The Apple Falls Far from the Tree

by David Silver

11 - The Manse Fills

Lady Longtail sat out on the balcony, shielded from the direct glare of the angry sun by an overhanging cloth from the roof. She watched as ratfolk darted about the lawn. Her lawn. "Have I done the right thing, offering shelter to a bunch of rat men?"

Applejack pointed at one particular biped. "That one's a rat, uh, woman?"

This seemed to relax her a little, and she smiled. "Perhaps they will have a family of their own." She turned her gaze to the Crusaders lined up on either side of Applejack. "Let's talk about you. The rats are no longer your problem. You've done as I asked, but something bothers me. What were you fighting?"

Apple Bloom turned to face Lady Longtail, sitting on her haunches. "Well they were about so big, and they had scales and teeth and claws. Kinda lahk little dragons without the fire breath n' all that. Oh! Two-legged too."

The butler spoke. "Kobolds, madame. Dreadful beasts, they're arguably worse than the ratfolk."

Applejack frowned a little. "Which critter's more known for tunneling?"

The butler considered this a moment before gesturing at the rats. "In my reading, the ratfolk were once as nomadic as the purrsians, though I shudder to draw likeness between the two people. Kobolds are traditionally underground creatures, not creatures of the desert."

Scootaloo turned away from the scurrying ratfolk to look at the butler. "Hey wait! What if the rats didn't dig those tunnels? What if they just moved in after the lizard people dug it out, and they just came back?"

Lady Longtail let out a slow sigh. "Then you've done me a greater favor that I already knew. The kobolds would have raided the manor, not holed up in its walls. They weren't trying to, but the ratfolk saved me." She looked to Applejack. "You slept here last night. Do you not have a home of your own?"

Applejack jumped a little. "Ah thought ya said we could stay over? Ah didn't mean no offense by it."

Longtail shook her head. "No offense is taken, but...?"

Applejack shuffled a little. "But it's true, we were staying at a tavern before we came here."

Longtail nodded. "Then it's settled. Your payment, besides two hundred coin, will be one of the master bedrooms, to be used until you need it no longer. It will do my old heart good to have some little ones running around the grounds... besides the rats."

Sweetie Belle clopped her hooves together. "That's really nice of you, ma'am!" The others quickly echoed the sentiment.

Longtail smiled with a building warmth. "You're brave little warriors, aren't you? Did you learn anything from your battle?"

Apple Bloom raised a hoof to go first. "Ah figured out what ah was doing wrong with mah potions! Now anypony can drink 'em!"

Sweetie went next. "I... learned that there are more uses to singing than singing."

Applejack raised a brow. "Come again?"

Sweetie shook her head. "It's hard to explain... I feel like I can tell a tall tale like a sung story, and tell when somepony is trying to do the same to me."

The butler spoke up as he looked at Sweetie. "You are a bard, maturing into your social powers. It really suits you, madame, if you don't mind my saying."

Sweetie flashed a bright smile. "Thanks!" She looked back at her flank, blank as ever...

Lady Longtail noticed the glance. "What were you looking for, little pony?"

Scootaloo offered an answer first. "A cutie mark! We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders!"

Longtail shook her head. "Do you mean a brand of destiny?"

Applejack nodded. "That's what ponies around here call it. They haven't gotten theirs yet."

Longtail looked befuddled, wrinkled brow raising. "Ponies are born with them, branded by the gods themselves, or so I heard. How did you... avoid that?"

All of them but Sweetie started to look nervous. Sweetie immediately wove a tale. "We're cursed! That's why we made the Crusaders, to break the curse and get our marks!"

Longtail reached out and ran slightly shaking fingers through Sweetie's mane. "You just finished telling me you got better at tall tales. You won't fool me that easily. Tell me the truth."

Sweetie shrunk with sheepish shame. Applejack stepped forward. "Well, ya see, we ain't from around these parts."

Longtail looked over the ponies. "Where are you from then?"

Applejack sighed softly. "I can't answer that question, not for lack of wanting ta. A world away? Universe? I don't know."

Longtail looked from one to the next and back again. "Brands aside, you look very... normal... for extraplanar travelers."

Apple Bloom smiled brightly. "We changed when we got here. We used ta be different-shaped a little."

Applejack nodded in agreement. "Hard ta describe really. More rounded, less threatening. We were still ponies. We weren't trying ta be deceitful, it's just a mite difficult ta explain."

Scootaloo spread her wings wide. "My wings work now!"

Longtail focused on Scootaloo, as if the rest of the world ceased to exist. "You couldn't fly before? How terrible! Do you know how to?" Scootaloo shuffled in place. "Answer enough." Lady Longtail rose to her paws, stretching out slowly, arching her back and extending her wings. "For this, I will spread my wings one more time. Come, little one, let's show you how to embrace the sky."

The two were soon gone, Scootaloo following after Longtail with a goofy grin.

The butler gestured inside. "I'll show you to your room." He led them through the halls of the manor, stopping at a room that seemed large enough to fit an entire family if there were more beds in it.

Applejack whistled low. "Hoowee, she weren't kidding 'bout it being a 'master' bedroom.

Apple Bloom faced the butler. "If she's so rich, why are you tha only one working here?"

He raised a brow. "The other staff left over the years, when other employers offered them more money."

Sweetie frowned at the story. "What? Just like that? She's such a nice cat! Doesn't that count for something?"

He smiled then, but bowed stiffly. "It does for some of us. Ring the bell if you require my services." Then he was gone, door closed gently behind him.

Applejack frowned and snorted. "That's it. Ah ain't taking charity from that cat lady sitting down. Ah'm gonna patch up that wall fer her. You two up fer helping?" Both crisply saluted with grins. "That's tha spirit! Let's make it good as new." Applejack led the way, and the rest of the day was spent repairing the damage done and reinforcing the breach to discourage any other underground residents.

Before they finished closing it up, Apple Bloom squeezed through the hole and vanished from sight. There was a muffled bang and she came scampering out, covered in dust. "Nothing's coming through that tunnel!" Applejack held out a hoof and they bumped with sisterly pride. The sun was lowering by the time they emerged from the hallway, looking satisfied with their work.

They heard elevated voices as they came. Following them brought them to the front yard, where Longtail was arguing with another purrsian that Applejack found faintly familiar.

The younger purrsian snorted at Longtail. "You went from living alone to living with rats? Have you lost all sense of pride? They're filthy, disease-ridden beasts!"

Longtail scowled her wrinkly face. "That makes them one step up from the average cat on the street. They're willing to work for their keep and they need a place to live. Did you come back just to berate me? I was happier alone."

"Mother..." The younger purrsian sighed softly. "No I didn't come back just for that. I wasn't expecting to come back to this! Why do you have a pony child here?" She pointed off to where Scootaloo was playing in the fountain with a purrsian kitten. They appeared to be having quite a good time of it. The other Crusaders abandoned Applejack, rushing to join Scootaloo and her new friend. "Children! Is that their mother?" She leveled her gaze at Applejack before her expression changed like a switch. "You!"

Applejack approached cautiously. "Me? What's wrong?"

The younger purrsian smiled at Applejack. "You were with the ponies that rescued us. It's your fault in part that I'm here at all to complain at my senile, but lovable, mother."

Applejack tapped the ground twice. "Willow was it? Nice ta meetcha again."

Willow nodded. "Willow Longtail. I wasn't expecting to see you here."

Lady Longtail blinked at their reunion. "You know this pony?"

Willow nodded. "It's thanks to her and her friends that I survived the train wreck and got back to civilization. I did a lot of thinking about them. They didn't even really want the money I was offering for it."

Applejack smiled gently. "We were doing what was right ta do. That's how neighbors should behave."

Longtail pointed a furry finger at Applejack. "See, that's what I'm talking about."

Willow sighed. "Enough arguing. Give me a hug." Old arguments were set aside long enough for the two to embrace warmly. "I missed you, crazy old bat."

"I missed you too, foolish child. And you brought my grandkitten. For that, I will let you stay."

Willow turned to the fountain. "Sunflower! Come say hello to Grandmother!"

"Yes mom!" Sunflower shook himself free of water and rushed up to Lady Longtail, who caught him in a dive and they hugged fiercely.

"Oh, how you've grown!" Longtail set him down and pet over the fur of his head. "Look at you! You're going to break so many pretty girls' hearts."

Sunflower blushed at the praise and made a face. "Grandma... Say, Grandma, why are there a bunch of ponies here? They're fun!"

Scootaloo arrived on the scene first on her restored wings, tackling Sunflower to the ground with a giggle of delight. They wrestled, forgetting about the adults for the moment.

Longtail smiled at the sight before letting out a slow sigh. "My home is starting to feel more like a home again... How long are you staying, Willow?"

Willow shrugged her shoulders. "My plans fell through... I'm returning with my tail between my legs. Will you give your foolish daughter harbor while she works out her next scheme?"

Longtail pulled Willow forward into a new embrace. "As if you had to ask. You are welcome here as long as you need it, just don't pick on the rats. They've been through enough."

Willow made a bit of a face. "I will try not to, mother. At least tell me you put them in one of the outer houses?"

Applejack cleared her throat softly. "Sorry ta interrupt a family moment, but thought ya should know we patched that hole up for ya. No more varmints'll bother ya from there."

Longtail nodded in thanks. "You didn't have to do that, but thank you. You really are a kind neighbor."

Willow tilted her head slightly. "Are they neighbors?"

Longtail shook her head in return. "They're staying here for now, same as you."

Willow looked over Applejack, then smiled. "I can deal with civilized pony folk. It's nice to run into you again."

Author's Note:

Lady Longtail gets more background info, Apple Bloom learns the magic of infusions, and the manor seems full of people!

I bet they brought typos...

Comments

[Seeking Dusk]

Willow and Sunflower! I missed you guys. I really do like Lady Longtail. Even more now that we see she raised her daughter right.

[albedoequals1]

Lady Longtail is best purrsian

Lady Longtail let out a slow sigh. "Than you've done me a greater favor that I already knew.

Then than

We used ta be different shaped a little.

different-shaped

"The others left over the years. The others offered more money."

"The others" refers to a different group in each sentence. Perhaps it would be more clear if it said:
"The other staff left over the years, when other employers offered them more money."

"Willow Longtail. I wasn't expect to see you here."

"didn't expect" or "wasn't expecting"

"My home is starting to feel more like a home again... How long as you staying, Willow?"

are

[Booster Spice]

Yaay for infusions. And sorting out the tunnel the easiest way. At least AB wont have to worry about potion induced extraneous appendages for a while now.

Looks like AJ rolled a 20 on to which family they would get to help?

[David Silver]

5878180 Fixed! Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed the chapter.

[Alzrius]

Applejack led the way, and the rest of the day was spent repairing the damage done and reinforcing the breech to discourage any other underground residents.

They spent the rest of the day repairing the "breach."

She pointed off to were Scootaloo was playing in the fountain with a purrsian kitten.

She pointed to "where" Scootaloo and a kitten were playing.

Willow nodded. "Willow Longtail. I wasn't expecting to see you here."

Did she recently divorce? Her second name (surname?) used to be "Leaf" before.

You're going to break so many pretty girl's hearts."

The apostrophe should be after the "s" in "girls'."

[David Silver]

5878313 Fixes applied! Given names when around family can shuffle a little bit, especially if trying to express being part of said family.

[Alzrius]

5878343 Well, things are finally settling down, giving AJ and co. a much-needed chance to catch their breath. With all of their immediate problems solved, the next step is probably - after enjoying a well-earned break - to figure out how to deal with the long-term problem of getting home. Viljatown is still probably their best bet, in that that's where Twilight and the others will likely look, but getting there won't be simple, or quick.

Having said that, it's great to see Willow and Sunflower again! Sunflower, in particular, really seems like he's going to hit it off with the Crusaders, not only being their own age, but also having their youthful optimism and innocence...and of course, their precociousness (after all, this is the kitten that ran off alone into the dangerous wilderness because he was convinced that he'd be able to hunt for food for everyone). I really see him as a never-lose-heart, never-think-about-the-consequences kind of purrsian, and I bet he's going to be a lot of fun.

While they seem like they're barely getting old enough to notice the opposite sex, I also wonder if this might be a chance to do some absolutely-adorable youthful romance plot-threads. Sunflower and Scootaloo seem to be quite taken with each other, and Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom were quick to join in the fun as soon as they noticed them. Crushes, mixed with that same childish innocence (before the hormones really get to pumping), can be so sweet to watch that I want to squee just thinking about it!

What would make that even more fun would be the difference in cultural values. While the purrsians of Murrage seem to be solely concerned with money over morality, if I recall correctly the felinoid races of Everglow have a patriarchal culture, contrasted to the matriarchal one of the ponies. Moreover (and again, if I'm not misremembering) their social structure - and their religious mythology - focuses on "alpha males" who have a pride of females all their own. This strikes me as something that's universal among the purrsians and sun cats, and is likely to be held as a positively-regarded social unit.

All of that is to say that I doubt either Willow or Lady Longtail will react with anything other than laughter and bemused encouragement when Sunflower, after getting to know the fillies a little better, says of the Crusaders "they're my pride!" That's something that will be all the more amusing when Applejack, not understanding the reference, will say something to the effect of "Well, uh, sure... Ah'm mighty proud of 'em too, I guess."

Of course, I don't think Sunflower will be saying that in the next chapter or two - even for a precocious kitten, he has just met them, after all. But once they've had an adventure or two together (yes, I really see them joining the party, though I'm fuzzy on the details), I can just see him taking it as a matter of course that they're going to be his pride. Whether it actually works out that way in the end is something altogether different.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that, with regards to Willow, she seemed to bury the hatchet with her mother (does her mother have a first name?) a little too quickly. What she's describing is a major shift in her world-view, and while that's absolutely appropriate for what she experienced (almost dying, and worse, almost losing her son - both of which were avoided because of the selflessness of some ponies), she seems to be referring to it all a little too casually. Admitting that you were, up until a few weeks (or months?) ago, wrong about something as major as how you approached life isn't something I think she'd refer to so nonchalantly...and if she did, then I suspect that she'd still be trying to feel comfortable with it.

[David Silver]

5878459 I think you're coloring Willow's setting aside of the argument temporarily as a permanent burying of the argument. She still has her views, and Lady Longtail has her own, but the two do love each other. It isn't hard to imagine Lovetail did her very best to be a good mother, and it's good to see Willow appreciates that, even if she still disagrees.

[FanOfMostEverything]

Ah, continuity. And someone who knows the way back to familiar territory. Most helpful.

A base of operations is a fine reward indeed. Lady Longtail is truly a generous soul. And she trained Scootaloo in Fly!

And the kobolds' aggression makes much more sense; that was their warren. Poor move on the ratfolks' part, but it could've gone even worse.

A very nice denouement. Now for whatever comes next...

[David Silver]

5878649 Oh the possibilities...

[harts fire]

Lady Longtail's house is starting to really feel like a home all is good, or is it??

love the chapter it really looks as if you are having a blast righting this story.

Harts Fire

[shadowfalcon76]

W00t! The Crusaders gained a level! More hit dice, more bonuses, and slightly better spell selections! What more can you ask for?

(Feats, usually)

Glad to see the resolution was beneficial to all. Perhaps with Willow around, the CMC (this includes Honorary Member Applejack) will find a way to get to Viljatown. It would be a great way for her to repay their kindness; for saving the lives of her son and herself, she can help them get theirs back.

[David Silver]

5878693 Heh, none of them gained second level spells yet. They'll have to work harder for those. But they won't have a chance for that. Surely they'll get home with no more problems!

[shadowfalcon76]

5878749 I actually meant the gaining of additional spells known upon level up (usually), but no worries.

I can't imagine an adventure where the heroes get new toys and not get the chance to play with them. That'd be almost cruel, in a way.

[albedoequals1]

5878459 More likely, the CMC will offer Sunflower the chance to become another honorary member. If he accepts, he will probably be taken aback that they expect him to do what they say, even though they're just girls.

[that_one_scorpio]

This is ....so.... ADORABLE!!!!!!! EEEK!!!!

[howard035]

Good chapter, and it seems like it's really sinking in to the CMC that it is probably impossible to earn a cutie mark in this dimension. That's probably for the best for them. Now the girls won't be able to focus on getting their marks, and will have to focus on actually growing and maturing and acquiring new skills instead. It wouldn't surprise me at all if, at the end of this story, the CMC have completely forgotten about cutie marks, only for them to arrive home and instantly have the marks appear.

[jhosmer1]

I look away for a weekend and find three more chapters... I'll see if any typos scurried into the walls when the other editors were looking.

Longtail shook her head. "No offense is taken, but?"

but...?

He raised a brow. "The other staff left over the years, when other employers offered them more money."

Not so much a typo as a question: why didn't she hire more staff? Of course, I can see one noblewoman doesn't need much staff, and the butler no doubt hires temporary workers as needed to tend to things (like fixing walls). Did they get tired of constantly hiring new staff? Is someone poaching her staff, letting Lady Longtail hire and train them, then stealing them away once they know their trade?

[David Silver]

5889622 As is hinted at, she kinda has long term problems.

[Aatxe360]

I notice you're obsessed with typos.

[David Silver]

6158910 Who, me? Nah.

[Vutava]

"But it's true, we were staying at an tavern before we came here."

a

Ahm gonna patch up that wall fer her.

Ah'm

She leveled gaze with Applejack

leveled a gaze at or leveled her gaze at would work better

[Shadow Lance]

6159222 you wheir just waiting to bring willow back, whernt you

[Chrome Masquerade]

Longtail focused on Scootaloo, as if the rest of the world ceased to exist. "You couldn't fly before? How terrible! Do you know how to?" Scootaloo shuffled in place. "Answer enough." Lady Longtail rose to her paws, stretching out slowly, arching her back and extending her wings. "For this, I will spread my wings one more time. Come, little one, let's show you how to embrace the sky."

img00.deviantart.net/c8da/i/2016/286/8/9/aye_sir_wallpaper_by_pennymester-dakvj8n.png

[Nevermore777]

Guess Scootaloo can join the club with Spike for creatures that would prefer to stay in their Everglow forms