//------------------------------// // Jax day // Story: Secrets of a Wanderer // by Nero_Nova //------------------------------// Chapter 11 a simple day “Cold,” was all that came to mind as Jax right hoof touched the ground for the first time in a week. The feel of blood waking the stiff ridged muscles for the first time since he first came to Equestria. Swaying from side to side Jax could tell he was not fully healed just yet but was now capable of walking normally. A few taps of his hoof for one final test and he could feel the tender spot, most would have gone back to bed knowing their boss does not expect them to work while recovering. Jax instead decided to hold his leg up while bucking apples today to not to re-brake his leg. The sound of early birds could be heard beyond the door to the balcony, covered by thick velvet curtains, darkening the room as if still night. The stallion could feel his healing leg pulse with every step as he strolled over. Pulling the curtains aside, his crimson eyes were greeted by the warm colors of the sun just peeking over the harmonize. Only one thought came to mind, “Time for work”. Dawning his purple cloak that bared his cutie mark of a blue feather and sword crossed over one another, the green stallion stepped out into the hall. The familiar feeling of seclusion fell over him as his hoof steps echoed in the halls. Even after a week, the reality of his current place of residence was baffling, all he did was fight a monster, nothing special just helped a few ponies. Yet here he was antedated with the royals of a new land, living with one of them in a castle, working with her close friend. Jax was no stranger to royals having met plenty in his travels, but living with one was a definite first. Approaching the main hall he passed the kitchen, for the past few days Twilight had been insisting that he wait to eat with her and Spike in the morning. Stepping in he asked the same question he always did, “Why do they care so much? I've done nothing to earn it.” looking around Jax decided to change that, grabing some barriers and mix from around the kitchen he prepared some pancake batter he had learned to make in Prance a few years back. With everything ready, he left a note for Twilight simply saying “Enjoy”. Outside in the town, the green stallion was bid good morning by many who had come to recognize him as Apple Jacks new farm hand, few knew his name, but that didn't seem to matter to them. As grateful as he was for this local acceptance from the town, the fact was just as alien as living in the castle. It had been so long since Jax had seen so many friendly face's so ready to interact, he felt like a celebratory. This, of course, was clearly not the case, though to the mind of a stallion so use to being part of the background, it seemed more possible then everypony simply being that nice. All of a sudden Jax ears twitched and a jolt ran down his spine, seconds after the sound of a panicking mare came from behind. “OH NO, LOOK OUT!” a quick, but short leap to the side was all it took to narrowly avoid the Pony Post mare falling out of the sky and crashing into the nearby set of barrels outside sugar cube corner..... again. The poor gray mare laid there among the barrels in a daze with her wings spread out on the ground and her eyes swirling from the disorienting collision. “Gust of wind catch you again Derpy?” Shaking her head helped to bring back her sense of direction before responding with a giggle coupled with her cheeks turning a deep shade of red. “Actually I passed by Rainbow Dash this time.” She responded in her smooth, gentle voice. Jax rolls his eyes as the dizzy pegasus fumbles to the hooves, “I swear, you're going to get hurt one of these days.” “Na, I got a hard head.” she quipped back knocking the crown of her head with her hoof. “Even steel can break Derpy.” “Careful Jax, keep talking like that and somepony might think you care about something,” She says bouncing her brow up and down teasing the green stallion. The comment more then caught him off guard, all to often Derpy's clumsiness made him forget how clever the-the tricky little mare was. Coupled with years of teasing, do to her wonky eyes that were often looking in two different directions, she had developed a gift of reading others. “Don't you have deliveries to get done?” he replied just as sly and cheeky. The truth of his words made the gray mare gasp and speed off, only to double back to hug Jax good-bye and then fly off. To say that he jumped at the sudden embrace would be an understatement, had his leg not still been healing, little Derpy would have gone flying again. Seeing her vanish in the distance, Jax could finally relax as he continued down the dirt streets to the apple farm. The bridge at the edge of town could be seen not to far away, it stood as somewhat of a halfway marker between the town and the farm. But another distraction popped up as the sweet smell of lemon filled the air, just off to the side the source was found. Bonbon was setting out to cool a fresh batch of lemon tarts. Jax had become antiquated with the cream colored mare through Pinkie Pie, who insisted not too long ago, on bringing him to meet all the bakers in town. Her reasoning was so he would know all the places to satisfy his sweet tooth. The smell of the freshly made sweets were intoxicating, it didn't help that the pink and blue maned mare was fanning them to cool them quicker. “Stay out of trouble today Jax and I might make you my special tart's later today.” his crimson eye's shot open at the sound of a familiar mare teasing him, he looked around for the source of the voice but found nothing, not a soul was on the street with him. The aroma of the lemon had whisked, for just a moment, into the past. His breath was short as if in a panic but was calmed with a single breath, he looked once more over to Bon-bon and found her waving hello. A wave back and Jax was on his way, now reminded why he stays clear of Bon-bon's shop. Jax had taken long enough getting to work, and finally he could see the front of the apple farm coming in the view. To his surprise, he found little Apple bloom re-painting the fence, being to short to reach the top, she stood on the top beam instead of on the ground, holding the paintbrush in her mouth. Popping her head up to check her work the red headed filly spots the newest addition to the farm. “Hey, Jax!” A loud greeting from the hyper little filly as she dropped the brush and bounced a little on the fence. Jax had come to learn that if Apple Bloom and any of her little friends were involved in something, it was most likely that something was going to go wrong in the most innocent of ways. And as expected, Apple Bloom slipped on the wet paint and new she was about to fall right into the open can of paint on the ground. She waited for the splash, but instead felt something around her waist. Jax had ran aver and caught her mid-air almost right after she fell. “Do you ever stay out of trouble?” He asked the little filly as she smiled, a touch of red creeping into her cheeks. Setting her down the two parted ways and it was back to work. Up at the barn Big Mac and Apple Jack were waiting for him, as always they would see him coming and wave before continuing their talk of the days work. It was hard to admit, but he was enjoying this new job as a farm hand more than expected. No lazing about, no room for thoughtless mistakes or needless interaction, just good hard work with plenty of quiet time. The silence was the best part, time to get lost in thought with n worry of anyone interrupting. “Well, you're looking mighty well today,” Complemented the blond mare pointing out Jax healing leg. “Guess we can stop fussing over you taking a break.” The green stallion rolled his eye's having told them numerous times such things were unnecessary from the start. “Well it's business as usual, you'll be working the area next to the one from yesterday. Since you got your leg back to, you'll be taking care of your apple tubs from now on, sound good?” Spotting the newly built cart in the barn, he nodded his head and all three went to work. Starting from the back of his tree line Jax got to work, being sure to keep his right leg off the ground so not to add any unwanted stress. One after another the trees were cleared of apples with two or three kicks, half way through the day he had noticed some bark on the trees bending outward, he had been hitting the trees to hard. Lighter hits would take longer to get the work done, but it was better then breaking the tree. The last hour of work had begun and so had the last hoof full of tree's, just when all seems to go smoothly, Apple Jack strolls over. “Hey there Jax, almost done?” “Yeah, just a few more tree's,” So much for silence. “Well let me give you a hoof there, not too many apples where I was so got done a bit early.” For a few moments, nothing could be heard but the sound of hooves, until Apple Jack asked a question. “So I've been wondering,” four words Jax did not want to hear, “You're awfully strong for a stallion your size...” “I thought we already talked about that?” Jax questioned in his mind. “What exactly did you do to get so strong? I mean, Big Mac and I are some of the toughest in town from working on the farm for so long, so I gotta say I'm more then curious as to how you did it?” Thinking back to his first day in Equestria, Jax remembered how insistent Apple Jack was about helping him out and hoped she would not pursue this question in the same manner. “There's really not much to tell,” he stated hoping she would not ask again. “Oh come on now,” Apple Jack playfully insisted, “no pony wakes up as strong as you or me.” “Ancients damn it!” Was the only thought in his head as The orange mare looked at him with beaming eyes much like her sister's, a look Jax could never say no to. “Well...” he muttered hesitantly, Apple Jack was suddenly on the tips of her hooves thinking she would be the first to hear anything new about Jax. “I've been travailing around for a while, some places in the world are quiet and easy going like Ponyvill, other though, just making it through to the next day can feel like a matter of life or death.” His words sent chills down Apple Jacks spine. “To survive in places like that, one must learn to adapt and think on their hooves. The end result is normally coming out stronger and smarter than you were before.” Not even close to what the farm raised pony was looking for answer wise, but still plenty more then Jax had given them all week. “So, you really did just wake up one morning and found out you were strong?” “In a nutshell, yes.” The concept was baffling, if such a statement had come from anypony else, she would have dismissed it as something taken from a fantasy novel. However, the deadpan look on his face, his bright red eyes calm and clear of all movement as he spoke, he was telling the cold, honest, truth. “Well, I don't know what you've been through to get this strong, but I'm glad you found your way to ponyvill.” Again Jax felt his guard drop at the farm mares statement, but it was no matter. He nodded his head and the two got back to work. A short time passes and the work comes to a end with granny smith calling the family in for supper. Waving goodbye the green stallion leaves before any more questions could be asked. On his way back to town, he discovers the local pond that Rainbow Dash had told him about a few days ago. Taking a moment to rest Jax walks over a sits by the water, giving him a moment to relax and gather his thoughts. He thought back to the items he lost on the ship when he first came to Equestria, several of them irreplaceable. Mental notes were being formed of what he would need to replace before he left, having received his first payment from work, he was ready to start planning. Leather was first on the list, it would be the easiest to use but hard to find anything worth using for his... Jax thoughts were interrupted by a sudden fit of hushed giggles coming from the bushes behind him. He shut his eyes to listen and found the sound unmistakable, it was Pinkie Pie desperately trying not to burst out in a fit of laughter. Coupled with said fit of giggles were the sounds of flapping wings and a second voice making shushing sounds. Even with his eyes closed Jax could see the lighting change as the second vice hovered over him. “You have got to be kidding me....” he gave a sigh, “three, two, one.” Before anyone could react the green stallion steped out of the way in a blur just as the first drop of rain fell from the cloud Rainbow Dash had moved over him to play a rain prank. Pinkie Pie could no longer contain her laughter and fell out of the bushes and onto her side. Rainbow Dash was not as pleased seeing the dry that her plan had failed. “Hey, how did you know we were here?” Might want to work on your stealth Rainbow Dash.” With that said Jax took his leave. The two tricksters follow soon after, Pinkie hopping along beside him and Dash flying just overhead. “So whatcha doing?” Asks the fluffy pink pony. “Heading over to the carousel boutique, I had a question for Rarity.” “About what fashion? Because that kinda all she does.” Said the overhead blue are. “Actually I was going to ask here where I can get some good leather.” “What for?” “Just something I'm working on.” The trio of ponies heads to Rarity's only to learn that she does not work with leather but suggests ordering some from Appaloosa. Jax declines the offer and states that he would rather go in person to see the town and more of Equestria. Shortly after leaving Dahs and Pinkie depart to continue their prancing of ponyvill. A short walk back to the castle and the stallion was ready to sit down with one of Twilight's books and call it a day. He rose a hoof to the modest front door of the castle only a foot or so larger than the average. All was well until his hoof touched the door... A flash of a memory overtook him and threaten to pull him from reality, he shook his head violently trying to erase the image from his mind. Though he could see clearly again, the thought was unmistakable, a massive pair of red oak double doors, a memory better left in the past. Again Jax felt his hooves shaking, but this was not the place, he closed his eye's and pressed forward inside. He would then head to his guest room and not be seen until morning.