Frozen Hearts

by tilpin313

Chapter 2: Welcome to The Family

Chapter 2
Welcome to The Family

Snow had always surrounded the small, unnamed town, though only a few inches fell upon it during the year. No explanation could be offered as to why it was that this phenomenon was localized to this frontier town of dirt, magic and feathers. Still, even in the comparably temperate climate of the city, this day felt colder than most and must have been contributing to the frustration that Applejack felt as she argued.

"I'm tellin' y'all," Applejack stood vehemently on this issue "t'aint no pony here ain't part of the Apple family." She stomped her hoof, sending a mixture of dirt and snow billowing away before settling back within the small crater her powerful strike had created.

The honor guard gave no sign of emotion. "Was that supposed to frighten us, little girl?" One of the silver armored unicorns asked, grinning smugly at his counterpart.

"Nope." A deep voice muttered from behind him.

"That is." Applejack told them, mirroring the grin that the guard had just lost. The white unicorns became a few shades paler as they turned, seeing, at last, the giant red stallion. "Big Mac, would you terribly mind seein' these here uni-folk off our farm?" AJ asked smugly.

"Nope." He echoed, pointing a hoof to the boundaries of the orchard. The beast wore a scowl that was almost as deep as his resounding voice.

"Sometime soon you will regret this," the same unicorn threatened. “The Apple family will suffer for your transgressions!” He bellowed each word, forcing the angry tone to his voice, but the sweat that beaded down his cheek spoke volumes more than he could ever reach. “We shall return, with more stallions than you filthy hicks can count on your extra hooves-“ He swallowed the last words as Big Macs hind legs crushed his face, sending the unicorn soaring, easily clearing the property and kept going, crashing in a heap, just within eyesight of the farm.

“Now, when ya’ catch up with your pal there, you tell ‘em we don’t take nicely to threats, ya’ hear?” She growled through a clenched jaw. “An’ you tell ‘em that when he's in a place that ain’t his home, he ought to learn some manners.” The remaining unicorn nodded her head quickly, setting her helmet rattling and her blue mane jumping. With the speed at which the mare ran, somepony watching from the distance would promise that her feet never touched the ground, with her panicked gait.

The orange pony sighed, shaking her hung head slowly. "Thanks there Macintosh, I can't hardly think of what I'da done without ya" She smiled up at her older brother, but the red, truck sized stallion's face stayed constant. "Nothin? Still?" AJ sighed. "Well, won't keep you any longer then. You get back to your buckin', I'm gonna check on the stock." Big Mac nodded and left back to the orchard. AJ turned away from her brother, heading in the opposite direction.

The old Apple barn was shambled and beyond repair in many places. The homestead was once a striking red, but the peeling paint was closer to dirt brown and, in some places, a dull gray. From the outside, it looked more like a frame than a completed structure. Faint moos and even a cluck or two could be heard throughout the day, as the animals lamented their terrible conditions and called for release. AJ could resist the begging on most days, but today her morale was truly tested as she walked by. Though no tears came to her eyes, Applejack could feel a small piece of her dying. "Let it rest with Granny Smith." The fresh memory stung her more, but she still shouldered on. "Let Big Mac handle the grief, an' Applebloom can cry out all mah tears for me." She told herself, pushing on. "Someon's gotta stay strong fer this family an' it might as well be me."

Applejack passed the simple gravestone they had erected beside the barn. The rock was laced with cracks and crevices that ran like veins up and down, criss-crossing about the gray slab. Two letters were freshly etched on the tombstone, almost overshadowed by the two spades left jammed into the earth. "G.S," it read solemnly. Applejack picked up the pace, escaping the bad memories, cantering quickly by and reaching the storm cellar quickly.

She picked up the key that the family kept by the doors in her mouth and fitted it into the lock, waiting until it clicked twice, and then slid back the double deadbolts to swing open the doors, revealing the true stock of the Apple family.

Unicorns, earth ponies and pegasi alike argued loudly below the barn. Luckily, the sound was drowned out by the dirt and foundation that separated the horses from the outside world. Anything that managed to drag itself out of the grave of living ponies was stifled by the crack of Big Mac's apple bucking in the orchard. It seemed that not a day could go by where there wasn't an argument involving the war; which side was winning, which side was right, or who was truly the lowest bred tribe. AJ had stumbled in on the latter. This was the worst of the three in AJ's opinion, as it would turn, not only tribe onto tribe, but it would cause infighting between the varying minds of the same breed of pony.

The sounds rushed out as she swung the doors open, slamming into her with an almost physical force. Applejack couldn’t help but wince and shy away, but quickly regained her composure. Vivid with recent events, she referenced the lesson that needed to be learned. "Now quiet down y'all. We gotta have a talk 'bout manners." She shouted, silencing each mare and stallion. "Now then, we need ta get somethin' clear. Y'all are guests here. We keep ya as long as you be in need, that don't mean we gotta like you or talk to ya but there are rules you gotta follow if yer gonna live here. Now, what was the first rule we gave ya?"

"Keep our traps shut!" A familiar voice shouted from her far left. "Keep them shut and, if we can't, keep them quiet!" The quick male voice elaborated.

AJ felt the smile play at her lips, twisting the right side slightly upward. "Exactly, now if y'all wanna keep on shoutin', y'all can get away from our property and back to yer homesteads. I'm sure they'd love to hear what you been doin' these past few months, hidden away in some yokel hole." Her gaze was steel again as she examined the rest of the gathering. "Do we have an understanding?" They all nodded, fidgeting in place as her eyes scrutinized them all. "Good. Now, y'all can head around town. Just be back by ten. Doors'll be locked on the last stroke."

Most of the ponies filed out, heads bowed, a few muttering curses. After the procession was gone, almost all who were left had either been hurt too badly for movement, or too scared to try. AJ dropped her shoulders, reveling in the finally quiet storm cellar. "It's actually pretty nice when it's quiet, isn't it?" The familiar voice said at her side.

"It's a dirt room, not a palace." She retorted, "It ain't no Cantorlot gala, or a Cloudsdale Colosseum, Gallion." The sea-foam green pegasus stepped up to her left side so that they stood parallel. "You'd know that better than I would" She explained. Gallion's dingy silver mane fanned out in an unruly fashion, so wildly that AJ could feel it brush against her though they stood almost a foot apart.

"Would I now? I cannot lie; Canterlot is lovely this time of year. It's about time you learned of my secret summer gardener's job. I tend to the piles of snow, and shape them. I paint over my cutie mark in snow castles, fearing what they all might think of my unholy gift of art." Gallion told her, his voice washed with shame.

"You know what I meant." AJ rose an eyebrow at the stallion "You sure it ain't in acting, cause I swear, if I didn't know better, I'd have you put away." She still doubted that he was almost two years her elder since his behaviors were more like a colt's.

"Huh, maybe when I go back to Cloudsdale I'll take up all those ponies on the offers. Think about it: Me in the world renowned pegasi theater!" He leapt to his feet, puffing out his broad chest and starting into a monologue.

"There we were, stranded by the bank, unicorns to the left, earth ponies to the right, and an Ursa major straight down the center." He bolted around the room, ducking behind the piles of dirt that served many of the residents as beds. "There was a clash of swords on metal as the unicorns used their horrible magic against us. We were down to our last arrow. How would we use it? We didn't know. How could we use it? Lost on me too." He poked his head over one of the dirt piles, a small dab of mud on his nose.

"What's goin' on?" Applebloom entered the storm cellar, drawn by the commotion. "What's the crazy one doin'?"

"Get down soldier!" Gallion barked, jumping into the air. He unfurled his wings and glided to the filly, knocking her to the ground, but cushioning the fall with his own body. "Are you still in one piece, Corporal Applebloom?"

The filly giggled at the Pegasus's serious voice and face. "Sir, yes Sir, Sergeant Gallion!" She told him, saluting.

"Let's keep you that way; you're a war hero, they'll be singing your praises back home!" Gallion paused, turning his head up, listening for something. "Hear that?" He asked deathly quiet now.

"What?" The little filly asked in a whisper, crouched low beside him, her head tilted up in the opposite direction.

"It's quiet...too quiet." He characterized worry well, a sickly gray mask of his once expressive face. "What's that?" He snapped his head as AJ moved forward behind them. He and Applebloom turned their heads slowly, looking back at Applebloom’s older sister.

"It's the Apple slasher!" Gallion gave a muffled shout, turning to his Corporal. "Can you handle this? I am far too scared for battle against such a threatening monster, but I'll do my best if you lead me on!" Gallion begged his diminutive friend, clasping his hooves together.

The little pony was giggling profusely now, verging on hiccups. "Of course, Sergeant! Charge!"Gallion lifted her up and tossed her gently into Applejack.

The orange pony collapsed, grasping at her sister as they fell, one atop of the other. Applejack felt Gallion's weight slam into her side. The three of them were sent spinning across the wet mud floor and landed in a heap on the far side of the cellar.

Both Gallion and Applejack were woven into a tangled mess of limbs and appendages while Applebloom lay beside them, rolling and laughing in the mud. "Alright, alright you two." Applejack forced herself to be stern, but couldn't stop a smile from coming to her face. "Yer disturbing the recovering ponies!" She told them, trying to put a stop to the loud laughter, but failing miserably.

"They love it, you know it." Gallion told her, untangling himself from Applejack, only to have his ribs crunched by her sister's hug. "You all don't mind, do ya?" He asked in a chocked voice. "Please say so, if the lil' one doesn't kill me, the bigger one will." He gasped. "I'm serious. My lungs..." The other ponies in the basement couldn't help but smile along with the pegasus. "See? They love us!" Gallion pulled the little filly off of his chest and lifted her up to his face "See that kid? We're a hit!"

He tucked her under his forearm, and used the other to sweep across the room. "I can see it now, performing in Manehatten! Our names up in lights at the playhouse! Here, for a limited time, Gallion and the great Apple family actors!" The filly laughed on, lightening the spirits of the other ponies around them. The laugh soon changed into a hacking cough, sending spit and mucus flying out of her mouth. The mucus was sparsely flecked a dark red and a small dribble of the color had appeared on Applebloom’s chin.

"Alright, alright, passed time you go back to bed Applebloom." Gallion placed the child on the ground at her sister's behest once her coughing fit passed.

"But, Applejack" She whined, clasping her hooves together in a begging fashion.

"No buts, your brother and I aren't gonna let you catch your-" AJ almost said 'death', and then remembered the events of the day behind them. "Just get back inside, ya’ little mongrel, alright?" Applebloom mumbled away to her room, dragging her hind feet in sadness and anger.

"Don't worry lil' one," Gallion called out to her, "Once the stick in the mud has fallen asleep, we'll steal off into the night; Manehatten waits!" He promised after her.

Gallion turned to AJ once the little pony vanished from sight, an exasperated expression on his face. "She's going to be fine." He told the worried pony. As if on cue, another outburst of coughing came from around the corner followed by a pleasant greeting by Big Mac. "She's got her brother. Now when was the last time you left the farm?" He asked, blocking AJ's attempts to exit the hovel. "Don't tell me it was when we last went for supplies." He got his answer from her face. "It was over a month ago when it was your turn!" He looped his leg through hers and led her away from the storm cellar and the farm.

"Now you let go of me, ya hear?" She swung at the broad pony, hitting his front leg a few times, but not protesting too much beyond the occasional curse and swat.

"You're going into town, taking a break." He told her adamantly, still dragging his unresisting hostage into the farming village.

The town had been formed by of about half a dozen different farming families. They refused to take a stand in the war and opened their borders to all those who chose the same, and all tribes were welcome. Since then, the as-of-yet unnamed town had grown bigger and bigger as more ponies stole away from their birth cities and away from the forced conscription, which was the one thing that the tribes had in common. The square was uneven, more a hexagon than a square really as it grew and grew with more citizens joining each day. The paths were trampled dirt and most of the houses had been built in a rush, leaving most as just random assortments of wooden planks and tin sheets. The true beauty of the town square was in the residents; all of the ponies lived peacefully, and though they weren't without their petty arguments, the town remained largely at ease amidst the surrounding chaos.

Gallion managed to tow AJ to the town's gathering spot, the largest building in the square where the cider always flowed, the chatter was lively and the food so fresh that, at least from Gallion's claim, you could taste the soil. He rambled on about the spot, preaching as if it had brought an end to the war, a cure to all diseases and enough money for the Apple family to live the rest of their lives labor free. "Just try and enjoy yourself, promise me that at the very least AJ." He finally addressed her after almost twenty minutes of rambling monologue.

"I'm not gonna make any promises," She warned, finally un-entwining their legs and kicking the Pegasus in the shin "but I'll do mah best."

The two entered and Gallion was immediately sucked up by the mob, pulled away by some of his fellow Pegasi to be congratulated about some great conquest or another that he had been around for. Applejack took one look around the buzzing hive and felt fully out of place. "Fish outta water would stand a better chance." She thought, but that was a difficulty in itself with all the noise that the excited ponies made as another round of cider was served. AJ managed to make her way back over to her loud friend and stood by him, prepared to let the hours tick by uneventfully.

"Hey, Applejack," Gallion turned to face his out-of-place friend "wanna tell them about that time you, me and Applebloom got Macintosh to buck that one guard so hard we saw his head spin?" A round of laughter followed as the group imagined the event.

"Ah... sure, I suppose." Applejack felt her face warm as she blushed, but it went unnoticed on her orange face. The next few hours passed quickly (and eventfully) as she regaled the crowds with the tales of her farm life. From infancy to just a few hours prior, she told them her story, painting a vivid picture and soon overshadowing even the most gifted storytellers and their words of fancy, their tall tales. She brought cheers of victory at the deeds that the apple family had preformed, laughter and tears at her younger sister's life and, at one point during the night, managed to bring an uproar of hissing down upon Gallion. She had painted him as a demi-villain, divulging the pegasus' reaction upon his awakening.

Another roar of laughter almost made the building itself rattle. By now, everypony had surrounded her and begged her for more, none wanting the cheer to end. "I'm sorry," She told them, shrugging bashfully, "You're gonna have to ask the green 'un for more." The groan was almost deafening when she said it.

"Hey," Gallion took his feet," I'm the one who brought her here, you should all be praising my name!" He berated them in good nature. They all still booed and cursed him, a few mugs were tossed his way, but they were easily dodged.

"How'd you fall in with hound like Gall'n?" She heard a voice call from behind the crowd, which incited a chorus of pleading for the story. "Come on, he's known all round the sky," She could finally see who was asking. One of the pegasi that Gallion had been conversing with, a stained purple mare, over coated with a flush of nerves as each and everypony turned their attention to her. "Well, he is. We just know him by his nickname...Silver Tongue..." Her words fell off as she spoke. The name created a crash of laughter as it sunk in, setting Gallion's face as flush as the mare.

"Thank you for that, Young Rand." He flung back, a friendly glare on his face. "Or should I say Cloud soaker?" He raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Go on AJ, tell them or I will." The promise came with a round of cheers as eyes fixed back on Applejack.

"Fine," she begrudgingly resigned, bowing her head in submission."It was, what? Bout a year ago?" She checked with the Stallion, who nodded. "So; bout a year passed, Big Mac was tillin' 'an harvestin in the orchard. All the sudden, he heard a whistl'n noise an' the sound of a crash followed it. So Macintosh wander'd towards the noise an' found this," She waved a hoof dismissively in his direction. "Stuck up in a tree, bones stickin' outa wings." The building itself almost grimaced with the thought. "We took him in, trussed him up and kept him in the guest room." Gallion screamed with laughter at the euphemism. He managed to stifle it down to a snicker to let her continue.

"Now, he was the picture of a good guest: easy ta feed, quiet, never complained when we never entertained. Then he just had ta wake up and ruin it." She laughed with the recollection. "Hooo-boy, he was spttin' mad. Flingin' curses at us, I'm surprised Granny-" She stopped to clear her throat. "Granny didn't just tear out his foul tongue then and there." She gave a few examples of his protest to immerse the masses even more. "For the next coupl'a months he whined, moaned an' belly ached up a score."

"Wasn't that bad.." He grumbled, his sudden bitterness sending more laughter to the roof.

"Sure, whatever you say. So, layin' in bed for almost ten weeks, he started beggin' us for somethin' ta do! Beggin'! So we send in Granny, and she goes and wraps a ball a yarn 'round his hooves and tells him to keep still. Starts knittin' and gabbin' at him." She slammed the table, still laughing fitfully. "So he spends the next month as her spool, not surprised how he turned out by the end of it. The plan was to keep 'im till he healed, but he just stuck around after the fourth month, claiming a splinter. Couldn't rightly say why." She glanced over, a curious look on her face.

"Leaving would have just shattered your fragile little heart." He said sincerely, bringing a bawdy hail of whistles and calls. “I know that you guys couldn’t go on without me.” Gallion stated smugly.

“You go on talkin’, how bout I tell ‘em the first day you got your wings back?” Applejack casually let slip. Demands were bellowed and options thrown. Once they had settled down, Gallion had been accused of overthrowing three different monarchies, killing about thirty or so officials while catching the eye of every noble mare they could name, plus a few who had been forgotten.

“He comes boudin’ out of the room, waving his wings around like mad, an’ shouting ‘I’m free! Free!’ loud as could be. Took off in a puff’a dirt, coverin’ me ‘n Applebloom in the stuff. He tore off into the sky, quick as a whip. Least, ‘fore he turned back when Applebloom’s cough started. Look scared as a mouse in the larder, quick as he moved. Scooped ‘er up an’ brought ‘er straight to Granny. Never seen wings so fast.” The laughter had died down now; everypony was intent on the story. A small drip was heard as a mug tipped over slightly. “Should have seen the worry on ‘im, looked close to tears.”

Applejack was staring at the stallion solemnly. Gallion had cast his face down, obviously compromised. “Granny just gave her a tap on the back an’ she was fine. That was the last time you took to the sky, wasn’t it?” She asked, breaking off the story and approaching her friend. Every eye in the place was fixed on the new story, live actors playing out their drama. “Wasn’t it? That why you stayed? Applejack pressed on, getting closer, her eyes were still fixed on him. “Applebloom was why you stayed?”

Gallion's skin was crawling; he wasn’t used to this kind of attention. He nodded his head towards the door; never had he looked more anxious then at that moment. Applejack understood and stepped outside with him, leaving the slowly fading party. He led her away from the building, trying his best to find some privacy. Once he was assured that there would be nopony else listening he answered her. “Yes it was, for both. I couldn’t just leave her, she was hurting, I could never have just left” Gallion’s light hearted chatter was replaced; he now spoke with a determined allegation."I don't want to talk about it anymore, O.K?" He turned a shoulder to her, walking back to the party. "I hate talking about myself." He muttered, just loud enough for her to hear.

Once the pair returned the found that the gathering hall had emptied quickly after their departure. Not yet tired enough for sleep, Applejack and Gallion trotted around town, and then broke from the borders into the forest that hemmed the northern edge. They galloped through the forest, racing and shouting with the occasional hoof out to trip the other. They covered half the forest in the one night, and looped back around when Gallion started raving. She tried to stand strong, resisting the tantalizing pull of his words.

"You have to see what I found," He told her excitedly, pointing forward towards an outcropping. "You can see on forever from there, Lights, bright as the sun!" She finally resigned, hoping that the detour would get the excited pegasus calmed down. The two breached the trees and she learned what he was talking about. It was a small crag, giving an overlook of, not only the small town, but Canterlot and sky lights that must have been Cloudsdale.

"It's...." No words came to her mind that could describe what she saw. "Thank you, Gallion." AJ faced the pegasus, smiling. "I thought I was buildin' up to burst."

"I wouldn't have thought it possible to make you grin," He told her, his own smile spreading like wildfire across his face. "Until now, I had a bet with one of the unicorns you were made of stone. It looks good on you." He sat himself beside the orange horse, letting his wings fan out and flop back into a relaxed pile. "Suits a lot of people, but I think you wear it best."

The two sat in silence for a while, and Gallion could tell that the earth pony next to him had finally relaxed and, he hoped, had forgotten the events of the day. It wasn't until he felt the tremble next to him that he noticed she was crying.

"She's dead Gallion." AJ sobbed, tears dripped onto her leg as she turned to face him. "Granny's dead. Now I've got to care for them all on my own. The people I take in, all of 'em, and Applebloom... and she's gonna die too!" Tears ran down her face and snot bubbled at her nose. She sobbed like a new born filly longing for the warmth and steady heartbeat of her mother. Applejack had done her best to hold back the tears, never wanting to seem weak in front of her family, but the grip had been loosened by exhaustion, and by Gallion's kind actions that night.

Gallion sat clueless next to her for a moment before fanning out his wings and clasping his left around her shoulders and pulling her into his chest. "Quiet down, don't want someone to see the great Applejack, terror of the frontier, sister of the year and second most feared apple bucker in town crying." He tried to comfort her and knew he was failing. "You won't be alone." He assured her. "You have Big Mac, and Applebloom once she's over her little cold." He was floundering. "Look, I'm no good at this comforting, but if I have learned anything about you in the past few months I've been here I know that you are the strongest mare-hell, strongest horse I've ever met and this is good for you. Let it out and you'll spring right back." She looked up, imploring him for anything more comforting that he could say.

"Uhh....you're pretty?" He shrugged pitifully, defaulting on his most basic instinct of jokes. She smiled, though her tears still flowed freely down her cheeks. Gallion finally thought of a way to calm her. "Now, come on, let it go, it's going to be fine. You're not alone; you've got your family, the freaks in your basement, and the freak with his wing around your shoulders. I doubt any of us are going anywhere." He promised, clutching the still crying mare closer. "That is, if you still want me around the farm."

"I don't think it would be the same without havin' you around." Her crying had stopped and the two sat uncomfortably close to one another.

"Come on, you've soaked my feathers, let's head back to the farm." He gingerly lifted her head off his chest, only to be stopped by her hooves wrapped around his body.

"Don't you shrug me off just yet." She told him, clutching him as hard as Applebloom had. "I still have somethin' to say." Her throat felt like cotton as she looked at him. "I-" She gritted her teeth and Gallion could tell she felt uneasy. "I don't want ta hear you call it 'the farm' anymore. It's yer home, don't you forget that." Applejack finally managed to explain.

His grew wide as saucers when she told him that. “What do you mean, ‘my home?” He asked, stunned at the revelation.

“You said yer goin' to stay with us for a while, didn’t ya?” Applejack withdrew from his hold, concerned she had said something wrong to her friend. “I only thought... cause you'll be with us, that it’s as much yer home as it is ours.” She silently chastised herself for making the stallion more uncomfortable and ushered in another bout of silence. "If ya don't think of it that way, then don't," She clumsily backpedaled, hoping to undo whatever damage she had done. "Was jus' an offer."

“It’s not that,” He looked back, his sly smirk rested on his round face. “You just reminded me of what an old Captain of mine once told me. Gave a speech about our duty to the war machine and what that entailed. He told us that a grinning Pegasus can never hold family, home, or property, that we are all tools for the Warlord to use at his discretion. Just feels odd to have a home after being constantly told you couldn't for so long. A good kind of odd, though.” He made sure to stress the last point. “And I can’t think of a better place to call home than the orchard.” Gallion hugged her close, feeling the remains of her tears rub off on his body.

“It’s been a good few months.” He spoke aloud, but the words weren’t directed to anyone in particular. “First I get away with going AWOL, then I wake up with half my bones broken in the storm cellar of some crazy earth pony and her just as insane family. Then, I get to sleep in for a few weeks and make a friend that I’ll never soon forget.” He felt Applejack’s grin against him. “And then I made friends with her crazy sister, who won’t let go of me.” She kicked him for the hundredth time that day and he laughed. “More feeling next time, I don’t see the apple bucking maniac I met a few weeks ago.” She took another swing at him, knocking him a few feet away from her and landing on his side. “There she is!” He groaned, hugging the side she had kicked.

“Come on, let’s head back. Big Mac and Applebloom will be worried if we are out too late. Plus I have to tell Applebloom you’re staying; she’s been begging me for weeks to ask you.” She chuckled, walking away from him. AJ heard a loud swoosh from behind her and he landed a hairsbreadth from her face.

“I hadn’t finished the list yet.” He said quietly. “I found work I love to do, a family I love to be around and a home that I can’t wait to be a part of. That implies that I fell in love with the family, work and home, when really I love all three because one special pony made me love all three.” The hairsbreadth had been breached and he was leaned in closer than measurement could make. “What I want to say is, not only thank you for all of this, not only that without you I would be dead of my injuries, or dead of poor care back in Cloudsdale, or been forced to grin along with my regiment. I’m drawing this out far too long, when it’s the simplest phrase there is." He breathed in, preparing his explanation. "I love you, AJ, all these months have let me see that.” The Pegasus was flushed now, turning his face a strange purple. “I love you.” He repeated, and Applejack knew he wanted her to share the sentiment.

“Gallion...I don't...I can't-" She started, and saw the Pegasus’s face drop. Humiliation corroded his normally happy look. He turned away, trying to hide the wince when she couldn't finish her sentence.

“It’s alright, I understand.” He cut her off; the pain was clear in his voice. “I really shouldn't have said anything; I mean...I'm an idiot. I’m taking advantage of you.” The pain was drowned by the apologetic begging. “I’ll pack up when I get back, don’t worry. You won’t hear from me again if you don’t want to.” He started to flap his wings, only to get a swift buck from behind, the hundredth and first kick of the day.

She glowered down at him, a mixture of puzzlement and rage was upon her face. Gallion tried to scuttle away on his back, but his hooves wouldn't find traction in the thin dirt. She towered over him, a scowl fixed in place of her grin. "You...You little..." She rumbled, narrowing her eyes. Gallion shut his eyes tight and cringed away from the incited mare. It took a moment to register once she pressed herself against him and kissed him tenderly. "When I'm speakin' you listen. I don’t know how to tell you I cared that much. I didn't know how I should a' said it, but I suppose that about sums it up." Gallion cracked his eye open and saw her standing shyly a few inches from his face. Shyness from her was as seldom as a dragon sighting and, as Gallion would joke, twice as frightening.

Away in the distance a faint explosion was heard, and a band of multicolor lit up the night sky. "Well," he stared past Applejack, beaming at the rainbow. "Now I'm waiting for Manocouses to ascend his stone grave, if anything else, it would be the most likely."

Gallion sat on his flank, a dumb smile on his face. “The captains told me, every Pegasus gets his grin or dies trying,” He told her, one side of his cheek lift higher than the other, pulling into the grin he had flashed the first day that he could use his wings again. “Didn’t ever imagine this being what they meant.” He thought for a second then asked, “Would I have died if I had refused?” He asked, his faux serious voice betrayed by his still grinning face.

“Naturally. As you said, a pegasus earns the right or winds up dead for it.” Applejack teased, lifting him off his rear. She rubbed her neck against his. “Life’s too short; don’t think I wouldn’t have made it last any longer.” She sighed into his mane. “Well, now you know yer stuck with us. I doubt Applebloom would ever let ya leave now. Big Mac neither, he’s always been protective.” Applejack felt the neck stiffen as she said that. “Don’t worry; just let me deal with him, though ya may wanna stay away from the house for a while after I tell him.” She couldn't keep the laughter out of her voice as he contracted his muscles, almost cowering at the thought. “Welcome home, Gallion.” She giggled out, pushing the green almost-solider towards his new home.

The two walked off, Gallion’s walk was more of a stuttering trot as he tried to kid and feign his bravery. The explosion and nighttime rainbow had been quickly forgotten, along with many of the events of the day, pushed away to the hidden recesses of their minds. Both of the ponies only wanted to think about was the present and the future; what was happening, and what could and, if they had their way, would happen now, and the air seemed warmer as it flowed between them.

"Big thanks to PseudoBob for editing this for me, Would have been much, much worse had he not."

Comments

[Kaboomskie]

Really good read! Keep it up, hope to see more.

[tilpin313]

265689
thanks, don't worry i'm working on the third chapter