A New Impetus

by Zykov

15. Rancher

A barn and quaint home grew larger as the earth ponies made their way through the apple orchard. The apples gave the wind a sweet scent and with the cool breeze the mix of red and green gave Noble a festive feeling.

Applebloom continued to carry her sister with Noble in tow pulling the waggon. Applejack talked as they walked. “Now all these apple trees that you can see are Sweet Apple Acres, the best apple orchard in all of Equestria or at least Ponyville I reckon. Of course my family owns the orchard and all these acres.”

Noble looked around and lifted his head up as he walked, sniffing and enjoying more of the aroma.
“I must say this is a wonderful town, just the kind of place I wanted to be at when living in Canterlot.”

Applejack nodded, turning her head back to catch him in the corner of her eye. “Thanks a bunch fella. Anyhow, ya were tellin’ us why ya came to Ponyville in the first place. Go on partner.”

While he continued to follow in their hoofprints Noble shook his head. “No no, please you go on if you have anything else to say.”

Applejack looked forward again and down at her sister whom was still smiling and would occasionally look up at her. “Naw, that was all. We’re almost there now. See the barn and house off in the distance? That’s the roots of our family’s heart and soul along the acre.”

As he looked down the hill at the barn over the mare’s shoulders he sighed, looking forward while his eyes were completely distant and unfocused. “I can only imagine how peaceful it must be here, especially during nights. Laying on the field and watching the full moon is one of the most amazing feelings there is.”

Applebloom couldn’t help herself as she raised an eyebrow and rolled her eyes at the rather sappy tone.

“You got that right. Anyway, about that reason.” Applejack looked back tilting her head causing her hat to rise up a little.

“Yes! Sorry.” He shook his head quickly and ruffled his eyebrows. “So um, where was I…”

“You were tellin’ us about what made ya leave Canterlot and brought you all the way out here to Ponyville.” They pushed on down the path, moving a little slower as the sisters tried to match one another’s pace.

“Right! Thank you.” Noble cleared his throat and continued his story, telling the sisters about how he got fired because the manager wanted to save money, leaving out the big argument he had with her, but explained how he desperately searched for a new job without any results. He even explained how weeks passed and how his situation was growing more and more desperate to the point where he had started planning his move back to his roots at Horseshoe Bay, the last thing he wanted.

Applejack stopped while they were right at the gate surrounding the farmhouse, causing Applebloom to stop with her as the mare looked back at Noble scratching her head. “What made ya come to Ponyville then?”

Slowing down, Noble slid a little as he brought the cart to a halt before speaking. “Oh, that’s a funny story. It was like a shooting star had granted my wish. On the day when I got my ticket to go back home, I came across with my friend, Wild Soul, who had plans to start studying to become an artisan and had gotten in contact with Ponyville’s artisan, I happened to meet them and to put it simply, she opened a new door for me.”

With a nudge of her hat again Applejack rose an eyebrow then leaned forward squinting. “Wait, are ya tellin’ me yer friends withRarity’s apprentice? The one she’s been yammerin’ about nonstop?”

The stallion’s ears twitched then he turned his head to the side. “You know her?”

Applejack nodded. “You bet, we’re friends. She’s been rambling and ranting so much about that new apprentice of hers that I knew the exact day and time when he arrived.” She looked the stallion up and down. “But dang, I had no idea you were in the same boat.”

Noble shook his head violently. “No no, I’m not that creative. The most I can do is some basic sewing. Also I don’t have much of a sense for fashion either.” He stopped and smiled widely with closed eyes but eyebrows up, a small glimmer of sweat formed on his forehead. “So, where do I take this carriage”

“To the barn!” Applebloom said and gently put her sister’s hoof down and ran toward it to open the doors.

Noble gave a nod and waited till Applebloom came to help her sister again who had already started to hobble toward the house on her own. Applebloom darted next to her sister, while Applejack waved her off she stayed there just in case she would be needed. As the sisters made their way forward Noble gave a final push and pulled the carriage toward the barn. He walked around so so the back of the cart was to the barn and stretched to look around the cart.

Applejack noticed as Noble began to curve his path and quickly interjected, “Noble, ya don’t need ta do all that for me, just walk it in straight and we’ll unload it and I’m sure one of us will be able ta get it back out.”

With a twitch of his ears Noble turned his attention back to the mare. “Are you sure? I don’t mind.”

Applejack shook her head. “Naw, you’re being too kind already. No need ta make it harder than it needs ta be.”

Noble nodded back and walked the cart around again and slowly walked it into the barn. With a few moments of undoing the straps and laying the cart down gently he walked out with a relaxed salute. “There, the job’s done.”

“Great job. Ya really deserve our gratitude for this Noble, that was a praiseworthy accomplishment.” The mare tipped her hat to him and Applebloom clapped her hooves.

Noble dipped his head down a little while some rosy color crossed his cheeks. “You are too kind, I just pulled the carriage. It was the right thing to do since you were hurt.”

Applebloom rolled her eyes and moved swiftly lifting her sister’s hurt leg with a hoof. “Yeaaaa and fixed this leg right here.”

Racking pain crashed through Applejack like lighting and caused her to pull away and glare with gritted teeth letting out a small yell. “Dog gone it!” She rubbed it then rested on three hooves again. “Yeah you really did save us back there.”

He shook his head. “I did what anypony would’ve done.” Noble swallowed and rubbed his throat. ”Sorry I’m asking, but… could I ask for a glass of water?”

“I’ll go get it,” Applebloom announced raising a hoof in the air before she zoomed off into the house letting the screen door slam behind her.

Noble blank a few times, looking at the door. He closed his eyes fully then opened them to look at Applejack again. Even with an injured hoof she looked powerful yet enchanting. “Thank you very much... For your hospitality, and the water.” He drug a hoof against the ground while he looked down.

Applejack presented a hoof and shook her head. “I really owe ya one Noble, without you this carriage would still be in the middle ah Ponyville. Tell me, how can I repay you for yer help?”

With a shake of his head and wave of his hooves Noble responded with a wide forced smile and closed eyes, “Ah, it’s alright! All I need is the glass of water.”

“Come on, I can do better than that.” Applejack took her hat off and with her muzzle she dug up a little brown bag that had gave a little jingle as it moved.

Noble’s eyes grew wide open, his ears twitched as he instantly knew what was in the bad. A leg flew up and pushed toward her. “Applejack, I couldn’t possibly---”

Applejack grabbed Noble’s hoof, turned it horseshoe up and placed the bag on it and she gave the stallion a firm nod but soft smile with her eyebrows turned down. “Of course you can, a job well done deserves a good prize. It’s a fair trade.”

“I....” Noble looked at the bag in his hoof and up at Applejack. His heart felt heavy and he looked at the money for a moment longer and finally shook his head pushing the bag back. “I’m sorry but as much as I want to take this, I did this simply because I wanted to help. I know all too well how hard it is, struggling to do something strenuous with a twisted hoof. I can’t take your money for that kind act.”

The apple flanked mare couldn’t believe her ears, she took off her hat again, putting it over her chest as if showing a sign of respect at a funeral. “Well… If yer absolutely sure, I can’t force yer hooves to hold onto it. I sure wish you’d let me do somethin for yer help.”

The door swung open slowly and the filly walked out balancing a glass of water on her head, carefully walking over to the stallion. “Here’s yer water.”

Noble bowed his head as he took the water off Applebloom’s head. “Thank you.” He took a few big gulps, it seemed as if he hadn’t drank in a week.

As Applebloom walked back to her sister’s side Applejack asked, “Applebloom, did ya see Big Mac anywhere? Gotta break the bad news to him.”

Applebloom shook her head. “Don’t you remember? He’s delivering apple’s all day.”

Applejack’s eyes widened and she drew back and sat down. “Holy cow, was that today?!” She rubbed her right temple with her good foreleg, closing her eyes and scrunching her eyebrows. “Okay, uh… I really need to rethink this, those apple’s absolutely need to be bucked today but with this darn leg there’s no way that’s gonna happen…”

“Don’t you worry, I will do it for ya!” Applebloom lept up, gave her chest a pat and took a step toward the orchard.

Applejack quickly blocked the filly’s way with a hoof. “Hold on Sugarcube, you might be spunky but I’m afraid that’s not quite enough in this case.”

Applebloom sat down, turning to look at her sister. “Well if ya won’t let me we could get somepony else to help. Rainbow Dash maybe?”

The mare scrunched up her mouth and shook her head, looking down. “I guess that’s the only option, though that will take at least another hour and the bucking should’ve started ages ago. And gosh I’ll hate askin’ somethin’ like this of her.”

Noble raised his hoof like a foul in school. “I know this may not be my place, but maybe I could offer some help---” He dropped his hoof and drew back hunkering down a little. The anxiousness practically felt like weights baring down on him.

Applejack immediately shook her head and unbandaged hoof. “No can do partner. You’ve done far more than any other stallion I know have done already. We can’t ask you to do this for us.”

“Are you sure? I would gladly help. I don’t have anywhere to be and my luck in town has been horrible today. Plus some exercise is almost never a bad thing,” Noble persisted with soft eyes and parted downward curved mouth.

Applebloom nudged her sister. “Applejack, this would be great! Even our friends don’t really know that much about pickin. You can even use this as an excuse to pay him more than you already have.”

“He actually wouldn’t take the bits when I offered them to him.” Applejack tapped her cheek while looking up and giving a hum. “Well now that you mention it… That would be a great way for you to feel like you earned the bits and for the apples ta get bucked. I don’t see anything wrong with it.”

The stallion nodded along with his ears perking up. He looked around at the trees and back to the sisters putting a hoof over his mouth giving a humm before giving a last big nod. “Sure! That sounds great, I’d accept the bits if I did that. I’d also get the pleasure of enjoying a little more time here.” His heart rate increased as he stepped forward, his voice grew shaky. “After all, I then get to see the kind of work that a strong, cute mare like you does daily.”

Applebloom struck her forehead with her hoof and Applejack’s expression drew flat as she looked at the stallion. “I thought we agreed we were done with that romantic talk partner.”

Noble stood up straight and blushed. “Sorry, I’m really sorry. I couldn’t help it. Won’t happen again.”

Eyes closed, with a sigh Applejack nodded. “It’s fine I reckon, just don’t let it happen again. We just met after all. I will pay ya for yer hard work but just today. How would that be?”

Noble’s shoulders fell but still had a slight shake to them. “That will be just fine and yes I’ll think more before I speak… Any other questions?”

The sisters looked at one another and together inquired, “Got any experience of apple bucking?”

There was a pause as the sisters stared at Noble. He shook his head. “No, I don’t. Though it shouldn’t be too hard to learn right? No offense of course.”

“None taken,” Applejack affirmed, lifting her hurt leg up and rubbing it gently. “There is a technique ta buckin’, yes. Of course I really can’t show you how it’s done with this here leg.”

Applebloom’s eyes lit up as she dashed forward turning so she was next to Noble facing the mare. “I can teach him! You, Big Mac and Granny have been teachin me how to buck apples for a while now. I can do it sis, at least let me try. You can even go inside and rest that hoof.”

“No deal, Sugarcube. I’m the head of this farm so I want to make sure he gets everything. As mighty as that offer is, yer still not quite there yet to be a tutor.” Applejack said with a chuckle and ruffled her sister’s mane.

“Umm,” Noble interjected lifting a hoof as he leaned his head in. “If I may, how else could I learn this technique? Also it probably is good not to leave your little sister with a stallion you just recently met.” He gave a small chuckle, he still held his shoulders low and kept his hooves close to his body.

“I ain’t worried about that. I know a trustworthy pony when I see one. Now how can we teach you?” The country mare tapped her cheek looking the stallion up and down then over at her sister before she stood up, shaky on her injury but walked past Noble and whipped her neck, signaling for him to follow her. “If we are gonna get you trained we better stop killin daylight.”

Noble drew back. “Wait, how? You can’t buck like that and you said your sister was in training.” He got up and walked behind her with the filly beside him.

They stopped at the closest tree that had buckets underneath it. Applejack looked up in it, sitting down and put her good hoof on it and peered back to Noble. “This ‘ill work. Of course I can’t show you how to buck myself, but Applebloom did have a point. I just needed a moment ta think about it. Of course she is ‘in training’ and one of us needs ta watch her but--”

As Applejack spoke Applebloom’s face lit up. “You will let me do the buckin while you make sure I do it right?”

Applejack gave a nod. “I’ll also be here to make sure you don’t hurt yerself and ta clarify anything you may happen ta have trouble explainin’. If you buck just like ya do when we practice everything should be just fine.“

The filly glared stopping a hoof down and walking over to the tree with a smile. “Come on I’m not a baby, sis. I could teach him on my own. And I practically have the technique down.”

Applejack pulled her head back widening her eyes then moved it back down. “Come on Sugarcube, we all have ta start somewhere and I didn’t mean it like that. I just wanna make sure nopony else gets hurt today.”

“Fine,” Applebloom sighed and chuckled. “Noble, watch me here. So you get yer buckets around the tree like we have them here, and you aim for… this parts right in here.” She patted the tree sliding her hooves a little and resting about shoulder width apart.

Applejack stepped back from the tree. “ Ya just gotta make sure you hit the trees a little over the height of yer back and with yer hooves spread apart slightly about shoulder width since most ah our trees tend to be about roughly the same width. You normally only need ta move them in or out about half or a quarter of a hoof at most.”

Noble glanced over at the mare and nodded along, putting a hoof on his lips then dropping it as they continued.

“Yeah that!” exclaimed Applebloom as she turned around and took a few breaths as she looked down at her hooves and back at the tree.

Applejack tilted her head up. “Applebloom, maybe you should explain as ya get into yer stance?”

As she nodded feeling good about her positioning she looked over standing perfectly still. “Oh yeah! You begin with plantin yer front hooves forward, just past shoulder width apart. Ya need to be ah little less than leg distance away from the tree so you can hit it with enough force. Got it?”

Noble turned his head, his eyes were looking over the filly at each hoof and the tree. It was clear that a car full of clowns could be right behind him and he wouldn’t notice. “Shoulder width apart striking and on the ground, little less than a leg distance from the tree. Got it.”

The smile appeared on Applejack’s face again as she watched her sister. “That’s good Sugarcube. I’ll explain now as ya go through the motions.”

Without putting up a fuss the filly nodded. “Alrighty, just tell me when.”

“Whenever yer ready, just like any other practice.” A gentle smile never left the mare’s face.

Applebloom nodded and with a deep breath she lunged her hips into the air and struck the tree but felt a bend in her back and her hooves slide up on the tree.

As the motioned downwards toward the filly’s flank with her bandaged hoof she spoke, “That was alright sis though make sure you keep yer back level, don’t jump quite as high this time.”

“Darn.” Applebloom looked back scrunching her lips in a twisted frown. “Just ah little lower.” She kicked her legs up again striking the tree, this time the apples plunged into the buckets below.

A smile crossed Applejack’s lips and she swung her bad hoof in front of her body with a wink. “Atta girl! Perfect!”

Applebloom closed her eyes with her head held high and gave a bow as Noble clapped his hooves.

Applejack turned her attention to Noble. “Are ya ready partner, or do ya need another demonstration?”

The stallion shook his head. “No no, I think I’m more than ready to try this. Nothing beats hooves on learning in my book. So where is the first tree I can try? Just any that have some buckets under it?”

A grin rose on Applejacks lips and she lifted a hoof going to the next tree. “Keep that enthusiasm, fella.” She went over to the next tree and lightly tapped it with her injured hoof. “You can try this one here.”

Applebloom scurried over to her sister as Noble took his place. The stallion looked at the tree, ignoring everything around it and got in position. His movements were robotic as he turned around getting his hind legs lined up.

“Giver ‘er a go whenever yer ready,” Applejack said with a tip of her hat. She covered her mouth as she leaned over to Applebloom. “No matter what, mind yer manners and give ‘em yer support.”

Applebloom nodded with a smile and ran her hoof over her lips like a zipper and tossing away the key.

With closed eyes Noble took a deep breath and released it slowly. His eyes opened and he looked back at the tree, marking the spot he needs to strike. He gave the sisters a nod and looked forward, keeping his hooves planted he jolts back striking the tree with a thunderous clap, evicting the apples and forcing them into the buckets, leaving the tree void of them.

Both sister’s mouths dropped to the ground, a bead of sweat forming on Applebloom’s forehead and her heart sank into her hooves.

A few stammers came from Applejack’s mouth. She pushed her sister’s jaw up off ground and shook her own head. “Wha… wha.. Noble how did ya do that?!”

Noble’s body grew tense and he sank his head down as he looked over at the sister’s. “Sorry, did I not get the form down right? I can try again.” His eyes darted back to the tree and all the apple filled crates.

Applejack shook her head. “No, no. You… that was actually a perfect strike. You sure you never did this before?”

The stallion nodded.

“Then how did you do it?” inquired Applebloom as she came back to her senses and had an expression like she had just been asked to solve a complex problem.

Noble’s head drew back and he looked back and forth, turning around and putting a hoof on the tree while looking at the mares. “I… well I just imagined I was kicking Double Bit and remembered to line up everything. I’m sure it’s just beginners luck.”

Giving a close eyed shake of her head the mare waved her hoof. “No sale partner. I know beginner's luck when I see it. You got somethin mighty special there. I’ll just watch ya ah few more times before I go inside ta ice my leg.” She lifted her leg holding it by her side as not to put more weight on it and sat down. “Applebloom, would you mind takin those buckets into the barn and bringin out some more?”

The filly stood up straight and put her hoof over her chest. “I’m on it!”

The group scattered, Noble moved to the next tree which had barrels below it, Applebloom went to gather more barrels to put under trees and Applejack watched in amazement as Noble threw a few more great bucks as Applebloom prepared buckets around the trees, giving Noble plenty of trees to work with.

“Noble!” Applejack called with a hoof next to her mouth. “That’s all I need ta see. Ya look like ye’ll do just fine fer awhile while I’m inside. Applebloom; if you could help him with buckets that would be great but come inside when ya feel like it. And Noble if ya need anything feel free ta ask.”

“You got it sis.” Winked Applebloom.

With that said the mare got up and made her way inside being careful of her hoof.

Over the next few hours Applebloom showed Noble where the buckets came from and had him move the full buckets down into the yard by the house. Noble continued to do well, only having to add a second buck or pick some apples up off the ground a few times through his time working. The filly would go inside to check on her sister and bring Noble water or show him where the bathroom was which were the only breaks Noble would take.

Applejack emerged from her house after a few hours had passed, her leg now no longer braced but in a sling. “Howdy partner! I think it’s about time to call it ah dayyy--!” Her voice trailed off as she saw all the buckets of apples.

“We’ll be there in a minute!” The loud call came from Applebloom who emerged just moments later with a bucket of apples on her back followed by Noble carrying another bucket on his back as well, Noble dripping with sweat while Applebloom had only a bit on her forehead.

They put down the buckets with the others, Noble wiped sweat off his forehead. “There we go. Whew. I know it may not be as many as you could have picked but… well I hope it won’t put you too far behind.”

Applejack blinked while she looked over the apples. “I-- I.. Tarnation partner! Did ya really buck all these today? Applebloom you didn’t buck a few, did ya?”

The filly shook her head. “Nope, I just put the buckets down around the trees and helped him carry some of them over here.”

“Well I’ll be.” She scratched her head under her hat. “I never expected ya to get this many on your first try bucking. Ya sure got some hard work in ya.”

A faint glint of a smile crossed Noble’s lips and he rubbed his foreleg with his other foreleg. “Oh. Why, thank you. I always try my best.”

“Well ya deserve a big reward fer this. In fact…” Applejack pulled her head back and to the side raising an eyebrow then motioned for Applebloom to come closer.

The sisters turned their flanks to Noble and whispered for a few moments before they stood up and turned to him, Applejack clearing her throat. “Noble, you said you were lookin fer a job right?”

Noble wore a blank expression, the remnants of the smile vanishing. His muscles grew tense and ears twitched, his heartbeat grewing rapid. It was like awaiting a judgement from a court. Her question didn’t leave much to wonder but his mind still raced. “Is she going to ask it? Is she going to ask what I’m hoping she’ll ask?” The stallion gulped and gave a nod. “Y-Yes?”

Applejack’s expression grew more tender as a wide soft smile crossed her lips. “Well, we’re really gettin to a crunch time her on the farm. We sure could use an extra set of hard workin hooves around here. I need ta talk to Granny Smith and Big Mac, before we offer up ah position, ‘though I doubt he’d mind’. Whatta ya say partner?”

The stallion’s body froze like a statue, he looked at the mare and could feel a heaviness growing in his chest. He tried to form words moving his lips but couldn’t, all he could do was nod with the smile growing wider.

“Well then wait right here, I’ll get Granny and yer payment. You can have them, after she sees all the barrels ya picked.” Applejack turned to disappear inside. She emerged with an old green mare in tow. “Granny, meet Noble Poet. He bandaged up my hoof, brought the waggon back all the way from Sugarcube Corner, and on top ah all that he worked harder than ah beaver on a dam.”

Granny Smith slowly made her way out of the doorway and looked first at the barrels of apples and then at the stallion. “Looks like he did do a lot in that time, specially fer ah new fella.”

Noble looked at Applejack, then Applebloom with extended eyebrows before speaking to Granny Smith. “Th-thank you ma’am. I always like to try my best.”

Granny nodded her head still looking over the stallion. “Good good. Well if yer wantin a job here let me take ah gander at ya first.” She squinted her eyes and stepped closer to the stallion, looking at his face then down his chest and each leg.

All Noble could think to do was stand there and with a grimace he looked over at the mares and raised a questioning hoof.

His look was met by Applebloom shaking her head in her hoof and Applejack grimacing herself and just twirling her hoof indicating that Noble should ‘roll with it’.

The old mare patted at Noble’s chest, down each leg. She ignored any apprehension or tension while she ran a hoof down his back and poked his hind legs as she nodded and spoke, “Good, good. Looks like yer fairly strong for a smaller colt.”

Noble wiped his forehead again even though he was cooling off after the workout bucking apples. “Umm, thank you?”

Granny walked back around and opened the stallion’s mouth looking inside.

“Granny, I think that’s ah little too far,” Applejack finally piped up with large eyes, gritted teeth and an outstretched hoof. “Noble, I’m really sorry bout this.”

As Granny Smith stepped back releasing the stallion he closed his mouth and shook his head and rubbed his jaw. “That’s alright. I can’t say I understand but no harm done though if she puts on some rubber gloves I’m out of here.”

None of the words reached the elderly mare who stepped back and nodded then tapped her hoof on the ground. “He looks like ah fine apple bucker. Ya said ya vouch fer him you two?”

Both the mares nodded vigorously and Applebloom spoke up. “Ah course, he seems really nice. Awkward and flirty, but nice.”

Applejack chuckled. “Yep, he’s ah good apple in my book. So is it settled? Big Mac shouldn’t have ah problem since he suggested some more help round the farm yesterday.”

Noble Poet drooped his head for a moment at the filly’s comment but his eyes widened at Applejack’s words. “Does that mean?”

Applejack stepped forward between her family members and nodded. “Yes sir’ri. Ya got the job!” She extended a hoof toward her new employee.

Noble’s heart soared. He couldn’t believe his ears and quickly put his hoof against the mare’s and shook energetically. “Thank you thank you thank you! This means so much to me. Is there any paperwork or other things to discuss?”

With a shake of her head Applejack put her hoof down once Noble released it. “Naw, we can hammer out the details later. Right now we’ve taken enough of yer time. You should go see more of Ponyville, you can just come back here tomorrow and we’ll see how things start rolling.”

The stallion looked up and noticed how the sun was on it’s decent. “Thank you very much, again. I’ll be there.” The stallion paused for a moment and had already leaned down to get his bag of bits when a lightbulb went off in his head. “Oh, would you happen to know of any slightly shaded fields I could relax in? It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to just lay out in the grass and enjoy nature.”

“Ah course, there’s a small hill just a few minutes away, that way.” Applejack pointed with her hoof. “Just don’t go into the woods too far. That’s Everfree forest, ya definitely don’t want ta be gettin lost in there. Also, I wanna give ya one other present fer all yer help and a welcome ta Ponyville gift. Take an apple with ya.”

Applejack nodded at Applebloom who ran over to the closest barrel and looked until she found a large ripe red apple which she went and put in Noble’s hoof.

“Thank you very much. I can’t thank you enough for all this hospitality and kindness.” A wide smile spread over Noble’s lips as he looked at the gifts. “I’ll be going now.” As he turned to leave Noble put his right forehoof on the edge of his forehead giving a small salute and brought it off with a flick of his ankle forward and up.

While the stallion walked away Applebloom nudged Applejack in the side with a front knee. “Ya gave him some extra bits fer tending to yer foreleg anyway didn’t ya?”

Applejack closed her eyes and rose her head slowly as she replied, “Eeeeyup!”

The filly turned her head to the side. “Are ya plannin on tellin him tomorrow? He may try ta give ya some of those bits back then.”

“Nnnope!” Applejack said and turned to go back inside to ice her hoof some more, following Granny Smith and being followed by Applebloom. “Big Mac can put those barrels in the barn later.”

---

Noble walked along for a few minutes with his new bag of bits and Apple in his saddlebag. The simple warmth of his smile radiated and everything around him seemed a little brighter. For the first time in a long time, he was able to see a glimmer through the monotonic colors around him; verdancy in the grass and blueness of the sky.

As he approached a small hill on the wide patch of grass he, took off his saddle back and stretched upwards and fell back with a sigh. “This is what I was hoping for. A little sun, the trees, soft grass, gentle breeze.”

While his eyes were closed he put his forehooves behind his head, the gentle breeze feeling cool over his fur and he listened to the rustle of trees, humming of birds and small crackles and crunches of animals walking and flying through the trees.

In the midst of the piece a slightly different sound caused Noble’s ears to twitch. He kept his eyes closed but lifted his chin up listening more closely. There it was again.

His eyes opened and he turned his eyes to look toward the bustle of trees where the sound was coming from. Noble rolled over, grabbed his saddlebag and began walking toward the trees slowly listening and attempting not to make a sound.

The sound was not overly unique but absolutely heavenly. It had caught his ears, peaked his mind, the sound enveloped him in it’s warm, comforting melody. He had to know what this sound was and with every step closer to the forest he took the sound grew louder.

It was humming and singing which sent Noble’s heart aflutter. The longer Noble listened the more he wanted to sit there forever. Suddenly the song was growing closer, Noble looked about and realized where it was coming from.

He looked up in the sky in time to see the silhouette clear the sky above him filling it with music. Although it was bright and the image was blacked out in the light of the sun Noble could see four legs, a head and wide angelic wings. “Su… Such beauty.”

Although Noble did not speak loudly the image’s head turned down and the song stopped abruptly and was replaced by a shriek. The silhouette turned around and in a blur disappeared within the forest.

Noble’s eyes followed it on its retreat and he extended a foreleg calling out, “No! Please don’t…! … go.” His heart sank as the figure disappeared into the veil of nature. He hung his head and looked into the trees but looking back up at the sky he knew he didn’t have the time to search today. “The one and only of my life got away once again...”

Author's Note:

Art of Applebloom we use for this fiction: http://wildscope.deviantart.com/art/Bloomer-573095208

Comments

[RainCrasher]

So close and yet so far, How will fate take the noble poet on the chase for the pony whos song captured his heart.