Artemis

by gcsmith

Chapter 15

A shorter chapter again, and probably some grammar mistakes. I want to progress the story a bit at the moment, and with other stuff going on, I want to give you guys updates. Will aim to have larger chapters again soon.

Artemis awoke to several poundings, the first of which came from his head, and the second from his chest. Opening his eyes, light seared the corneas as he shook off his headache and looked down. Applejack stood in front of him, her eyes wide open and gleaming, and her hoofs were pressed on his chest. She was obvious the reason for his rousing, her and her hooves.

Looking out at the sun, he could see it barely peeking up beyond the horizon. "Applejack,are you crazy? It's barely morning," he murmured grumpily. His early waking hardly helping his aching head.

She chuckled warmly, "bout time you got up Mr sleepy head, I got a day to spend with you and I ain't wasting a moment of it." She lifted her hat off and batted him across the face to get her point across. Realizing sleep was out of the question, he lifted his head and started the slow process of waking up.

After what seemed like ages, filled with Applejack's impatient tapping of her hooves, Artemis slipped into his wheel chair ready for a really early breakfast. Despite the early time, the kitchen was filled with heat as they entered, a small fire was blazing away in the hearth at the one side of the room. Since Granny Smith was asleep, and Applejack wasn't much for cooking so early, breakfast consisted of cold leftovers from the day before.

As they ate, he asked his dinning companion a question. "Why you so eager to spend the day with me?"

"Not too much of a reason, to be honest. I barely know you, so a the more time we spend together, the more we get to know about each other." She replied, he noticed a shifty look in her eyes as she talked, but it seemed reasonable. "So, what you got planned for today?"

She chugged back a glass of what appeared to be an apple liquid product of sorts, and smiled. "Hiking. Well, hiking for me, more being pushed around all morning for you. But. I thought a pleasurable stroll will do us good, fresh air and all that. Plus I can show you all around the acres and get a good ol' chat."

Artemis sighed, the country had never been a favorite thing of his, still he had to do something today, and he would get to spend plenty of time with Applejack. There were at least upsides, it seemed.

-x-

The morning went fast, despite the monotonous terrain, Artemis looking at the farm as they went. He never really appreciated it before, but the farm was huge. At the beginning of the journey silence hung in the air, eventually however, they struck up a conversation.

"So how did you find the party, sugarcube?" asked Applejack, clearly enjoying the walk.

Artemis didn't respond for a second, thinking of how he should reply. "The party was fun, although I found it embarrassing how I was dragged on stage."

She chuckled, "Well Pinkie meant well, besides you looked like you enjoyed it. And it seemed to dissolve some of the fears some of the residents had for you."

He looked concerned, "Some of them feared me?"

"Well, of course they did. Not everyday we get a creature like you around here. In fact, I feared your coming when Twilight mentioned it, until I met you at least." She offered a smile, Artemis having turned around to look when she mentioned her fear. The sight of her smile, as well as the light glinting of the sweat of her brow, brought a small red tinge to Artemis' cheeks.

"I'm glad you got over that fear, I doubt I would want a pony with a buck as powerful as yours to dislike me." This caused Applejack to chuckle again. "However, there was something that upset me about the party," he continued.

Applejack frowned, she knew what he was talking about. "You mean that thing with Fluttershy and Rainbow?" He nodded.

"I don't know what it was all about. I saw Fluttershy crying and when I asked her if she was ok she asked about the note, I mentioned I hadn't read it yet. and she went of crying."

Applejack gave a large, audible, facehoof. "Artemis your a fool," she sighed. "You didn't read that letter she wrote?"

"I didn't get a chance, what with Pinkie Pie, and everything else." He looked down at his legs, ashamed.

Applejack looked down at him, she didn't know what to think. On one hand he had upset a friend of hers, with a act of obvious carelessness. On the other hand, Pinkie was around, and he was right. It wouldn't of been wise to open it around her, not with what she had been told about it by Fluttershy. Suddenly, a thought came to her mind.

"Artemis, why don't you read it now?" she asked. "I wont look, I promise."

He looked up at her, it was a bit late, but it was a good idea. At the very least it would tell him why Fluttershy was upset, and let him know what he had done wrong before he next met Rainbow, and she bucked him into the Gryphon kingdoms. Slowly reaching the pocket where the letter was kept, he slipped his fingers in and pulled it out. The paper was crumpled, but otherwise readable, no tears of series damage present.

He checked around, and seeing Applejack looking away, he opened the letter to read:

He sighed as he finished reading, at least he knew what it was all about now, she had overheard him and wanted to talk about what he had said. Thinking hard, he tried to think back to what he had murmured. Vaguely remembering something, something to do with not being able to liking ponies, there was also something to do with choosing them.

His face went a gentle shade of red, he had basically confirmed that he had some sort of feelings to the pegasus, no wonder she wanted to talk. However, for some reason he was only slightly anxious. It was true he had some feelings, but he realized now they were little more than slight flutters of the heart, nowhere near a crush. Besides, it might help to talk to some pony about it.

Folding up the paper back up, and placing it back into it's pocket, Applejack took the rustle as a queue to turn back around. She noticed his awkward expression, but said nothing. The letter was addressed to just him, and if he didn't want to talk about it he didn't have to. Still, she couldn't stand to see his frown.

"Cheer up Artemis, I'm sure it's not all bad. And, even if it is, ah'm always here for you." As she said this, she placed her hoof under his chin, lifting his head to meet her gaze. Her soft touch, the smoothness of her hoof, and her careful eyes all worked to sooth any possible worry about the situation.

"Do you mind if I go see Fluttershy this evening?" he asked her, as they shared that moment.

"Mind? Of course Ah don't mind. You got an issue to sort out, ya get it sorted out," she replied. Then, increasing the pressure in her hoof, and increasing her gaze. "If you need me to come with, I'm there for you Artemis. I don't want to see two of my friends upset, especially not with each other"

He smiled and nodded, glad he had someone at least, who wasn't going to buck him in the situation.

-x-

Lunch, was a pleasant experience, sitting in the shade of a great oak tree at the edge of the farm. A soft breeze blew over both of them, keeping the shade cool. Like the day with Rarity, lunch was a picnic. However, it was a far simpler assortment of food, but no less filling, or delicious.

They passed the time discussing the work Artemis could do when his legs were repaired.

"Ah don't you'll be ready to do anything heavy, even when your able to walk. But, I guess you could help me tidy up the farm for the first week or two." Applejack said happily.

He nodded and smiled, "I'm just glad I'll be able to earn some of my own bits, can't rely on Twilight and the Princesses all the time. Need to get somewhere for myself eventually, once I know my special talent anyway." She nodded her agreement.

Suddenly there was a crack from somewhere close by, due to his position with his chair, Artemis couldn't see. But, Applejack, could see clearly. She looked over to where the noise originated from, her face becoming the picture of alarm.

Artemis just had chance to register her saying, "Horse apples," before he was hit by a rainbow coloured torpedo. Hit like a truck, he felt a jolt of pain, before the oblivion of darkness.

Comments

[shadowless_night]

rainbow .... realy? y in every celestia damned fic do u have to smash into sompony?

[gcsmith]

772913

Question is is it on purpose or not?

[shadowless_night]

772915 genraly with rd in fics its both
both are realy commen though ive prbably read more of em on purpose
not that i mind though as long as it fits well with the story i dont mind

[deathtap]

Some errors I spotted along the way...

Error: She was obviously the reason for his rousing, her and her hooves.
Error: "Applejack,_are you crazy? (Space needed)
Error: "'Bout time you got up Mr Sleepy-head,
Suggestion: Realizing sleep was out of the question, he raised his head and started the slow process of waking up. - You already used lifted in the previous sentence.
Error: Artemis slipped into his wheelchair ready for a really early breakfast.
Error: Since Granny Smith was asleep and Applejack wasn't much for cooking so early, - Remove first comma after 'asleep'
Error: As they ate, he asked his dinning companion a question, "Why you so eager to spend the day with me?" - He is speaking, therefore it's a comma
Error: ... the more we get to know about each other," She replied... - Needs a comma.
Suggestion: But, I thought a pleasurable stroll will do us good, -OR- But... I thought a pleasurable stroll will do us good, - Reads smoother.
Error: I mentioned I hadn't read it yet, and she went off crying.
Error: "Artemis you're a fool,"
Error: what with Pinkie Pie and everything else. - Remove comma after Pinkie Pie
Error: something to do with not being able to like ponies
Error: His face went a gentle shade of red; he had basically confirmed that he had some sort of feelings to the pegasus. No wonder she wanted to talk

Great read, though. Ah, poor Artemis.

[gcsmith]

773535

thanks, and yeh poor artmis, legs broken and now a full speed collision. Sigh...
Good thing he is friends with a unicorn, really good thing. Still maybe Fluttershy will go easy on him now.