//------------------------------// // Chapter Five // Story: Scorched // by Kody910 //------------------------------// You wait patiently as Big Mac counts the bales of hay. You're still unsure of where you found the strength to stack them this high. After Applejack led you over to the area where Big Macintosh was baling hay, she left you in his care. He quickly taught you just how to compile the hay into the necessary square shape, and how to tie it all together. Nothing extensively difficult, but it took you a few tries nonetheless to get it all perfect. You were still quite tired from the plowing earlier that day, and it wasn't particularly easy to find your strength for this task. You and Big Macintosh must have worked for several hours, as the sun was rapidly approaching the horizon. You were surprised you lasted this long, considering that you were already spent before you got to this assignment. You tried to take things at a relatively slow pace, and it seems that Big Mac didn't mind. He knew you weren't really in the best of shape for this work at the moment, so you figured he wouldn't mind if you took it a little slow. Sitting on your haunches, you take deep breaths, sweat running down your forehead again. Somehow, Big Mac had suppressed his sweat, and didn't seem tired in the least. Like earlier, your head was burning, and your legs were aching. At this point, they were sort of numbed, and it barely felt like they were even there. That 'pudding feel' was back in them, and you really hoped Applejack wasn't planning any late night chores for you. Big Macintosh was counting the bales under his breath. At last, he seemed satisfied with the numbers. He turns towards you, and gives you a nod. At this, you let out a sigh and collapse onto your back. You simply sit there, taking in the serenity of the area around. The birds were still chirping, the breeze still blowing, and the number of cicadas and crickets was growing as the day's end approached. You lie there for a few minutes, staring into the sky, before a large hoof enters your field of vision, offering assistance. "Tired?" Big Mac asks, his usual stoic look on his face. "You don't know the half of it..." You reply, taking his hoof into yours as he pulls you back up. He opened his mouth to reply, but a call from the distance beat him to it. "Hey, ya'll done yet?" You look off in the distance to see Applejack approaching from the house. "Eeyup. Just got done." Big Mac answers. "Hoowee! Ya sure did get quite a few bales! Maybe ya ain't as bad as I thought ya were!" She says to you in a teasing voice. You simply roll your eyes in response. "I'll bet my hat that you two are hungry as wolves!" To punctuate her point, your stomach decides to let out a sound not unlike a dying whale. You give a small chuckle. "Uh...yeah...what's for dinner?" "C'mon, you two. We got a great big apple pie waiting for us back in the house!" Your face lights up like a foal in a candy store. You begin to trot toward the house with Big Mac and AJ. The farm stallion has an unusual spring in his step that you hadn't seen before. Must be from the mention of food. You figured he could eat quite a bit, given his size. The three of you walk in silence all the way to the house. ~*~*~ After a few minutes of walking, you found yourself sitting on a bench out back, waiting for Applejack to bring out the dinner. You and Big Mac wait in silence, as you take in the peaceful nature of the area. It really has been a long time since you found anywhere as peaceful as this. Your time is always spent plotting, preparing, and worrying about tomorrow's lunch. It really was nice to be able to throw away all those concerns for a while. Of course, there were the concerns of you being held hostage here and being forced to perform labor for the farmers of the land to repay some damages you caused. That concern was always there. But you really didn't dwell on it as much as you'd expected. Perhaps it's because you were just so at peace here. After a few minutes of waiting, Applejack comes out of the house, a large pie and several plates in tow. "Alright, everypony!" She yells out, strangely enthusiastic about this pie. "Pie is served!" She sets the pie and plates on the table, and begins to cut out pieces. Handing a plate to Big Mac and one to you, she sets herself down, and prepares to dig in. You take a moment to examine your meal. It looked like any other apple pie. A clean-cut crust, lightly covered in sugar, and filled to the brim with apples. Steam rose from the pasty, signaling that it was indeed very fresh. The smell that wafted from the sugary treat was incredible. Looking at the other's slices, you notice that your slice is slightly smaller. You weren't surprised, considering who was serving. Would they mind if you asked for seconds later? You dismiss the thought and pick up a fork. Putting the prongs to the pie, you bring the fork through the tip of the slice with little resistance. You lift the bit of pie and place it on your tongue. ...Oh sweet Celestia, was it amazing. The moment you began chewing, an explosion of flavor graced your taste buds. Apples, sugar, dough, a bit of cinnamon, the number of flavors went on and on, all blending harmoniously. The warm pastry almost melted in your mouth. The crust wasn't crunchy, but not exactly chewy. It was a perfect blend of the two textures. It was easily the best damn pie you've ever had, and that was only with one bite! "So how is it?" The voice of Applejack catches your attention. She bears a very coy look on her face. "In all honesty? This is probably the best pie I've ever had." You decided to say 'screw it' to your reluctant attitude towards this pony's cooking skills. Even if she isn't the kindest pony, she deserves praise for this. "Glad ya like it." "Mind if I get a little more?" You ask. Even with a near-complete slice on your plate, you knew you would have room for more. "Don't get greedy." She finishes, diving right back into her pie. The three of you eat in silence for a few minutes. Not that you were complaining. The less time spent talking, the more time you got to spend with the delicious treat in front of you. You had about a bite or two left of your pie, when the sound of a door opening behind you caught your attention. You turn around to see two ponies. One you recognized as Applebloom (like you could forget her after your introduction), but the other you had yet to meet. She was a very old mare, with a pale green coat. Her white mane and tail were both done up in buns, and on her flank was a large pie. She wore a orange handkerchief on her neck, which sported a white lace and an apple pattern. Her eyes were about the same shade as the filly's. "How's everypony likin' the pie?" She asks, her voice rattling. "Uh, G-Granny! What are you doin' out here? I thought you were busy inside!" Applejack asks, sounding rather frantic. "Lil' Applebloom here told me that you n' Big Mac hired a new pony to help out aroun' here, and I wanted to meet 'im. Oh!" She approaches you until she gets somewhat close. "Is this the feller you were tellin' me about, sweetie?" "Yup! That's the guy!" Applebloom exclaims. "Hmm..." The old mare brings her face uncomfortably close to yours, examining your face. You can feel her breath on your face as she simply stares at you. After what feels like forever, she brings her hoof to your face, and begins feeling your features. Her hoof was surprisingly firm for a mare her age. Must be the farm life that made her this durable. You don't really know how to respond. If any other pony did this, you would probably punch them in the face. Given the fact that she's such an old mare, you don't really want to take that chance, and decide to let her have her fill. After a few minutes, she backs off, and suddenly bursts into laughter. "Hoowee, now this guy is a worker! I can feel it!" You just knew you had to ride on this. "Oh ma'am, you flatter me! Tell me, what's your name, sweet angel?" She lets out a few hearty laughs before answering. "I'm Granny Smith, owner of this 'ere farm. You've met my grand kids already, it seems." "Wait, a spry, little thing like you is a grandmother? I would never have guessed!" This elicited even more laughs from the old mare. You glance over at Applejack, and it's not hard to tell that she really, REALLY, wanted you to shut up. "Oh, now, c'mon..." She says. You can tell she's getting bashful. "Judging from your Cutie Mark, would it be correct to assume that you were the one behind this delicious morsel?" You ask, pointing to the pie. She nods, and you continue. "I must say, ma'am, you have quite the culinary skills. Best pie I've had, hooves down!" "Ohohoho, this guy's such a gentlecolt! How did you two ever find him?" Applejack was about to answer, but you beat her to it. "I work down at the First Bank of Ponyville, and AJ here came in one day, and, well, one thing led to another, and here I am now!" You threw in the 'AJ' just for good annoyance measure. "Oh, well, you two made a fine choice in hirin' him." The old mare tells her two grand kids. "Uh, hey, listen, Granny, I'm glad ya got to meet him and all, but we need to get him set up for tomorrow's work!" She says, again with that frantic feel in her voice. "Oh, where are ya staying, sonny?" She asks sweetly. Again, AJ was about to answer, but you beat her to the punch. "Well, I've only been here for one night, but I must say, the dirt of your barn's floor is rather comfortable." "What!? Applejack, have you been making this handsome, young thing sleep out in th' barn!?" She yells at her granddaughter. "W-Well, I, uh-" "Oh, it's fine. I'm sure that there's no place for me in your home..." You interrupt. "Oh, now, we can't have a little feller like you sleepin' in the dirt. You're staying in our guest room!" The old mare exclaims. "WHAT!?" You and Applejack exclaim at the same time. You really didn't think you would get away with that. Perhaps this old mare is kinder than you expected. Something AJ over there should adopt. Applejack starts again. "But, but Granny, I-" "No buts! I won't have any friend o' the Apple family sleepin' in the dirt!" She says rather loudly. "So he's stayin' with us, Granny?" Applebloom asks. "Yessiree!" This elicits an adorable 'yay' from the filly. Glancing at Applejack, you can tell she's not happy. VERY, not happy. "Now c'mon, sweetie. Let's go get his room ready for him." Granny Smith says, as she turns to head back into the house. She cranes her head around as she yells back to you. "You wanna come in?" "Uh, I'll be there in a minute." You call back. Satisfied, she continues into the house, Applebloom hot on her heels. You begin to trot away from the house, towards the hills on the other side of the pasture. "And just where in the hay do you think you're going?" Applejack yells. "Relax, I ain't going anywhere!" You call back. You really weren't planning on running. After today's work, you didn't think you'd get very far if you tried anyway. You just wanted to get away from the family for a bit. Looking back, you think you see Big Mac consoling his sister. From the distance, it looks like she let's out a huff before turning and walking away. You turn your head forward again, and focus on your destination. ~*~*~ After a few minutes of trotting, you found yourself on a hill not far from the house. This particular hill was devoid of all trees, and had plenty of maneuvering room. However, it had one specific aspect that made you choose it to settle on for a minute. It had a glorious view of the sunset. There was virtually nothing obstructing your view of the sun's descent. No trees, no buildings, no land features, nothing. From where you were sitting, there was nothing in view but the sky and sun. The large, glowing orb cast out a beautiful array of reds, oranges, yellows, violets, and many other colors across the sky. There wasn't a single cloud overhead, giving a perfect canvas of colors. The sun itself was dimmed down from it's usual yellow hue, and appeared more of an orange as it approached its daily slumber. The land was bathed in an orange glow. It gave off an incredibly peaceful vibe. A vibe that was added on to by the sounds all around, and the slight breeze flowing through the area. As the day went on, the crickets and cicadas of the farmland built up a sort of orchestra, and were now playing their symphony. If there was ever a personal heaven for you, this might be it. If only you could live like this every day. No worries, no targets, no 'hunts.' Granted, you loved the thrill of the 'hunt,' but sometimes, it was nice to get away from it all. It was nice to take a little time for your own, personal solace. It's why you loved sunsets. As one of nature's most peaceful acts of the day, you enjoyed watching the color spectacle of the sky during this time. That....and it was the only thing that you still had that reminded you of her. Shaking your head, you bring your mind back to the serenity of the scene at hoof. You were glad to be alone for once on this farm. "I'm surprised ya haven't run off yet." ...Or so you were. Craning your head around, you see Applejack approaching you, a reserved look on her face. Well, there's goes your chance at escaping the family, either for one minute or one eternity. "What? You don't think I'm THAT shifty, do you?" You ask, tease in your voice. She sits next to you before responding. "I wouldn't put it past ya." "Oh, your words pierce my heart like an icicle..." "Hm. I gotta say though, ya picked a good spot to stop. This is my personal favorite place to watch the sunset." She keeps a stoic look on her face, and doesn't turn her head to face you. "Oh, I'm sorry, am I trespassing?" You continue to tease. "No more than ya already are." She teases back. You shrug your shoulders. "I gotta ask though. Why didn't you tell your Granny about me?" "Uh...Well, Granny's kinda gettin' on in her years...I don't want to scare her by lettin' her know there's a criminal runnin' around the farm." "Eh, can't argue with that." The two of you simply sit in silence for a few moments, admiring the view. You glance over a few times to see if she's changed facial expressions, but it seems her face is stuck with that stoic look. You casually pass your eyes over her body. She really was quite built. Years of work on the farm must have made her quite fit, and it showed pretty well. She was shining in an orange glow, which was only amplified by her own orange coat. She was like a radiant beacon, shining on the countryside. Her eyes were glowing brightly in the sunlight, and almost seemed to sparkle. As much as you hated to admit it, she really was quite attractive. But you couldn't let yourself become entranced with this mare. There was the whole issue of her holding you hostage here. And you doubted her family, namely Big Macintosh, would appreciate you ogling at her. Still, it didn't hurt to take a glance. She was a fine specimen. You rub your eyes in a casual way, and look back towards the sunset. She didn't seem to notice you staring. You don't really know how long you were looking at her for. Hopefully not long enough for her to notice. "So why do you do it?" She suddenly asks. "What?" You ask back. "Why do you steal from others?" "What makes you think I've done this before?" "Well, ya told me that yer little mess up with the Zap Apples and the cart was gonna be bad 'for yer record.' I'm assuming that you've stolen more than once." "Oh, right." You told her that? A bit of a clumsy move. "Well, I guess...I don't know. Just used to it, I guess. No different than you or your farmwork." "Wait, what!?" She sounded appalled. "That's completely different!" "Nah, I steal for a living, you work on a farm for a living. Other than our methods of getting by, I don't see how it's different." You very casually say. "But, I mean...ugh, how can ya live with yourself doing that?" She almost sounded pleading. "You tend to lose the ability to feel guilt when you've been doing this as long as I have." You really don't care what she thinks of you, so you don't mind telling her this. "Wha...how long have ya been doing this?" "Oh, psh, I don't know...ever since I was a little colt, really." You wave a hoof dismissively. "What!? Why would you-" "If you grew up like I did, you wouldn't question." You interrupt. "But, I can't even..." She looks downward, placing a hoof on her hat to readjust it. "It's just the way I had to get by." She then looks back up to you, and says the unthinkable. "What would yer daddy think about ya doing this?" You can't respond. She did not just bring that up. No, no pony speaks about...him. Not after what he did. "Well!?" You fight to contain your anger. Looking down to the ground, you close your eyes and take calm, slow breaths. Any time someone asked about your father, you had to fight against the memories of the pain he put your family through. The turmoil, the hatred, the reasons you became a thief, it all stemmed from him. You've wished for all your life that you could get back at him for what he did. Only one problem. It's hard to get back at someone you don't know. "I...I never knew my father." You say, calmly. She remains silent for a long time before finally speaking. "...Oh...I-I'm sorry, I didn't know..." "You...you believe me?" You ask skeptically. "Well, yeah...you may be a thief, but I don't reckon anypony could lie about that. And, uh, not to brag, but I'm fairly good at tellin' liars." She replies. "B-but I'm sorry, really..." "It's fine, whatever. Don't worry about it." You wave a hoof dismissively again. The two of you sit in silence again, but this time, it is much more tense. You can feel the nervousness emanating from her. Why did she feel so bad about saying that? It's not like she cared about you. Why would she? Is she trying to sympathize with you? As if she could, she has no idea what you went through. But then again, perhaps she did. Her parents don't seem to be around this farm. Maybe they did the same thing your father did...No, surely not. She probably just works and lives here, and her parents are off in some other town or whatever. After what seemed like an eternity of silence, she finally stands up. "Well," she starts. "We should probably get some shut-eye. Got more work tomorrow." You think you hear a hint of guilt in her voice. "Aye aye, boss." You say, trying to dispel the awkward air. You trot ahead of her, and out of the corner of your eye, you think you see a look of despair on her face. The two of you trot back to the house in silence.