfish mare a sidelong glance, "She'll just beat around the bush till you're blue in the face." "You mean there's a time when Holo ain't talkin' nonsense?" Applejack asked with a chuckle, earning a roll of the eyes from the wolfish mare, before she gathered up a few bowls and spoons. "Okay, next question," Twilight said after glancing to her notes, "Holo, you aren't a god of some sort are you?" "I am nothing so grand and aloof, I am simply me," Holo replied with a chuckle. Twilight nodded, jotting Holo's answer down, before looking up again, "In that case, what exactly would you define yourself as?" "As I am now, I would be described, in a way that you can best understand, as a manifested Spirit of this world," Holo replied, before sipping on her cup of cider. Twilight's quill fell onto the table as her magic sputtered out. "You- you're a fully manifested Spirit?"2 "How else would a wolf dwell in wheat or come to live so long, young scholar?" Holo countered with a mischievous grin. "Ah thought spirits were invisible, kinda like the wind?" Applejack asked glancing towards Twilight, while filling the bowls with stew. Twilight swallowed her nervousness as best she could to avoid stammering, "By and large, yes. Spirits exist in what is known as the spirit world, a very abstract place that coexists alongside our world, but is not visible to us. However, certain spirits, like Discord, are so powerful that they physically manifest into our world," Twilight explained, not taking her eyes off the wolfish mare sitting across from her, as she wondered what secrets could lie behind those apple red eyes. "Correct, but please do not compare me to that buffoon," Holo said with a frown. —Somewhere a certain Draconequus sneezed— "Now then, there is another aspect to the workings of those like myself that I believe you should be made aware of," Holo stated before sipping from her glass. "What would that be?" Twilight asked leaning forward as her magic picked her quill back up. "The first is that I was born a wolf. The second is that some Spirits are the Mantles they wear. When I was young there were few Spirits and many Mantles and as some grew those Mantles came to them. Then there were a few who were born with these Mantles already upon them," Holo explained frowning at her now empty glass.3 Twilight's mouth opened and closed several times before she was able to find her voice. "Holo, are you saying you're not only a fully manifested Spirit, but that you are also a true bearer of a Mantle of Power?" "One led to the other," Holo vaguely replied with a shrug, further baffling the young scholar. "Uh, Twi, what's so special about a mantle?" Applejack asked casting a perplexed look towards her bookish friend. "A Mantle of Power is more or less the essence of a specific, powerful being given a form that can, in theory, be moved from one being to another, but the way it can be moved is unknown. To be honest, there is very little known about them at all," Twilight explained hoping she had correctly remembered what little she did know of Mantles. "Close enough, I suppose," Holo said with a cryptic smile. "There's more to it than that isn't there?" Twilight asked with keen interest, "Are Mantles like—" Holo held up a hoof abruptly silencing the eager, young scholar. "I am not your teacher. It is not my place to speak further with you on this matter," Holo explained resolutely. Twilight blinked in surprise then sighed as she translated the subtext of the wolfish mare's statement. "I understand," Twilight said with a nod. Looks like Twi is gonna have more questions for Princess Celestia then she came with for Holo, Applejack thought watching her friend quickly adding a few lines to her notes. The scratching of Twilight's quill was interrupted by Granny Smith chuckling as she turned off the stove and looked over to the wolfish mare. "Ah was wonderin' when you'd explain it to 'em." "You already knew all that, Granny?" AJ asked looking to her grandmother while filling up the last bowl with piping hot stew. "That Ah did, sugar cube, only took the promise of three of my apple pies a day for week, to make her tell me back then," old Maria Smith replied with a wry grin as AJ placed the bowl of stew before her chair. "Twas a fair price. After all I could not impart such wisdom as part of a blessing of fertility, dear Maria," Holo said smiling at her old friend, who took her seat at the small table. Meanwhile, Twilight blinked out of her shock as her mind caught onto an implication within the wolfish mare's comment on fertility. "Wait! Holo, are you implying that you function as a Tutelary Spirit?" Twilight abruptly asked leaning so far forward she was practically straddling the table. "My, my, such desire in those violet eyes," Holo replied with sultry smile. Twilight quickly sat back into her chair, hiding her blushing cheeks behind her notes as she fidgeted. "Leave her be, Holo," Applejack chided, as she set a bowl of stew in front of the wolfish mare. "As you wish, my dear Apple mare," Holo replied with a grin letting her swaying tail brush against Applejack's chest. AJ rolled her eyes, but said nothing and retrieved the bowl of steaming apple cabbage stew for her blushing friend. "Don't let her get to ya," Applejack quietly said to her friend and set the bowl of stew down. Twilight and AJ were too busy talking to see Granny Smith look into Holo's eyes. She briefly gestured her spoonful of stew towards her granddaughter, to which Holo nodded once in reply to the unspoken question. The trio quietly ate their apple cabbage stew in amicable silence. Twilight, on the other hoof, was too busy thinking about Holo. She didn’t know what to make of the wolfish mare sitting across from her anymore. She already knew Holo was important, if the legends from The Book of the Moon were anything to go by, but to actually be a Spirit? Not just any spirit, but a Tutelary Spirit, a guardian, and a Mantle bearer... well the implications were more than a slightly intimidating. With a soft sigh Twilight resumed eating, trying to piece together what Holo said into a more clear picture could wait until she got back to the library. "One could say that blessings of abundance and fertility are my specialties," Holo said interrupting the young scholar's musings, "And with wheat being the first step upon my path of wisdom, so did I become closely tied to the wheat and gain dominion over of it," Holo finished before downing half of her bowl of stew in one gulp. Twilight squinted as she processed that, before a subtext stood out to her mind, "Holo, you said that when Ms. Smith was younger, she convinced you to place a blessing on the Apple's land, right?" "In a manner of speaking, yes," Holo replied with a nod, refilling her glass. "So did your blessing of fertility also affect the Apples along with the land they dwell on and farm?" Twilight asked rubbing her chin while jotting down notes with her magic. "I see you can be quite perceptive," Holo said with smile, tilting her cup towards Twilight in acknowledgement. "Wait, are you sayin' the Apple clan is so big because of Holo?" Applejack asked glancing between the wolfish mare and Twilight. "Among other things, yes, my dear Apple mare," Holo said with a sly smile, "Though from what Maria has told me of just how vast the Apple clan has become, perhaps my blessings upon your house were a bit too effective," the wolfish mare added with a teasing smile directed to her old friend. Granny Smith snorted, "Yer lucky you weren't here to help with the diaper changing and washing," said before finishing her portion of stew. "Holo, would it be correct to say that the Apple family is under your patronage?" Twilight asked after swallowing a spoonful of stew. "Aegis would be a better choice of word," Holo replied before taking a drink from her cup. "A what now?" Applejack asked tilting her head and looking to Holo. Holo just waved a hoof in Twilight's direction while she drank. The young scholar coughed politely before she began, "Aegis means almost the same as patronage, but is an older word with a much deeper meaning. Basically, it means the Apples have Holo's protection and blessings," Twilight trailed off as she began to wonder how much deeper that meaning did go. "Well said," Holo stated with an approving smile. Granny Smith nodded in agreement, "Ah made a deal with Holo years ago ta help our family when first set down roots here," she said to Applejack. "And it was a hard bargain you drove, dear Maria," Holo said with a chuckle. "Heh, be glad I was young when we met, nowadays I'm a lot sharper," Granny Smith replied with a smile before rising from the table, "Care ta join me on the porch?" "Of course, dear Maria," Holo replied with a warm smile. Applejack watched the odd pair of old friends walk off with a smile, before looking across the table to see Twilight frowning at her notes. "Somethin' the matter, Twi?" "I get the feeling Holo is saying a lot more than I'm understanding," Twilight replied with a frown as she glanced between a pair of scrolls. "Would it really surprise ya, if she was?" Applejack asked as she trotted over to her friend. "No, it wouldn't," Twilight said with a sigh, before rolling up her scrolls. "Come on, let's join them on the porch. Ah imagine you got more questions anyways," Applejack said with a smile. - - - As the farm mare and young scholar approached the screen door they caught the tail end of Granny Smith and Holo's conversation. ".... am uncertain of what I should do," Holo said in a quiet voice, "It calls to me, Maria, and I yet I am afraid." "Follow yer heart sugar cube, I know you'll make the right decision," Granny Smith said from her weathered rocking chair. "I understand," Holo replied with a soft sigh. Holo couldn't be talking about leaving the farm, could she? Applejack thought, feeling a slight tightening in her chest. The farm mare shook the thought away, reminding herself not to jump to conclusions without knowing exactly what her grandmother and Holo had been talking about it. Glancing to Twilight, AJ saw she was distracted looking for a blank scroll and decided to keep that thought to herself. "Granny, did Big Mac check the wheat field before he left?" Applejack asked as she pushed open the screen door then held it open for Twilight. "Most likely," Granny Smith replied from her squeaking rocking chair. Applejack frowned at that for a moment before she stepped off the porch, "Ah'm gonna go double check, just ta be sure." "Itchin' for something ta do, as usual," Granny Smith commented at her granddaughter with a knowing smile. "You know me, Granny, the farm comes first," Applejack replied with a chuckle. "Would you mind if I accompany you?" Holo asked from her spot beside her old friend. Applejack raised an eyebrow curiously, but shrugged after a moment, "If ya want to, Ah don't mind." "Maria?" Holo asked looking to her dear old friend. "Go on, Ah'll be fine," Granny Smith said with a wave of her hoof. "By your leave then," Holo said with a nod before she got up, before looking towards Twilight, "Come along, young scholar, I still see questions in your eyes." Twilight blushed and quickly trotted after Applejack and Holo, while Granny Smith chuckled. - - - "This is quite the fine field," Holo remarked as she looked over the fields AJ and her brother had plowed and seeded. "Yeah, but Mac forgot ta put up the scarecrow. Ah'll be back in a minute," Applejack said before trotting off towards a small shed. Holo nodded then trotted over to a nearby tree, with the young scholar in tow, and laid down beneath its cool shade. Twilight sat a short distance from the wolfish mare and pulled out a scroll and quill with her magic. The young scholar's brow was furrowed as various questions swirled in her mind, formed from the answers and not answers Holo had given her. While she did still plan on asking some of her predetermined questions, Twilight decided that following the pattern of earlier questions would net her answers with substantially deeper meanings. Of course, that was assuming she could puzzle out just how many layers there would be to the answers Holo would hypothetically give her. Twilight took a steadying breath before voicing her first question, "Holo, since you're a Spirit that grants blessings, would you consider yourself a good Spirit then?" "I do not think of myself as good or evil, I am simply me," Holo replied, watching as Applejack hefted out a scarecrow made of burlap and stuffed with straw from the shed, "Though, if I were to be verbose, I would say that good and evil are determined from what one perceives as beneficial or harmful to oneself, though oft' it is not realized. However, I am aware that my own habits are somewhat selfish." Twilight hummed thoughtfully, quickly jotting down notes onto her scroll. Setting down every word. It seems scholars never change, Holo thought with a small smile at the scratching of the quill against the scroll. "Holo," Twilight said, after a moment of thought, "How is it you're so comfortable with ponies?" Holo looked to the her with a perplexed expression, "What do you mean?" "Well, you're a wolf, but you seem to act almost like a pony most of the time," Twilight explained while dipping her quill's tip into a portable ink pot. "No offense, but you don't really act like I'd expect a wolf of your stature to act." "And you did not act like I expected the protégé of a princess to act," Holo countered with a smirk. Twilight blushed, but gave a soft giggle, "A fair point, but that isn't an answer." Holo smiled and resumed watching Applejack's attempts to straighten the old scarecrow, "I am a wolf. The drive to hunt and further one's territory is in my blood, if not my very soul," Holo explained before looking back to Twilight, "Much as is the desire to wield your magic to reshape the world around you, I’m sure." Twilight furrowed her brow in thought, "But that's part of being a unicorn. Magic is intrinsic to us." "As is the call of the hunt and the gathering of territory to wolves," Holo replied sitting up straight and looking off somewhere into the distance as Twilight watched her intently, "I will tell thee this much. There is not a day that goes by where I do not consider indulging in my wolfish nature; to simply hunt and expand my territory by tooth and claw." "But wouldn't... wouldn't denying that mean you're not being true to yourself?" Twilight cautiously ventured. "When you can tell me why you do not use your magic to shape the world to your desires, regardless of what others may say or want, then you shall know my reason," Holo said before standing up and stepping closer to Twilight. Twilight sat there feeling very much like a grade school filly presented with a calculus problem as she tried to think of an appropriate response to the Wisewolf in mare's clothing standing before her. "I am that which I am, no matter what form I wear or what my instincts dictate," Holo stated and leaned in, looking directly into Twilight's eyes, "Or perhaps it is better to simply ask yourself, young scholar, what is better- to be that which you are born, or to be that which you choose?" Twilight sat transfixed by Holo's eyes, which, so far, had almost always shone with mischief and mirth, but now conveyed the weight and age of more than she knew she could ever truly understand. "I... I don't know," Twilight answered breathlessly. "Wisdom," Holo simply said with a nod, before turning and walking off towards Applejack. - - - Hearing soft hoof steps behind her, Applejack glanced over her shoulder and saw Holo carefully walking down the plowed field towards her. "Twi' done asking ya questions?" AJ asked as she stamped down the dirt around the scarecrows base. "For the moment, yes," Holo replied, coming to a stop besides the farm mare. "Heh, give her a minute ta breathe and Ah bet she'll have even more questions for ya," Applejack said with a grin as she stood up. "I should think so, her curiosity runs quite deep," Holo replied while she inspected the scarecrow. It had a straw stuffed burlap body with a dried gourd for a head that was topped off with a tattered straw hat. "Will this truly keep birds away?" she asked, gingerly poking the scarecrow. "Course it will," Applejack replied cheerfully, "Worked just fine for pumpkins couple years back." "If you say so," Holo said before she leaned against the farm mare, resting her head against her shoulder. Applejack arched an eyebrow as the wolfish mare leaned against her, but if she had any problem with it she did not voice it. "I take it, Twilight informed you that Luna and her sister shall be visiting on the morrow?" Holo asked while her lovely tail slowly swayed. "She did," Applejack tersely replied, wondering what Holo was getting at. "I shall say this only once, since the Sun Nag's student is distracted," Holo said looking up at Applejack with a serious expression, "I do not expect a meeting with her to end with us coming to blows, but I'd prefer it if you were there to hinder such an outcome." Applejack blinked, slightly taken aback at the request, "You don't get along with the princess at all, do ya?" "I have my reasons and they are mine," Holo replied looking back to the frayed scarecrow while her tail twitched indignantly. Applejack couldn't see if Holo had frowned, but could easily imagine it from her tone. "Why not have Granny with you?" Applejack asked ignoring the pleasant warmth coming from the wolfish mare leaning against her side. "Maria has endured much because of me and more with my absence," Holo replied quietly, almost sadly, "I will not ask this of her." "But why me?" Applejack asked gently rolling her shoulder to nudge Holo. The wolfish mare looked up at her wearing a small smile, "Because I trust you." "We met barely three days ago," Applejack replied skeptically. "And yet, it feels like ages does it not?" Holo countered her smile widening. Applejack couldn't deny that, even if she wanted to. For reasons that were beyond her, she and Holo had quickly come to a sort of understanding and acceptance of one another. "Alright, Ah'll keep on ya when you talk to the princess," Applejack said with a nod. "Thank you," Holo replied and briefly nuzzled Applejack's shoulder before pulling away and casually trotting off. Applejack stayed facing the old scarecrow trying her best to ignore the blush dusting her cheeks and the pleasantly tingling sensation on her shoulder where the wolfish mare had nuzzled. - - - The trio stayed rather quiet while on their way back to the farmhouse. Twilight was lost in thought as she contemplated what Holo had told her. The wolfish mare, herself, was smiling pleasantly while she trotted along just slightly ahead of her two companions. While Applejack was busy glancing around checking on things as they passed them by, that is, while trying not to let her eyes wander towards Holo and watch her white tipped tail as it slowly swayed with each step. When they were nearly half way back to the farmhouse Twilight looked towards Holo and cleared her throat politely. "Holo, I don't suppose you'd be willing to tell me why you don't like Princess Celestia?" Holo's ears twitched at the question and she stopped walking. "There is an old and firm disagreement of opinions fouling the air betwixt us," Holo explained with a frown as she briefly squinted at the afternoon sun, half hidden by clouds, "I have not willing spoken with her nigh two hundred years and I have no honest desire to seek her out, lest we repeat our last encounter." "What happened the last time you two met?" Twilight asked tilting her head in honest curiosity. Holo sighed softly at the question, while she did want to answer the question. She also knew that the young scholar's curiosity would not rest until it was at least somewhat sated. "I shall simply say that it was a very loud argument," Holo replied curtly. "Was it about Princess Luna's banishment?" Twilight asked without thinking and immediately regretted it. At this Holo turned around to face Twilight, her expression hard and bordering on anger. "I respect your desire to learn, young scholar, but it is far wiser to know when not to ask something," a Holo said leveling a glare at Twilight. Applejack quickly stepped between them, her own eyes set with a firm resolve. Holo gave a soft snort in displeasure before turning around and briskly trotting off. Applejack sighed watching the wolfish mare walk off towards the apple tree orchards. "Me and my big mouth," Twilight groaned as she facehoofed. "Don't worry, Twi,' she'll get over it," Applejack said with a reassuring smile. "I hope so," Twilight replied with a sigh, "But I think it's time for me to head back to the library." "Gonna go write that report you were talking about earlier?" Applejack asked glancing back to the direction the wolfish mare took. "Yes, I think I'll start on that now so I can get some sleep," Twilight replied with a sheepish smile. "Alright, Ah'll see ya tomorrow then," Applejack said giving her bookish friend a quick hug. Twilight returned the hug with a smile. "Just... tell Holo I'm sorry if I made her angry." "Don't worry Twi', Ah'll tell her," Applejack said with a nod, stepping back. "Okay, thanks AJ. See you tomorrow," Twilight declared before vanishing in a flash of lavender hued magic. - - - Where is that moody mare at?, Applejack wondered as she trotted through the small forest of apple trees looking around for Holo. Applejack was about to go check if Holo had doubled back to the farmhouse, when she heard the distinct crunch of somepony biting into a particularly juicy apple. "Ah should've known she'd be thinkin' with her stomach," Applejack muttered and began heading towards the telltale crunching. After a few minutes AJ found her way to where she had heard the crunching. However, she didn't see Holo anywhere. She wasn’t behind the tree and, looking around at the other trees, she couldn’t see hide nor hair of the wolfish mare anywhere. "Where the hay—" Applejack began until an apple core bounced off her snout. The farm mare looked up and saw Holo sitting on a low tree branch, leaning her back against the apple tree's trunk, slowly eating an apple. "Holo, don't you dare eat all the apples off that tree," Applejack declared as she looked up at the wolfish mare. "But if I do not, then I shall be hungry," Holo replied in mock petulance, without even bothering to look down at the farm mare as her tail idly swayed. "Don't make me get my rope," Applejack countered with a glower. "My how erotically depraved," Holo said looking down with a devious grin. Applejack just glared in response, but her glare lost much of its meaning with the blush highlighting her cheeks. "Very well," Holo said with a dramatic sigh before hopping down from the tree branch and landing with a swish of her lovely tail. The farm mare just rolled her eyes at the wolfish mare's antics. "Twilight said she's sorry if she made ya angry," Applejack said looking around counting the apple cores around the tree. Holo rolled her eyes and licked her lips before sitting with her back against the apple tree with a huff. "There is nothing to forgive. I was not truly angry, simply annoyed with her tactless question." "She didn't do it on purpose ya know," Applejack said as she moved to sit beside Holo. "True, but it was still said and still annoyed me," the wolfish mare replied, lazily looking around the sun kissed orchard. Applejack shrugged, leaning back against apple tree's trunk and tipping her hat forward over her eyes. "So many trees now..." Holo idly thought aloud with a sigh. "You almost sound sad," Applejack said glancing over to the wolfish mare with one eye. "How shall I put this," Holo muttered as she looked up at the passing clouds in thought. Applejack patiently waited while the wolfish mare thought, smiling as she heard her tail twitch against the grass occasionally. After a long moment of weighing her words, Holo pursed her lips and looked back to the farm mare as she spoke. "I am glad your family has been so successful. I simply wish I had been there to help in anyway I could," Holo explained with a small sad smile. Sixty-five years she missed out on. With how close she and Granny act with each other, it must eat away at her somethin' fierce, Applejack thought with her brow furrowed as she mulled over the weight in Holo's words. And who knows how long she spent alone before meeting Granny? At that thought Applejack felt a pang of sympathy in her heart for the proud acting wolfish mare. Without a thought of hesitation, AJ reached over and pulled a startled Holo into a tight hug. "I promise you, Holo, so long as the Apples hold this land, you'll always have this home to come back to," Applejack said firmly, looking down into Holo's surprised apple red eyes. Holo stared, eyes wide with surprise, for a moment, but then smiled and returned the hug. "Thank you, my dear Apple mare." "Just being honest," Applejack replied with a smile before standing up. "Wanna head back to the farmhouse?" "I shall join you in a moment," Holo replied before yawning. "Alright, I'm gonna go see if Granny needs help starting supper yet," Applejack said before trotting off. Holo watched the farm mare as she left the orchard. It was only after she was certain she was alone did Holo let out a weary sigh. "Why am I afraid?" She asked herself quietly with her eyes closed. As if in answer, Holo saw in her mind the tall granite headstone in the far north wolf village of Yoitsu and felt an all too familiar pain in her chest. "Perhaps I am a fool for letting myself forget. Maybe distance is the better choice," Holo mused with her ears morosely flattened against her head. ~ Next episode: The Wolf, the Sun, and the Moon ~