//------------------------------// // 175. Simple Ways - Part 2 // Story: Blaze the Pony Tale // by Wolven5 //------------------------------// Trenderhoof, completely oblivious to the dark pegasus, had decided that staring at the Applejack of his eye was not enough. He needed to speak with her so they could begin their lives together! The unicorn took a few steps forward, running through the appropriate greeting to give his one true love, when a blur of black and grey zoomed past him toward his fair Applejack. Thunderlane, having seen Trenderhoof approaching his friend had suddenly taken off at top speed. He had no idea why and no idea what he was doing, but something inside him would not let Trenderhoof approach her. Applejack blinked in surprise as she noticed Thunderlane come in for landing, dust blowing everywhere from his speed. However this seemed to be all he did, as the stallion just stared at her silently, his mouth opening and closing as if trying to speak words and utterly failing. "Uh, hey there Thunderlane. Tha’ was a mighty quick landin’. Everything alright? Yer lookin’ kinda odd right now." Thunderlane was still struggling with something to say. He had no idea what was going on right now. He had been chatting with his friend Blueblood before suddenly being overwhelmed with anger and bursting over to AJ, and he had no idea why. Something must have been wrong with him and he needed to figure out what. Right now though, he could see Rarity approaching Trenderhoof, who seemed a little downtrodden that another stallion was speaking with AJ instead of him. A subtly fake cough from AJ drew his attention back to her, where she was still waiting for a response, her eyebrow raised curiously and a hint of concern in her expression. "Oh uh, hi AJ! I uh... I just came over here to say hi ya know... just see how my favorite farmer mare was doing..." The response didn't make AJ change her expression. In fact it just seemed to puzzle her more. "Uh... Ah'm fine Thunder... thanks fer asking... is uh... is everything alright? Ya seem really out of it? Ya feeling sick or somethin’?" Thunderlane could see a slightly annoyed and disappointed Rarity dragging away Trenderhoof, but the stallion kept looking back, as though waiting for the first chance he could get to speak with Applejack alone. Whatever part of him that seemed to hate the stallion and want him gone suddenly burst for joy and he found he could stop rambling, buying time until Trenderhoof was completely gone from the scene. "Yes, I am fine...I ah... I just... I'm not sure I... how's that weather doing for ya?! Sure is a good day for farming, am I right?!" his frantic ramblings were almost a shout but the end as he stumbled trying to find some kind of response. It was clearly unnerving Applejack though, making her grow quite worried about her friend. She stepped forward to put a hoof on his shoulder and try to calm him down, when Thunderlane looked over her shoulder and noticed that Rarity and the stallion she was with had left. Immediately he calmed down, but then a look of concern and almost feared crossed his expression. He raised his two front hooves and stared at them for a moment before mumbling a goodbye and taking off into the sky. Applejack just watched him fly off, worry heavy on her face. She looked around and saw that Blueblood was approaching her, concern on his own muzzle. "Blue, wha’ just happened here? Thunderlane just flew over acting real weird an’ then he got all scared an’ flew off. Ya got any idea what's going on?" Watching his friend freak out and be unable to speak with Applejack was quite worrying, and his reaction after Trenderhoof had left was just as strange. But it was the immense anger that Blueblood had seen that really had him worried. "I'm sorry, Applejack. I do not." "What the buck is wrong with me!" Thunderlane smashed several clouds, venting out his anger and frustration before collapsing on one. His mind was struggling to sort through the conflicting emotions he was feeling and the strange actions he had been compelled to take. He'd seen Blueblood down below looking a little annoyed, so he'd gone down to check on his friend. But then mid-conversation, he'd seen that thin and lanky unicorn start making lovey-dovey eyes at Applejack, calling her his true love and stuff, and Thunderlane had just snapped. He'd just gotten so angry, uncontrollably angry. He couldn't understand why. He'd never even met the unicorn before and he didn't seem mean or unfriendly. Heck, Rarity seemed to be really getting along with him. Then he'd looked at Applejack with hearts in his eyes and Thunderlane had gotten immensely angry. WHY? Then after he'd gotten so angry he'd started feeling protective and flown over to Applejack to as if to protect her from Trenderhoof. But when he got there he realized that the unicorn wasn't even doing anything, so why did he want to protect AJ? Besides, AJ could very easily take care of herself, and if the stallion was a creep or something, she'd be fine. That line of thought seemed to be the key. I guess something about that stallion just sets me off. My instincts kicked in and I wanted to protect my friend. That has to be it, I mean, why else would I get so overprotective and angry? I must have just been so focused on that that I couldn't even speak with Applejack properly. That makes sense. Having come to a verdict on why he had acted so crazy, Thunderlane calmed down a little. Still the desire to make sure the stallion wasn't going to try anything else with Applejack was strong in his mind and he couldn't shake it. Not to mention that last thought felt more like he was just trying to convince himself. Well, I’ve finished my shift for the day. I suppose I can tail Rarity and that Trenderhoof guy for a while, make sure he isn't putting any more of my friends in some sort of trouble. Maybe try and figure out what it is about him that is setting me off so much. Then I can talk to AJ again and make sure she knows I'm fine. She looked really worried when I freaked out there. That thought made him feel guilty, more so then he figured it would, but his distrust of the unicorn was stronger, and it drew his focus. Having decided on his course of action, the pegasus flew off to find Rarity and make sure the stallion didn't try doing anything else to Applejack... or his other friends. But especially Applejack. It took some coaxing but Rarity managed to get Trenderhoof to follow her to carry on with the tour. Even so, Rarity couldn’t help but wonder what that entire fiasco had been about, and why did Trenderhoof show such an interest in Applejack? She was the Pony of Ceremonies, if there was anypony Trenderhoof should be paying attention to it was her! She did however glance Blueblood looking rather annoyed but when he’d noticed her looking at him he looked away and whistled innocent-like. “and here in town square, Trenderhoof,” Rarity carried on as best she could, “will be the climax of the festival, the Ponyville Days Gala! Music, dancing, and of course a locally coursed menu of delicious treats! Uh-heh, rather like the Spring Fling meets Manehatten Wedding article you wrote in Gallop & Prance!” “I must get this out, Miss Rarity, for I am becoming inspired!” Trenderhoof voiced all of a sudden. Without farm life there’d be such disparity, These thoughts I think with great clari- “Hey Blue!” The loud voice interrupted Trenderhoof’s moment as he and Rarity looked and saw Thunderlane lounging on a cloud as he spoke down to Blueblood, “Remember last week when we went to that Beat Culture night at the coffee shop? AJ walked right out, harping about poetry? Said she couldn’t stand all that nonsensical rhyming.” “Uh…” Blueblood didn’t know how to respond to that but Thunderlane saw just the response he wanted from Trenderhoof as the travel-writer’s inspiration went south for the winter, given the crestfallen look on his eyes and drooping of his ears. “Let’s… carry on, shall we Trenderhoof?” Rarity encouraged with a nervous smile. Over the next few hours, things just became more awkward and odd. Trenderhoof tried to talk with Applejack as she was making a delivery and when he tried to munch on one of her apples, Thunderlane zoomed by, yelling, “Think fast!” and munching on the apple himself and sending Trenderhoof for a whirl, which gave Applejack ample time to get away and complete her delivery while Rarity told him it was time to check out the cider-tasting. At Sweet Apple Acres, Trenderhoof tried to talk with Applejack again, this time dressed in overalls, a straw hat, and a red hanky in his pocket, trying to look country, as he again tried to approach Applejack as she and Midnight were busy making cider. But before he could get close, a dark gray blur sped him by so fast it blew his country clothes right off, leaving him naked! Rather than approach Applejack in the buff, Trenderhoof, quickly jumped into a nearby barrel. Unfortunately, it was full of cider and Midnight was none too happy with some of his family’s cider being ruined that he teleported Trenderhoof off of the property. Still Trenderhoof would not be deterred, for after getting his normal sweater back on, he tried to go see Applejack in the orchard after she went to buck for more apples, only for Thunderlane to provide more interference by bringing over a small but uncannily accurate thundercloud that cracked lightning every time Trenderhoof got too close to the area Applejack was in, that Trenderhoof steered clear. “Phew!” Thunderlane was glad to get rid of the thundercloud, after it served its purpose in barring that burr in his fur Trenderhoof from Applejack. The weather captain had just busted the cloud and took a breather on another, “Keeping undesirables away from your friends is exhausting!” Still, it continued to bug Thunderlane as to why Trenderhoof getting goo-goo eyed at Applejack bothered him so much. As he groaned and slouched on the cloud, he wondered, what was going on with him? He’d known Applejack for quite a while, she was a good and reliable friend, kind but could be firm when she had to be. ...and real pretty when she’s bucking those trees and… the way she smiles when she serves up some of her recipes-! Thunderlane jolted as his thoughts began to get a little weird, “Snap out of it, Thundy! You’re… just being protective of one of your best friend’s little sister, is all! I’m a big brother too, makes perfect sense.” The tone might have sounded convincing so why did Thunderlane doubt his own words? Groaning, he collapsed again onto the cloud and muttered, “Maybe I should....” "Pick an apple a day an' keep trouble away!” Thunderlane jolted up again, recognizing that voice, as well as the infuriating one that came after it. He peered over his cloud and realized he’d floated right above town, specifically o’er Stirrup Street, and there they were! Applejack was trotting along with baskets of apples strapped to her barrel, that pretty-colt writer following as he asked, “ How many varieties of apples do you think there are?” “On th’ farm or in all Equestria because-” Applejack tried to ask only to look annoyed when Trenderhoof levitated one of her apples towards his muzzle, and interrupted. “I once had an apple so rare they thought it was extinct! I ate four of them,” Trenderhoof took a messy chomp of the apple, bits of it and some of its juice getting on Applejack’s face, mane, and tail. Wiping it off, Applejack remarked, “Is tha’ a fact…?” “That’s my thing! I take the mundane, the simple, and the unappreciated,” Trenderhoof explained while rudely pointing at random ponies around them, “and make it relatable.” “And what’s wrong with being mundane and simple?” said an accusatory voice edged razor sharp, and Trenderhoof whinnied at the doozy of a stink eye that Thunderlane was giving him while flapping aloft overhead. “Thunder?” Applejack watched as Thunderlane flapped down to Trenderhoof’s eye-level but kept flapping to maintain the looking down on him (given Trenderhoof was taller in stature). “Because what is really unappreciated is the way you seem to be towards us Ponyvillians!” Thunderlane glared into Trenderhoof’s eyes, the writer gulping as he slowly tried to back away but Thunderlane maintained the uncomfortably close and threatening glare. “Maybe Ponyville isn’t some big and fancy burg like Manehatten or Canterlot, but its got in spades what places like those are sorely lacking in! Wanna know what that is, tough guy?” “Thunder, Ah think yer scarin’ `im,” Applejack tried to intervene but Thundelrane ignored her. “Decent, honest, and friendly ponies!” Thunderlane answered, Trenderhoof starting to sweat bullets. “And honestly? If this ‘mundane, simple, and unappreciated’ neighborhood doesn’t meet your stuffy example of standards, why don’cha just head on back to the station and catch the next train to, say? ANYWHERE!” Thunderlane’s outburst startled Trenderhoof, causing him to fall on his butt, and start shivering a little in fright- “THUNDERLANE!” The three ponies looked and saw a very cross-looking Rarity, whose horn forced Thunderlane onto the round as she came over and grabbed him by the ear with her teeth, and started pulling him towards an alley, the pegasus complaining, “Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow…!!” Rarity released Thunderlane and glared up into his face, demanding, “Thunderlane, I demand an explanation of your behavior, most uncouth I shall add, towards Trenderhoof!” Thunderlane frowned and rolled his eyes and grumbled like a pouty colt, only to yelp as Rarity gave a rather unpleasant yank on his ear, “ALRIGHT! I’ll talk, just leggo!” Rarity ceased pulling but Thunderlane felt the tingle of Rarity’s telekinetic aura still on his ear, which he knew was a silent warning not to push her. “...It’s… It’s…! It’s just that Trenderhoof guy, being all over AJ, they way he looks at her, how obvious it is she’s not interested and yet he’s too dense to take a hint!” Rarity raised a brow, puzzled by Thunderlane’s words and behavior, “Thunderlane, I… I never thought you to be so protective of Applejack. Still, I remained averse to the example you displayed, and-” “That guy just rubs me the wrong way, alright?!” Thunderlane snapped, only to get another warning tug on his ear that made him shut his trap. “Thunderlane… Why ever would a pony being fawned over with the sort of attention Trenderhoof is paying her, as you put it, rub you the wrong way?” Rarity asked with a prying tone. “I dunno, it… just does!” Thunderlane crossed his forelegs, looking irritated but also confused himself. “I mean… I’m not saying… Trenderhoof’s a bad guy, it’s… Well, Applejack is clearly not interested, and it kinda makes sense, she’s… Well, she’s work-oriented, she’s responsible, she has good values, she looks out for her family and friends, treats them all well and knows when to put her hoof down…” As Rarity listened, she saw a glimmer in Thunderlane’s golden eyes and it finally started to dawn on her, for like the rising sun of a dawn did her brow rise and she smirked, and it was a while before Thunderlane noticed her expression, and flinched, having gotten to adjectives synonymous to ‘pretty’ and ‘beautiful’. “Ah-ha…!” “Wha- I- Whoa, now, hold on, Rares!” Thunderlane blushed while waving his hooves in a ‘no way’ gesture, “C’mon, get real! I mean, sure Applejack’s a beauty an’ all, but, uh! I could never- Don’cha see, I mean… She’s my best friends’ sister!” “...Thunderlane,” Rarity said in a flat tone, “Who are you really trying to convince here, me or yourself?” Thunderlane opened his mouth to continue his denial but nothing came out. Rarity had beat the nail on the head, and as he found enlightenment, Thunderlane couldn’t deny it as he thought, I like Applejack…!