Apples and Cherry Blossoms

by Archangel2401


Sakura Sunset: Part 1

Angel Bunny came flying around the corner of the building with that wrinkled slip of paper clenched between his teeth. Not more than two seconds later the form of Isamaru came bound around after him, hot in pursuit and barking relentlessly.

"Isamaru, no! Teishi!"

"Angel! W-why is he chasing Angel?" Fluttershy's eyes went wide with terror and she began to fidget in uncertainty. She didn't know what to do, torn between hiding and trying to intervene as she started to trot frantically in place.

Hiroki gave no hesitation and he charged forth to meet the rambunctious animals head on to stop them. There was an agile leap and a one hundred-eighty degree turn so that by the time they reached him all three would all be running in tandem. He continued shouting for his dog to cease and desist, all the while Isamaru barked fiercely, intent on catching the rabbit.

"Isamaru o teishi shite kudasai! You must stop! Isamaru! STOP!" bellowed Hiroki at the top of his lungs. Isamaru was too thoroughly agitated and would not, or could not hear his master's call.

"Fluttershy, quick! Do something!" Rainbow Dash moved behind her fellow Pegasus and pushed her by the rump. "You're the one that's good with animals! Give 'em the stare!"

"Ohh! I couldn't!" cried Fluttershy, shrinking further as Rainbow Dash kept trying to push her in front of the group.

Everypony had turned to witness the spectacle as the sesame dog gave chase to the white rabbit. They made three full laps around Town Square, but nopony had a clue as to how to stop this. Finally Fluttershy made herself visible, leaning down with her front legs outstretched as she beckoned the rabbit over. The terrified Angel cried as he made a break for sanctuary, figuring his owner would protect him from the unruly canine. Isamaru was too clever to allow this and promptly changed tactics.

In a display not unlike the way Applejack worked with Winona to herd cows or sheep, Isamaru gave a burst of speed and leapt to the opposite side. Using his master's presence to box Angel in, he began to steer him off course so that they would shoot right past Fluttershy. Hiroki realized what was happening, but it was too late. The rabbit squealed and in his panic he went for the only opening he could.

The front door to the Red Apple Restaurant. Which was still propped wide open.

Isamaru chased Angel through that front door and into the dining area. Hiroki slowed himself, but this came too late as he'd skid on all four hooves before slamming to a halt against the side of his building. He let out a barely audible grunt as he keeled over, clearly a bit dazed as he staggered back to his hooves. The stoic samurai would shake his head to snap himself out of the stupor and when his eyes refocused he saw Pinkie Pie wobbling to and fro as though she too were dizzy. Everypony looked at her with bewilderment and she stopped, giving a shrug and a sheepish grin.

"What? It looked like fun!" Spike and Rainbow Dash both shook their heads. Now wasn't a good time.

"Hiroki, are you okay?!" Twilight trotted over to him first, but was soon joined by everypony else as they circled around him.

He didn't have the chance to answer as an awful din drowned out everything else around them. Loud crashes rang from inside the restaurant accompanied by more fierce barking, terrified squeals of a rabbit, and topped off with the distressed hisses of a cat. Dishes shattered and furniture was knocked around, but finally after several painful moments most noise ceased. Save for Isamaru's frustrating barking and the occasional angry growl from Opal. The samurai weaved between everypony else and stood in the open doorway to survey the damage.

To say it was a disaster would have been a compliment.

He stepped into the dining area, his hooves clopping against the hardwood floors while he peered around. Every table had been knocked over and half of the accompanying cushions were in tatters. The shattered remnants of porcelain plates and cups littered the floor. Several of the shoji screen panels were dented and a few were torn. The rack that had stood proudly, displaying a suit of deep red armor was toppled over with it's helmet knocked off. To make matters worse the nobori Opal had been curled up on was no longer folded neatly, but splayed out, wrinkled, and now covered in scratches.

The growling feline clung for dear life to the single support beam that ran along the ceiling. Isamaru was beside the overturned armor rack, barking furiously at the fallen helmet. The only thing keeping him from reaching it was a piece of armor that had snagged his collar, holding him in place. Still he tried to lunge and free himself from the restraint, still barking the entire time. Angel was cowering beneath the overturned kabuto helm, the wrinkled paper he'd been holding sticking out from under it.

The silver lining was that his work station had been largely spared from the destruction. Hiroki stepped through the door into what used to be his dining room and could see that none of his tools or cutlery were amongst the casualties. Isamaru finally registered his master's presence and looked back at him, whining as he continued to pull against his snagged collar. Everypony else had lined up around the doorway, peering through with wide eyes.

Hiroki leaned down to unsnag Isamaru's collar. The dog looked ready to lunge, but a single held up hoof ordered the canine to remain still. He rolled the kabuto over to release Angel from underneath. The trembling rabbit stared up at the steel gray Earth pony for a few moments before darting around him. He picked up the slip of paper and turned it over to see it was his note to Applejack while Angel scampered up onto Fluttershy's shoulder and glared daggers at the samurai's dog, sticking his tongue out and blowing a raspberry.

The samurai turned towards the doorway and shot a glare that could give Fluttershy's 'stare' a run for it's money. Angel and Fluttershy both shrank promptly, the former moving to hide behind the latter's mane. Hiroki looked out over what remained of his dining area and let out a slow sigh. Everything was wrecked. Ruined. He had couldn't seat or serve anypony in here while the restaurant was in it's current state. What's more, he wouldn't have the order of apples he needed to serve them. Why had the spirits dishonored him so?

"Angel, what was that all about? What happened?" Fluttershy turned her head to spy her pet rabbit out of her peripherals. Angel shrugged and shook his head, gesturing with his front paws in wild motions. "What? You don't mean him? Now really!"

Hirok tapped one hoof patiently as rabbit and Pegasus conferred with one another. Fluttershy stepped into the dining room and peered at Isamaru. The dog sauntered over and barked several times, looking at the cotton tail sticking out from around Fluttershy's neck and growled irritably. Fluttershy's head sank a bit upon hearing this and she pouted deeply. She tapped her hoof against the hardwood floor and Angel scuttled down to stand before her.

"Is that true, Angel? Did you take that note from him?" Fluttershy frowned heavily at Angel Bunny, who began to wilt in front of her. "Oh Angel, now really..."

Hiroki strode past Fluttershy as she continued to mediate between her rabbit and his dog. He gave Isamaru a single pat on the head. The dog's tail wagged, but he also sank at the sign of affection from his master. The implications of their rampage had finally set in. The samurai paused at the door and without saying a word everypony stepped aside, allowing how to exit. He sauntered over to the sakura tree and took a seat, lowering his head and clopping his hooves together twice. The sun could barely be seen over the horizon at this point, it's last light fading.

"What happened? The whole place is trashed..." Spike shrugged helplessly as he peered through the doorway. "It looks worse than that time Rainbow Dash crashed into the Golden Oak Library."

"It seems that... w-well..." Fluttershy sighed. "Isamaru dropped by earlier and... Angel got a bit jealous of the attention I was giving him... so Angel stole a note Isamaru was carrying when I fed him at lunchtime. But Isamaru has a hunter's instincts... Naturally he tracked Angel down to get it back. Oh! It's all my fault!"

"Oh come on! It's not your fault Angel got his tail all fluffed out of shape." scoffed Rainbow Dash, rolling her eyes.

Spike was all too familiar with Angel's mischief and narrowed his eyes with mild contempt at the rabbit.

"Howdy y'all! I'm not late am I?" Applejack's voice called out to them as she approached, but judging by the hoof-steps she wasn't alone. Hiroki couldn't bring himself to look over at her just yet, his feeling of shame was still too prominent. "He looks wound up tighter n' a banjo string... did I miss somethin'?"

"Welllllllll..." Pinkie Pie took in an incredibly long, deep breath before exploding into explanation. "Seems like Hiroki's been working hard all day to set up this little dinner gathering for us and the Princesses. He nearly hurt himself moving a grill, I sorta poisoned him with my cupcakes, and he had to sit through one of Rarity's spa sessions all for the sake of making a good impression! Then Angel got jealous when Fluttershy was taking care of Isamaru over there, so he stole an order slip that was supposed to go to you over at Sweet Apple Acres so he'd have enough apples to prepare for us! But just a bit ago Isamaru and Angel sorta wrecked the restaurant fighting over the note you never got. And now Hiroki's ashamed because his restaurant is trashed, you didn't bring any apples and thinks he's dishonored himself in front of everypony. And honor is super seriously important to samurai."

The long winded and surprisingly accurate description of the events that had occurred earned a simultaneous blink-blink of comprehension from everypony present.

"Hiroki, is that true? You figure we'll think less of you just because everything's not perfect?" Twilight sauntered over to stand beside the silent samurai and she leaned around to get a look at his face. His head was still lowered and his eyes closed. "Do you really think you're... dishonored? Over something silly like this?"

"Honor is everything to samurai." He replied simply. "I have failed all of you. Such failure does not go unrecognized."

"Don't say that! You were running your tail off to make everything ready! You didn't fail at all. Everypony has the tussles sometimes, right?" said Fluttershy gently. "Friends don't think less of each other just because things haven't gone right."

"Well it is a shame your place is a bit messy, but we did bring apples." interjected Applejack. "Does that mean ya' don't need 'em then?"

Hiroki's ears stood up straight as the apple farmer's words tickled them. His head rose and turned slowly to finally face Applejack. On her left was Big Mac, hitched to a cart full of fresh apples of various varieties. On his back sat Apple Bloom who was clinging affectionately to her older sibling. To Applejack's right were Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo and Hiroki surmised that they'd just come from their not-so-secret club about cutie marks. Those sharp, viridian eyes softened as he approached the Apple family, unable to disguise his expression of surprise and bewilderment.

"I thought... my order..." Hiroki seemed to be having a bit of trouble finding the right words. "...you received the note I sent after all?"

"I didn't actually, but after you and me ran into each other this mornin' I went n' saw Twilight and I got to thinkin'..." Applejack grinned and brushed her hat back on her head. "Plus I got a little tip-off from Apple Bloom."

"Yeah! Your dog burst into class right before lunch! He ran right up to Apple Bloom and just started barking!" said Scootaloo as she and Sweetie Belle both snickered.

"That was so embarrassing." The youngest Apple lowered her head and sighed. "I thought Miss Cheerilee was gonna give me detention... Isamaru wouldn't just give me the note, but I did get a glimpse of it so I told Applejack when I got home from school. She and Big Mac got a cart ready just for you!"

"Ee'yup." Big Mac nodded once and smiled proudly.

Hiroki felt like he might throw his front legs around Applejack in a great big hug and damn what anypony would have thought. She'd certainly pulled his rump out of the fire. However the teachings of proper decorum from his youth overpowered this desire with disappointing, but unsurprising ease. The samurai straightened himself before lowering his head in a deep bow.

"I cannot thank you enough. I am in your debt..." When his head rose again he looked to Applejack and spotted the cherry blossom he'd given her the day before, tucked into her mane just beside her ear.

"Oh, a-ah... heh. Don't worry about it sugar cube." Applejack chuckled and went pink in the face. She still remembered the whole incident with Spike and his 'dragon code'.

The samurai turned to look around at all of his gathered guests and spotted another cart stylized like iced ginger bread. It had to be Pinkie Pie's. He walked over to it and Pinkie gave him a cheerful smile before tugging the cloth cover free. Round, 'cocoon' shaped paper lanterns had been stacked neatly inside, forming a pyramid of at least thirty. She squee'd and bounced with excitement. There were a few varying colors present, but most of the bonbori were made of a thin, cream colored paper. If he didn't know better they could have come straight from his homeland.

"I really wasn't sure about the sort of size or shape so I asked Twilight and she showed me that book she was reading. There were a few pictures in there. Do you like them?" Pinkie smiled, though it was obvious she was nervous about gaining his approval.

"They are just what I asked for." Hiroki felt a bit nostalgic and a smile tugged the corners of his lips. He nodded and brought a hoof up to pat Pinkie Pie on the back.

"Just so we're all on the same page here... are we still doing this? The sun's just about set. That means Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are going to be here soon, and there's no where to sit." Rainbow Dash flapped her wings as she fluttered over Hiroki and Pinkie Pie.

Hiroki quickly disappeared into the restaurant and moments later Opal came scurrying out, headed straight back to Carousel Boutique. He had the banner Rarity fashioned for him draped over his back, three lengths of bamboo resting along one shoulder, and some sort of calligraphy brush in his mouth. He lay the banner out and marked the center the four stylized diamonds with a single marking of his native language. The bamboo poles were quickly joined together, looped through the fabric so it would hang properly. Finally he jammed the end of the bamboo pole into the ground and raised the nobori upright, letting it stand tall and proud.

"Dinner will be served." Hiroki spoke calmly, once again full of confidence.

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