The Farmer and The Rocker

by mibevan

Chapter 9- Past Lives

Chapter 9
Past Lives

“I grew up in an apartment building in the city. My Family was low class but we managed to get through our lives at a decent pace. My father, Stripes, worked as a taxi driver to pay the bills, while my mother, Gloria, worked in a carriage manufacturing company to afford the bare necessities. We were able to get by and we had one another, which was enough for us.

“When I was 10 my father had passed away from neighmonia. It was one of the saddest times of my life. He was gone...all I had left was Gem and my mother, who was pregnant at the time with my little brother, Capps, who was born a few months later. At least he was able to bring some happiness back into the family.

“Years went by and my mother had been working 19 hours, Six days a week to get enough money for the rent and food. My Sister graduated high school but choose not to go to college in order to help care for Capps and myself. I gave my own contribution by giving him my own bed when he grew out of his crib. My sister wanted to give me hers but I told her to keep it; I was just going to school while she worked at home and deserved to sleep comfortably. So I slept on the living room couch.

“Year’s passed and I entered high school. Every day I was constantly bullied because I hadn’t gotten my cutie mark. I didn’t know what my special talent was and I didn’t have time to try and find out what it was. My schedule was basically get up, go to school, get home, help my sister, eat, sleep, and repeat. Even the weekends were busy. Aside from hanging out with friends from time to time, I would always be helping my mother or sister at home. Half the time I didn’t even think about what my purpose was. But I knew that fate had something in store for me and whatever it was I knew that it was going to be great. So I ignored the insults and bullying over the years and it got better over time.
“...But nothing could prepare me for what was about to be thrown at me next.
“When I arrived home I saw Gem trotting out the door with Capps, who was off from school that day. She looked worried and seemed to be in a hurry. I was about to ask where she was going but after she saw me she told Capps to go back inside the house. He did as he was told and left the two of us alone in the hallway. I asked where she was going and she said she had to go to the hospital. This wasn’t unusual; Gem often went to the hospital to pick up prescriptions for mom. But she seemed much more concerned and worried then usual so I asked her what was going on. She took a deep breath and told me that our mother was injured. Badly injured. Everything in my mind just stopped. I didn’t know what to think, I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t even know how to act. According to Gem, she was moving some interior materials for the carriages at the factory when some clumsy thickhead on the floor above knocked over a large stack of gears for the machinery. She was under the gears and fell unconscious when they landed on her all at once. My legs were shaking and my mind sank. Gem could tell. She said she was fine and that I had to watch Capps while she went to get her.

“So I did as she said and spent the whole day with my brother. He didn’t even know what was going on. Gem probably didn’t want to scare him so she kept it to herself. Personally I don’t blame her; Capps was only 8 years old, how could he take in all of this? I couldn’t even take in my father’s passing when I was 10. So I did the same and kept it to myself. I put him to bed after he fell asleep on the couch later that night. For the next hour I sat in the living room trying to calm down, but it was no use. Despite what my sister said, I was worried; I’d already lost my father and I didn’t wasn’t to lose my mother to. It wasn’t real healthy for me to even think that way so I started to relax myself.

“I must have fallen asleep because when I opened my eyes the lights were off. However, the kitchen light was still on. I sat up I saw my mother there holding a cup of water. She had a neck brace on and was in a wheel chair. None of that mattered to me; she was safe, she was home. I approached her and after she noticed that I was up, we hugged. I asked her if she was ok and she said that she was fine. I was glad for that but she said her injuries were so bad that she had to spend the rest of her life in that wheelchair. She wouldn’t be able to work anymore. The accident broke her hind legs and her back which rendered her unable to move or bend over. There was no way she could work in this condition. She was scared. Scared that she could not support her family or pay the bills. She had no idea how her family would survive. I stayed up with her the whole night, holding her in my hooves and keeping her calm as she cried.”

Applejack was speechless. Never before had she met, nor heard, of a pony with such a rough past. Not even Princess Luna’s excile to the moon by her own sister could compare to this. She could tell Thrash was having a hard time letting this out.

“Thrash that’s terrible,” she said rubbing his back with her hoof to calm him, “How did your family hold out?”

Thrash pulled himself together and tried to remember about what happened next.

“Well...”he said in a less moody tone

“Because of this I was left with no other option. I decided to drop out of high school. My mother and sister told me not to, but I needed to support my family like my father did. My sister now had to care for our injured mother and our little brother; there was no way she could hold a job on her own. So it was up to me. I got a good job at a local pizzeria near the park. Everyday I’d either be making pizzas or taking bits at the register. My employer was a Unicorn whose name we could never pronounce, so we called him Peta for short (not one of his favorite nick names). I worked with his nephew whose name I can’t really recall. He was a nice stallion, about five years older than me. It was hard but every Friday was worth it when I received my pay and brought it home to my family.”

Thrash finally gave a smile
“Now that I think about it, if it wasn’t for those two I wouldn’t have became what I am today,” Thrash said.

“What do you mean?” Applejack said.

“Every day they would have the radio playing in the restaurant. It was always tuned into the classic rock station. They had all the famous names – The Parasprites, Black Saddle, Spears N’ Roses, The Hooves – you name it, they had it. Whenever we were working or cleaning up, we would sing to the music they played. After hearing most of the songs they had to offer I was always improving on my singing skills. As the months went by my voice was improving so much that I was able to sing anything. Peta’s nephew… He always said that my voice was unlike any other he had heard before.”

Of course to be fair Peta’s nephew was a really good singer himself and he gave me some pointers along the way.”

Thrash stopped and looked at Applejack.

“I learned parkour as well. I can’t tell you how but its how I learned to do my infamous stage stunts.”

“It’s fine, just go on,” she said. She was really interested in the story and was really happy to see that he was starting to return to his enthusiastic self again.

“Well, after working there for almost a year I was walking home on the usual route through the park. I had my paycheck and I was on top of the world. Along the way I passed a lone Pegasus sitting on a bench entertaining a small audience of ponies. He had a guitar in his hooves and an empty top hat on the ground with a sign that read, ‘Strumming for bits’. I recognized the song he was playing from the radio so I dropped a few bits in the hat and watched him perform. He was really good and clearly knew what he was doing. After he finished the song he asked for requests. Nopony said anything; in fact most of the audience started leaving. So I gave him a song request, I can’t remember what it was but I heard it all the time in the pizza shop. He raised his guitar and started playing. The moment he strummed that first note my mind was just BEGGING me to sing to it. I took a deep breath and sang. He didn’t seem to mind, he actually had a smile on his face after I started. One of the spectators that left actually came back after we began and it even started attracting more viewers who were dropping more bits in the hat. Once the song was over we were applauded (unlike last time). I was about to leave but he stopped me in my tracks and asked me to stay. At first I thought he saw me as a ticket to make money but then he acknowledged the crowd who also wanted me to continue. Seeing as I had nothing better to do that day I decided to stay a while longer. He continued to play more classics while I sang along and after a while we attracted a larger crowd. They loved my voice and his guitar playing so much that they started dancing and cheering during each performance.
“After the sun set and the people left I started talking with this guitarist. He asked me if I ever performed before since it really seemed that I knew what I was doing. I told him I didn’t but he thought that I should take advantage of my talent and use it to entertain. So we then decided to form our own musical duo. Little did I know I would be working with this stranger for quite a while; this was the day I met Shredder.

“We continued performing in the park each day after I got out of work and eventually we started getting paid to perform in restaurants and clubs around the city. We were known as YING YANG, a fitting name for a duo. Soon our name was starting to get out there and we were performing all over the place. We were commonly known for playing at Peta’s Restaraunt. With the money we were making I was able to get our family back on a steady track.
“Once our names were starting to become well known around the city we eventually decided to form a new band where we would write our own music to perform. After months of planning, several auditions, and help from our friends, Blank Flank was formed. We started making our own music and our gigs were getting bigger thanks to the help of my mother – who knew a lot of Ponies in the city. She supported us very much and was proud of me for what I had accomplished with the band. And it wasn’t long before we released our first album, ‘Sickness for Rock’.
“I remember the crowd cheering after we performed our biggest gig in the Fillydelphia Park that kicked off our first tour. As I stood with my friends on the stage bowing to our fans I realized that this was it. I always knew fate had something great in store for me and THIS WAS IT. I made some new friends, found a career that’s all about entertaining people, and I helped my family get back on track. I knew this because… this was the day I got my cutie mark.”

“What did it look like?” Applejack asked with a smile.
“I made a promise to myself to never show it off,” he said, “I wanted to live up to the bands name. The only ponies that have seen it is my family. The band doesn’t even know what it looks like.”
Applejack thought it was a bit strange at first, but it was his choice so why should she argue with that.
“Well at least everything turned up well in the end.”
“Honestly wish it did,” Thrash sighed, his smile turning to a frown. He looked again at his bracelets, “But there’s more to tell.”

“About a year ago, we were preparing to finish the needed recordings for the ‘Radiation’ album. It was a rainy night, 1 am in the morning, and I was in the studio practicing with Rush and Slide after the other member’s left. I was about to record the vocals for the track when I was interrupted by a phone call. It was Gem and she was crying. I asked her what was going on I can’t remember the exact details...nor do I really want to, but all I can say is that the reason she was in the hospital was partially my fault.

“According to Gem…My mother was dropped off by a friend, after she got herself checked out at the doctors. While she was approaching the front gate there was a small group of Fans that were checking out the home I lived at…which is common for me. The moment they saw my mother open the gate to let herself in they took notice and... ran towards her attempting to get in through the gate. She didn’t even see them coming until she was on the other side. As she tried to close the gate the fans tried to push the gate open. She was hit by the gate, knocked out of her wheelchair, and fell back first on the ground where the fans… paid her no mind as she was trampled…all because they were fans of my work. My sister was there with her own friends and they were able to call for help and have them taken in. My mother was rushed to the hospital.

“I galloped out of the recording studio and made my way towards the hospital as fast as I could. I arrived to see Shredder and Whiplash waiting with my sister and brother outside her room. The expressions on their faces... I will never forget the sadness in my sibling eyes... I didn’t think it was anything serious but… but Shredder told me that her condition was crucial, and wouldn’t be with us for much longer.

“I entered her room and she looked at me with a smile. I stood next to her bedside. I apologized to her and said that I had no idea anything like this would… but she stopped me and said it was okay… she said it was her time to go… I was in tears but she told me not to grieve… I never forgot this moment. The last thing she ever said to me.”

“Words cannot describe how much I am proud of you. When I held you after you were born…I never would have thought that this sweet colt of mine would go so far as to do something so big that would make people happy… If your father was still with us… there is no doubt that he would… he would feel the same way… I’ll be sure to tell him everything when I see him again… Keep your brother and sister safe… and never forget… no matter where I am… I will always love you…”

“...The last thing I said to her was…I love you to…as I held her hoof in mine… and then…she left.”

Thrash held back his tears as best he could. He held up his foreleg and the bracelets glistened in the moonlight.

“My Parents exchanged theses bracelets when they were married” he said. “I wear them all the time, like my mother did. We wrote a new addition to the Radiation album entitled Sweet Colt O’ Mine. It was written in her memory. This is also why we had to start wearing disguises; to protect ourselves and anypony around us from getting hurt.”

He wiped a tear from his eye. Applejack felt bad. It wasn’t the fact that he lost his family, but more of how he witnessed the passing of a loved one before his very eyes because of something that was caused by his own fame. She couldn’t even imagine the pain.

“I’m so sorry Thrash,” she said with remorse. “I didn’t mean to open old wounds or nothing.”

“You don’t have to be. You didn’t know. I just always remember her and how I made her smile with my music. I remember whenever she came to a concert I’d see her in the front of the crowd smiling as we performed. But now she’s gone and it’s because of me.”

She put a hoof on his shoulder. “I can’t imagine the pain you went through. But I can kinda relate.”

Thrash looked at her with concern.

“You see my parents were traveling sales ponies. They traveled to exotic places to sell and collect the foreign fruits. “But after they had Applebloom they went out and we never saw them since. It doesn’t bug me as much though; I know they’re out there somewhere.”

Thrash could see how they could relate easily. He was a bit jealous though. At least her parents were alive to her.

“But I remember something that they always told me. Follow your heart and be who you are”
He looked at her.

“You’re a kind hearted stallion Thrash. Everyone knows it. Not just your fans or the band, but even your parents know this. Your mother’s death wasn’t caused by you; it was by a bunch of uncaring coldhearted fools. You had no real involvement,” she said, giving him another pat on the back. “Never change who you are.”
“Thanks Applejack.”

Thrash’s taxi flew down and parked itself by the bridge.

“Well...This is my ride.” Thrash said as he made his way towards the cart. He then stopped and looked back at her “Hey, the Cloudsdale concert is tomorrow, so I was thinking… well, after my rehearsal, if your not busy, did you want to grab some lunch or something?” She smiled at him. He could tell what her answer was off the bat.
“Meet me here tomorrow around the same time as today. I know the perfect place,” she said.

He nodded and proceeded into the chariot.

Applejack watched him as he took off. She knew that she needed to cancel out on her brother again but it was only going to be for lunch so how long could it be. She could go have lunch with him and then resume work afterwards. She started her way back home.

Shredder was strumming his guitar on the couch behind Slide, who was busy playing a card game with Snap under a single light that illuminated the dark carriage.
“I’m telling you I can’t take it anymore!” said an annoyed Slide. “Whenever I go to that boutique that unicorn is always getting into my personal space.”
“Well you said she told you how much she admired you as a teenager,” Snap said, “How can you blame her? Besides why keep going if she’s so crazy for ya?”
“You know me; I need to finish something when I start it. Curse my obedience to myself.”
Shredder and Snap looked at each other.
“What in Celestia’s name are you talking about?” Snap said.
“...Whiplash keeps making me go with her.”
Snap sighed to himself. “Your hopeless mate, your hopeless.”
Thrash then came in and trotted towards his bedroom.

“Long day today, monsieur?” Slide asked. Thrash turned to see everypony looking at him.

“In a way, yes.” He responded. “I did a lot of walking.”

“Hey, No hard feelings about what I said this morning, right?”

Thrash turned and faced them.

“Yea I knew you were only fooling all along.”

“What’s wrong with your eyes.” Shredder asked.

“Huh?”

“They look red and sore.” Said Snap

Thrash didn’t realize until now that the tears had caused his eyes to turn a pinkish color. Still he came out with the truth.

“I had a moment today,” he said shaking his hoof with the bracelets. They got the message and didn’t want to ask any more questions about it. They only wanted to help him through his misery.

“Well we about to deal a new game.” Snap said. “You want in?”

Thrash turned and smiled.

“Sure why not.”
He trotted up and sat down at the table with his friends. Snap shuffled the deck as Shredder continued playing.

Author's Note:

Applejack learns about Thrash's life growing up and how much of an impact it had on him.

Story by EV B
Edited by Tymoora Kathryn M. Vlaming

***PAGES***
Link to AUDIO VERSION:
(Coming Soon)

Link to FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/MlpTheFarmerAndTheRockerfanfic?ref=hl

*****NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR REGARDING APPLEJACKS PARENTS*****
DEAR READERS
Now I realize of course there are several theories regarding Applejacks Parents (Some say she’s an orphan adopted by Granny Smith, some say they are dead, and one theory that They Live the life of Applejacks Aunt and uncle). I did a whole lot of research to compile Applejacks past in this chapter. AND YES I REALIZE THE SHOOTING STARS IN THE EPISODE “APPLE FAMILY REUNION” ARE A REPRESENTATION OF HER PARENTS, AND THAT ONE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS CONFIRMED THIS (It doesn’t necessarily mean they are dead, they could have been representations of that her parents were there in spirit. heck they never even said they were dead or not)
Anyway my search led me to deviant art user fyre-flye, Which I learned is the deviant art of Mrs. Lauren Faust. On her page she had this posted in her journal
http://fyre-flye.deviantart.com/journal/FAQ-276161988 (there is a lot of info regarding the show and Mrs. Faust)
IT WAS A BASIC Q AND A and one question brought up Applejacks parents. This is a Copy/paste of the question and answer:

Q: Where are Applejack's parents?

To put it bluntly, we just never figured it out. I just liked the feeling of them living with their Granny, but keeping the family dynamic tight and small. To be honest, I would like to simply say that they passed away somehow, but it's just it would have likely been deemed too sad for a kids' show and I don't think it would have ever been approved. There was brief discussion of them being traveling salesponies or explorers, but since we never needed the information in an episode, nothing was ever made official. So it will have to remain a mystery until someone decides to define it.

I realize this Q&A was released before season 3 but I still would like to keep the theory for the sole purpose of the viewers and because there is no official confirmation. My true theories are to be left discrete for now.

I would also like to dedicate this Chapter to my loving mother. I miss you very much and can't wait to see you real soon

Thank you for listening and for reading The Farmer and The Rocker.

Love,
EV B

Comments

[Shady Mist]

Is this canceled?