Too Early, Too Late

by Inkarus

Don't Forget, Prairie

Soon enough, they came upon a blue building about the size of Rarity's boutique, but shaped like a giant shotglass. It was painted Navy Blue and creamy off-white, with as much trim and random windows and flowerbeds as any other building in Ponyville. Prairie Fire beheld it like a newborn foal beholds a set of colorful keys. It had a "FOR SALE" sign on the front of it, and Prairie started to get a nervous wiggle in his stomach at what that implied. Rarity beamed at him, eyes sparkling.

"It's only a block from my boutique! Just think of it; We'll be two cultural gems in a rural wasteland! Oh darling, PLEEEEASE?"

Discomfort was starting to press heavily into his middle. Everything seemed to be moving so fast. And what was a rural wasteland? Sweet Apple Acres was the most rural thing in Ponyville, and he sure didn't think of it as a wasteland. He tried to wipe the farm from his mind as soon as it entered.

"I, uh, don't think I can pay for this..."

"Well, how much money do you have?" She demanded, rather tactlessly, not about to let this opportunity go. In her excitement, she dropped all pretenses of politeness and wheedled like a filly. If he wasn't so wrapped up in stress, he would have found it funny.

"Ehm, how much did you pay for my paintings?"

She flew back in a dramatic gasp.

"WHAT? That's ALL? Good grief darling, why didn't you TELL me you were in such hard times? I would have DOUBLED what I payed for your paintings! Buying art from an artist is one thing, but helping a starving artist? There IS no higher calling!" Her eyes were wide and shining with dramatic tragedy. She stopped a moment, composing herself. When her eyes opened again, they were bright with plans.

"Then I have no choice; I will pay for your studio!" She declared.

"No way!" He cried bluntly, and then seemed surprised at his own volume; By the look on her face, Rarity was as well.

"Sorry. But really, that's just too nice; You don't even know me!"

Rarity's smile was a soft one.

"I know that you are a talented young stallion with a bright future ahead of him, but needs a little help getting to his hooves. It is no sorrow parting with bits to help a young artist find his way."

He tried to protest again, but she would not hear it, and soon, doing his best not to choke up, he accepted her help, and for the second time in his life, he was shown life-altering kindness by a pony he didn't even know. The memory faded away as Applejack's voice struck him into the present again, for good.
---

"Y'member just before y'all left, Applebloom was born?"

He did. It was the first time he'd met Applejack's parents. He had felt terribly seperated from their family. They'd brought the tiny, mewling bundle home from the hospital, and sat around and talked while Granny Smith contentedly tied up the newborn filly's mane with a red ribbon. And then, "Momma" and "Daddy" had left.

Granny Smith had stared at the door, shaking her head tiredly, after they went through it. Applejack and Big Mac had cried, and Prairie sat on the stairs, staring at them. He wanted to go hug Applejack and tell her it was okay, but he was afraid of her tears. Much like he was now.

"Well, just after y'all left, they... We got some news." She turned away from him, a bitter hardness taking over her. "They had an accident. My momma and daddy died right after y'all left. It was like our whole family was fallin' apart."

The words after "died" faded away as realization struck his heart. Yet another sister of his had been orphaned, and again, all he did was run. He may never see his birth sister Lacquer Finish again, but Applejack was right there. Her head was down, and she was sniffing back tears her pride would not allow her to cry. Prairie tried to reach a hoof around her, but suddenly, the door exploded open behind him in a spray of confettie and streamers, and loud, upbeat music drowned out whatever words he might have had for her; He'd almost forgotten they were right outside of Pinkie's party.

"WOOOHOOO! Come again next time, everypony!" Pinkie seemed to fly out of the door somehow, bouncing around as tired but good-humoured (And a bit drunk) ponies filed out of the door. Applejack let out a half-yelp of surprise as she was carried away by the crowd. Prairie tried to follow her, but something caught his back hoof; Rarity was holding him with her magic.

She came up in front of him, unintentionally blocking his view of the orange pony's whereabouts, much to his chagrin.
"I noticed you and Applejack out here... Fancy the country fillies, do you?" A tiny bit of petulance was noticable under her charming exterior.

In his haste and urgency, he didn't even think about what came out of his mouth next; "She's my SISTER!" And tried to scrabble past Rarity, though his leg was still caught. She dropped him, shocked.

"Y-your sister? B-b-but then, Prairie Fire, dear, why-why-" As she tried to make sense of the last two years, he raced past, into the crowd, into the late night. His earlier shyness seemed to have deserted him; All he could think was that he had to apologize, had to make it alright.

But the crowd was already dispersing, and Applejack was nowhere to be found. He found his hoofsteps slowing as he looked around the town, soon deserted. Even Rarity, it seemed, had gone home to deal with this new revelation. He sighed. She would surely hate him tomorrow; After all, she'd payed for the studio he lived at; Surely, she had to resent him for that. He never should have let her pay for him! He could have gone back to Sweet Apple Acres... He SHOULD have gone back, actually.

Back to his warm, cozy farmhouse, in the close, constant company of his brother and sister; Back to the nights when he would wake up in a cold sweat, crying, reaching out for Laqcuer, his sister, and being calmed by the soft sounds of breathing, carried through the night air from the other rooms, and falling back to sleep knowing he was safe, and his family was safe. He should have gone back.

Comments

[Chill Mists(Chilly)]

Ooooh. I look forward to seeing where this is going.

[Inkarus]

>>Chill mists(Chilly)Thanks for the loyalty! I still have a lot in store, so I hopefully you won't be disappointed.