Portentous - Lone Star's Chronicles

by Einzel

Chapter 7: Cutie Mark Squire

Chapter 7: Cutie Mark Squire

Sweet Apple Acres. I’ve been working there almost daily for weeks now. I usually went to help harvesting crops, fixing broken fences and tending animals. I really liked working there especially because I had a lot of fun talking to Big Mac, Granny Smith and Applejack, besides they always had excellent food there and also always let me take leftovers home. I didn’t worry too much about the payment, the Apples were on a string of bad luck and some plagues took a good chunk of the other crops they usually sell, but even so what they paid was more than enough to live and save.

At that place the only pony I still hadn’t met was the youngest member of the family, a filly called Apple Bloom. Applejack had explained me that thanks to new programs at school she had to stay the entire afternoon studying there, and since my job was usually done by the middle afternoon, sometimes even earlier, I never staid long enough to meet her.

To be honest I think it was better that way, Applejack often told on how crazy that filly was to get her cutie mark and what kind of trouble she’d put herself into trying to get it. I’m really not sure what would be her reaction if she ever saw an adult pony without its cutie mark.

That day I would have to work carrying and organizing the hay shipment the Apples had bought, it would be a heavy job but I was feeling super that day.

Before I could start Applejack went there to sign all the paperwork and as soon I approached the wagon she gleefully cracked that old joke to the pony who brought the shipment while poking my flank, “Careful with him, he has a thing for hay wagons.”

Very funny Applejack, very funny.

It seems that I was getting some muscular mass working there, the hay packs surely were heavy as heck, but I could carry most of them without draining myself and finished the job after some hours, it was a lot faster than even I had expected. Big Mac was satisfied with my work and then told me to help Applejack harvesting grapes, I was a bit tired, but still good to go so I rushed to the direction he had indicated me.

Harvesting grapes was no easy task, it may not be heavy duty but you must be very picky and keen-eyed to spot bad grapes that could ruin an entire shipment if left there. It took us a lot longer than we had thought to finish the job since there were a lot of bad, or rotten, grapes. While we were walking back Applejack grunted upset saying that a pest ruined a good amount of nice grapes and that the sales wouldn’t be nearly as good as the last year, I tried to cheer her up giving a nice apple I was saving for when I got home, but the best I could get was a forced smile.

At the end of another hard work day (for me) it was past half afternoon, I had my usual “all-you-can-carry leftovers buffet”, decided to go home where I’d leave the food in the storage and go to the library. I was still feeling great and Twilight told me few days ago she had some new novels and a brand new book about magic, that she had already finished reading, of course. After going to Golden Oaks Library I would spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing, eating a plate of delicious Corn Chips while reading a good book.

That what I was intended, but hey, I keep forgetting this is Ponyville and there is no such thing as plans here.

I was at the gates of Sweet Apple Acres and Applejack was thanking me for another day of help. As she was ready to go back I could hear a voice of a perky filly zooming towards the gates, I’d bet my precious leftovers that it was her little sister, Apple Bloom.

Bullseye.

As soon I saw Apple Bloom, her obsession for getting her cutie mark came to my mind and I naturally tried to zoom to the opposite way, but that filly was faster than a lightning and as I turned she was already at the gates hugging her big sister.

“Sorry, Applejack, but I’m late for the cutie mark crusaders meeting!” Apple Bloom said giving her saddlebag to Applejack and trying to run towards another part of the farm, but Applejack halted her.

“Whoa there, missy! Don’t you have any homework to do?” Applejack inquired with a strong, motherly tone.

“Not today! I finished everythin’ so I could be free, now please let me go Applejack?” Apple Bloom pleaded with big, puppy eyes.

Applejack still had another question for her. “But what are you doin’ this early home? I thought Cherilee had more classes for you!”

“Nope! Today we had less appointments at school, now let me go please?” Apple Bloom was hopping ready to rush as soon Applejack gave her clearance.

I could tell Applejack grew suspicious of her sister thinking she was skipping classes for her cutie mark hunting. I’d feel the same way. The thing was that Apple Bloom was talking eye-to-eye with Applejack, there’s no way a filly like her would be able to lie like that.

“Let her go, Applejack. She’s being really honest here,” I talked in Apple Bloom’s favor as I approached the Apple sisters.

“Whoa, Lone. I thought you already had left,” Applejack spoke surprised.

“Huh, who are you, mister?” Apple Bloom asked looking at me.

“His name is Lone Star, he’s been helpin’ us here in the farm lately,” Applejack said introducing me, I waved my hoof at Apple Bloom.

“I’m Apple Bloom, nice t’meet you,” she said still anxious.

“Nice to meet you too,” I replied

“Now Applejack, pleeease!” Apple Bloom started to hop again.

“Alright, alright,” as soon Applejack said it the young filly grinned and bolted so fast I barely could keep my eye on her “But don’ come back late!” Applejack yelled and her sister shouted back agreeing.

Applejack put her sister’s saddlebags on her back and looked at me curious. “Well, care to tell me why did you stand for ‘er?”

“Come on, Applejack,” I shrugged. “Did you really think your sister would have the nerve to lie to you looking you in the eye? You, who are a living lie-detector?”

“You got a point there, city boy, but my sister is smarter and braver than you think,” she said fiddling the grass in her mouth.

“I think ‘crazy’ would describe better somepony who tries to cross your trust,” I said chuckling.

Applejack stood silently looking at the ground, she was obviously worried about her sister and after thinking enough she turned to me with a serious face. “Hey, Lone I have a favor to ask you,” Applejack said while looking in the same direction Apple Bloom zoomed.

Her tone was much more serious this time, I wonder what Applejack had in her mind. “Sure, what is it?” I asked concerned.

“These kids have been up to somethin’. Lately they’ve been meeting and plannin’ all the time, but didn’t go for a cutie mark activity fer days,” Applejack sounded very worried, “I’m afraid they are going to do somethin’ reckless or even dangerous, so I’m needing somepony to look out for them and I think you’ll be perfect for that.”

I don’t really know what happened to me when Applejack merely suggested that I should take care of fillies. My heart raced, my chest tightened like it was going to crush my internal organs, my head went AWOL and my eyes deadened. I shivered and clenched my teeth so hard it scared Applejack. Apparently I wasn’t good with kids. That was the result of a mere thought of having to take care of a filly.

“Whoa! You just got cold all of sudden, Lone! What happened?” Applejack asked putting her hoof on my forehead.

“I, uh, I don’t think that will work. Sorry, Applejack,” I said gasping for air.

“Why are you saying this, what just happened to you?” she said visibly worried as I was still pale.

I was trying to get my head off that line of thinking, so I tried to dodge the question. “Er, why do you need ME to go check on whatever your sister and her friends are doing?”

Applejack sighed and took the grass out of her mouth before starting, “I already told ya my sister is part of a group called Cutie Mark Crusaders, didn’t I?” I nodded. “Well, they are fillies, non-cutie-marked, lookin’ for their cutie marks and I think you’d be the perfect pony to keep an eye on the girls at least until you can tell me what they are up to.”

I rolled eyes. “Uh, Applejack, I don’t have my flank mark either.”

Then Applejack tapped my back. “That’s why I’ve just told ya you’d be perfect to keep an eye on ‘em.”

My face changed from rigid of nervousness to a mildly sarcastic frown, “I think they would freak out if they saw an adult without flank mark, don’t you think?”

Appleajck tapped her chin a few times, that definitely was a bad idea and I’m sure she would admit it.

“Not really,” she said. That answer nearly made me want to bump my head on the closest fence.

“That IS a bad idea, Applejack,” I declared confident.

“You’re just being a stubborn mule, Lone,” she replied bluntly.

I closed to her face giving her a glare. “What? Who’s being stubborn here?”

“Sorry, my mistake, you’re not being stubborn,” Applejack paused to think. “You are bein’ UNHELPFUL!” she yelled almost making me lose my balance. “Lone, I’m asking you this little favor. All you need to do is go and see what they are planning there and tell me,” she said with a mellower tone looking in my eyes, “If you don’ want to do it because I’m not payin’ you, then tell me already.”

I’ll admit those words did hurt. Applejack may have said it because I’m the type that is always talking about saving money for this and that, but I really didn’t want the pony who saved me from starvation thinking that I was a “hired good-doer”. I groaned annoyed and then gave my final answer. “Alright, I’ll go!”

“Thanks, Lone, don’t worry about you not having a cutie mark, I’m sure you can even become part of their group like that,” Applejack said teasingly.

Not fun. Anyway, Applejack gave the direction to where I had to go and thanked me again before going back to the farm.

Midway to my destination I started sweating cold and my breath became short and fast-paced. Why I was so nervous about it, it was just kids and all I had was to check on them, report to Applejack and done, no secret, no difficulties, no nothing.

I found the tree house after walking for a while, and getting lost for a few minutes on the way, and I could hear three voices discussing feverously inside it. I went closer so I could hear what they were talking about, but as soon as I stepped on the ramp that thing broke and I felt right on my face.

The noise obviously startled the fillies inside and they came out running to check what in Celestia’s name was happening outside. I was dizzy from the fall and the next thing I remember was to have a small white unicorn with purple, slightly coiled, mane saying something to me, Apple Bloom was doing something still inside the tree house and there was another filly, an orange pegasus with purple mane yelling something.

It took me some minutes until I was clear-headed again, but then I felt something hard and cold hitting my head, I guess it was an ice bag or something.

“Careful, you’re going to hurt him even more!” the unicorn shouted in a little squeaky tone.

“I told you we should’ve fixed that ramp last week!” the pegasus said smugly.

“Oh, quiet, Scoot! I was going to fix it when we finished plannin’!” Apple Bloom answered angrily.

“At least it wasn’t one of us that fell, that looked like it hurt!” I guess I should’ve gave the pegasus a trophy for that statement.

“Are you okay?” at last one of them showed some concern, it was the unicorn.

I shook my head making the ice bag fell off and put my hoof to see if anything was broken but luckily for me nothing aside of a small bump on my head. “I’m fine, I’m fine, I’ve had worse since I got here,” I replied and put the ice bag back on my head.

“But hey, what are you doing here, were you spying on us?!” the orange pegasus inquired glaring at me.

“Quit it you kiwi, he’s hurt!” the unicorn intervened in my defense.

“I already told you to stop calling me… Whatever that was!” the pegasus answered irritated and flapping her wings frenetically.

“Hey, that’s enough, stop shouting you two!” I said in a loud, upset tone making both stopping argue for a moment, but then the pegasus looked at me again.

“Humph, I guess we might need to change our club’s location if stranges keep popping like that!” she said bad-mannered turning from me.

“He’s not a strange, he’s Applejack’s friend,” Apple Bloom said staying on my side.

“I’m Lone Star—“ I introduced myself, but before I could explain why I was there the spunky pegasus stepped ahead and cut me off.

“You’re a snooper,” she said straightforwardly.

“Am not,” I responded upset.

“Are too,” she said closing to my face visibly angrier.

“Am not and stop calling me that,” I spoke keeping my cool.

“Are too and no, because you are!” she said even more upset.

“I wasn’t snooping around,” I said still trying to keep calm.

“Yes you were, that ramp was a good thing after all!” she said with a mean smile.

I guess that just had claimed my last bit of patience. “Say that again?”

“Stop it you two!” the unicorn shouted visibly distressed.

The orange pegasus went away, crossed her arms and pouted, I sighed and shook my head. Getting upset with kids certainly is not the way to earn their trust.

“Sorry about Scootaloo, she doesn’t trust ponies she don’t know,” Apple Bloom apologized on behalf of the pegasus while she blew a raspberry to annoy me.

“It’s alright, none of you got hurt and that’s what matters,” I said getting on feet and taking the ice bag off my head again.

“Sorry, that was my fault, I didn’t fix the ramp like I should had,” Apple Bloom said anxious and looking at the pieces of what formerly was a wooden ramp.

I pilled the pieces of wood scattered under the tree house’s entrance. “It’s fine, besides this wood was rotting already, it would be dangerous to keep using it even if you had it reinforced. You need a new plank.”

“Please don’t tell Applejack about this! She’s gonna get really mad at me and ground me for the rest o’ my life!” Apple Bloom said looking at me nervously.

“Yes, she was going to fix it! We promise!” the unicorn aided her friend.

“Yeah, she would fix it if you hadn’t break it!” the pegasus also went aside Apple Bloom defending her friend.

I didn’t even think about that to be honest, I was more relived it was me that broke that stupid ramp than one of them. The fall didn’t really hurt that much, but it could have injured one of them and seriously. “I’ll have to tell Applejack what happened here, you know that,” they all gulped, but I wasn’t finished, “I’ll also tell that it was ME who broke the ramp and why this was a good thing without blaming any of you, but you three has to promise me that you all are going to be more careful with things like this. Alright?” I made my point there speaking firmly, but not scolding.

“Thanks, Lone, we promise!” Apple Bloom smiled relived.

Finally I was getting somewhere, with this done I was finally able to gain a bit of their trust and begin to do what I was intending in first place. “So, what were you all planning after all?”

“Nothing that a non-member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders has to know!” the pegasus exclaimed as unmannerly as she could.

“Scootaloo!” the unicorn yelled at her friend.

The pegasus looked directly at me and proclaimed: “We are a secret society, we can’t share everything we do with strange ponies!”

“Since when we are a secret society?” the unicorn asked Apple Bloom whispering, Apple Bloom answered with a simple shurg.

“What do you need to be part of this ‘secret society’ then? I guess the part of discovering it was already done,” I couldn’t hold the sarcasm while talking which infuriated the pegasus.

Bad decision, Lone Star. That made the pegasus nearly turn red from angry and now she was glaring at me defiantly while flapping her wings. Heck and hay, I was there just to check on them, not to get on their bad side. I had to act fast to fix my mistake.

“Listen here snooper—" before she could start spouting her anger on me I was faster and talked ahead.

“Hey, sorry! I didn’t want to mock your group or anything, I’m really sorry,” I spoke without raising my voice. When she had calmed down I continued, “Listen I think we started all wrong here, so can we try again?”

The pegasus looked at me still angry, but lightened a bit and didn’t shout anything else.

After a deep breath I started. “I’m Lone Star, I’m a friend of Applejack and she asked me here to check how you all were doing.”

“… Scootaloo,” she spoke grumpy.

“I’m Sweetie Belle!” finally I had learned the name of the unicorn.

“Applejack told you to come here?” Apple Bloom asked a bit irritated, I guess I shouldn’t have told she had sent me. Oh well.

“Yes, but she just wanted me to see what you were doing, that’s all,” I tried to explain hoping to fend off an incoming argue between sisters and one heck of reprimand from a certain mare.

“We were planning our next move towards our cutie mark!” Sweetie Belle said enthusiastic.

“Really? What were you planning?” I asked curious.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle smiled cheerfully and the unicorn filly bolted to the tree house, via rope ladder, she picked something in there and threw it through the door accidentally (or maybe not) hitting Scootaloo’s head who grumbled.

Apple Bloom opened the case and spread the paper revealing it to be a map, a rather detailed and well-drawn map of somewhere.

“Planning on going in a treasure hunting?” I asked, but as Sweetie Belle slid back she negated my theory.

“Uh-uhn! This is a map to a VERY secret place!” Sweetie Belle said almost whispering as if she was afraid that somepony else could hear.

“What place?” I wanted to know so I could tell Applejack but I’d never admit in front of them that I’m a sucker for this kind of stuff, just thinking on the word “treasure hunting” made me smile.

“If we tell it won’t be a secret anymore!” Apple Bloom declared shaking her hoof.

“Besides you’re not even a Cutie Mark Crusader!” Scootaloo approached and looked at the map.

I sighed. I had to keep an eye on these fillies in case they wanted to do something crazy or go somewhere dangerous or else Applejack would eat me alive with candy apples for dessert. For the sake of my word, and well-being, I decided to play along.

“What do I need to do to become a member then, Scootaloo?” I humbly asked.

The moment I said that I could swear I saw a mischievous light shimmer in her eyes, the way she rubbed her hooves while giggling with that grin didn’t help either I guess.

“Sorry, but you need not to have a cutie mark,” Sweetie Belle said a bit sad.

“In that case I still fit in,” I said rolling eyes.

I couldn’t believe that they still hadn’t notice I didn’t have my cutie mark so far, but I still braced myself for reactions. Apple Bloom kept giving me a blank stare, Sweetie Belle asking me why I didn’t have my cutie mark and Scootaloo laughing and mocking me.

Apple Bloom then broke the light-hearted mood with a shriek scaring me and the other two colorless. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were hugging each other completely frightened.

“Good Celestia, Apple Bloom!” I uttered with wide open eyes, “What’s gotten into you?”

To be honest I already knew why she had done that. Horse apples, I told Applejack that would happen, but did she hear me? Well, heck and hay, now I had to control a filly from freaking out and to top that the shriek gave me the same panic-like sensation I was feeling until I bumped my head. I was looking to every side while my mind was being clouded by the sheer amount of adrenaline rushing through my body at that moment. Thankfully I managed to pull myself together and hear what Apple Bloom said.

“I-if you don’t have your cutie mark th-then that means we can grow up and still not find ours!” Apple Bloom said stuttering and still staring at me.

I could see Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo sharing the same opinion of Apple Bloom and they started to look at me with eyes filled and taken by fear.

I had to think fast (again) to control this situation, I wasn’t feeling like being responsible for traumatizing a couple of fillies. “Applejack, you’re gonna get it when I’m done here,” I thought to myself while still thinking what I would do. The best shot I could think I had was to tell them my story.

As soon I mentioned the word “amnesia” I noticed Scootaloo’s eyes shimmering again, but this time in interest. I told about my brief life in Canterlot and how everything happened until I was sitting there. The story bored them, but Apple Bloom was calmer. Fortunately she believed I lost my cutie mark because of my amnesia and returned to her cheerful self. Calamity averted, huzzah!

“Amnesia!” Scootaloo exclaimed strangely enthusiastic, I figured it was because she didn’t like me, but then… “That means your past is a mystery!”

And the trophy for “Captain Obvious” goes to Scootaloo!

“You almost make it sound interesting,” I replied making a colossal effort to hold my sarcasm. Kids...

“Because it is!” she said flapping her wings this time animated.

“Because it didn’t happen to you,” I almost let it escape, but I just shrugged and said in a meek tone, “Yeah, maybe you’re right.”

“Then you should join us to help yourself get a cutie mark!” Sweetie Belle prompted with a cheerful voice.

“Yes! You could help us too! It’s a win-win!” Apple Bloom said with the same enthusiasm as her friend.

“Wait a minute, he isn’t a member yet!” Scootaloo opposed the idea.

“Come on Scootaloo, he can help us with lots of things!” Apple Bloom started, when Scootaloo gave a look that practically asked what I could do Apple Bloom continued, “He can help us with the map, and besides since he’s looking for his cutie mark he’s gonna let we go there!”

I couldn’t care less about my cutie mark, I was just intending to keep an eye on these three.

“No!” Scootaloo protested, “I think we should call Rainbow Dash! She’s a lot cooler AND reliable than him!”

Just who the heck was this Rainbow Dash?

“I don’t think Rainbow would let we go inside the Everfree Forest…” Sweetie Belle countered the argument.

Scootaloo grunted upset admitting Sweetie’s point. “Maybe you’re right…”

Then they gathered and started to mumble, I barely could understand what they were saying. “But if Applejack knows we even thought about going there… I bet she’s gonna tell Rainbow and Rarity…” Apple Bloom muttered fearfully, Sweetie and Scootaloo shivered upon realizing the consequences that would ensue, whatever they were.

“He has amnesia, so he might not know about the Everfree Forest,” Scootaloo mumbled, but I still could hear it. I was amnesiac, not deaf.

“Maybe if we tell him…” Sweetie suggested something.

Then they started whispering so low I couldn’t hear anything else, they occasionally looked at me while discussing between themselves.

While they were pondering what to do I tried to think what information I had heard or read about this “Evenfree Forest”, it was a dark, creepy place and some said it was haunted, other say it was a jinxed and caused whoever went too far inside to have a streak of bad luck. Most of it were just rumors and superstitions, so I naturally ignored them.

Then finally the fillies finished talking and they approached walking confidently. I could only wonder what they had decided.

“We’ve decided to name you a temporary member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, you are now a Cutie Mark, uh, Squire!” Apple Bloom said tapping my shoulder.

Wohoo.

“Lone! You can come with us to the secret place!” Sweetie cheerfully said while carrying the map with her magic.

“Yeah, besides if we find something cool you’ll carry it for us!” Scootaloo said blatantly like always, “You can start by carrying the map case!”

I shrugged and rolled with it, even if they didn’t let me go with them I’d still follow these little adventurers. It’s really not good to let them to go into a place where nopony likes to be.

I should’ve told Applejack what the hay was going on, but then I was afraid I’d earn the wrath of three determined fillies, besides I was planning on exploring that forest anyway.

Later in that afternoon we were all at the entrance of the Everfree Forest, a name that didn’t suit that creepy place not even slightly. The Cutie Mark Crusaders stopped and stood there for a moment until Apple Bloom poked Sweetie Belle so she could start reading the map. Once the filly was ready they started marching to the insides that place that made even I feel uncomfortable. The last two things I could do before going into that forest was look behind for a last time and sigh, unaware of what was lying ahead of me.

A decision I’d regret later.

Author's Note:

I apologize in advance for any English mistakes here, please take in consideration that English is not my first language.

I try my best reviewing the text on Word and searching synonyms while on the internet but one thing or another ought to sound strange or out of place.

Thanks in advance for everyone who took their time to read this fanfic.

Comments

[Enderstorm]

Please don’t tell Applejack about this! He’s gonna get really mad at me and ground me for the rest o’ my life!”

He?

[Einzel]

2687988 This is the kind of typo I tend to catch only after reading through the chapter thrice or more.
Thanks for pointing it.