The Mare to Heart

by Veridian Phantom

Chapter 2: Friendship

------------------------------------------Next Morning---------------------------------------

You slowly started edging your way back to normal consciousness, you still felt a little woozy from the hit you took yesterday. The window of course was still open, it seems no nurse came to check in on you. You hear the sweet hum of the birds just outside the window, the morning breeze sweeping in across the room.

You let out a hearty stretch and a full blown yawn. You could've easily held a few animals in there for the winter. It's time to start the day, now there's only one problem. What was it you were supposed to do today?

“I knew this would happen!” you say groaning as you put both fore hooves onto your forehead and lean back onto the comfy mattress.

You spent the betterment of the next 10 or 15 minutes thinking about what it was, but it just never clicked.

“Geeze you'd think I was hit by a semi-truck not a rocket powered pony.” You said sarcastically.

Wait, what was a semi-truck? You mused to yourself, trying to recall what a semi-truck actually was. No ideas came to mind so you decided to go on with your day and maybe it'll pop into your head when something familiar happens. So you lean up on your bed in a sitting position, and slowly crawl to your feet. Looking around the room you notice nothing has changed, except for a few leaves that flew in through the open window. You decide to go close the window when you hear a couple of small voices yelling around on the street. They sounded young, must be fillies.

As you look out the window you spot three young fillies, one was a white coated unicorn with a pink and purple curly mane. Another was orange colored with a pure purple mane, sleek, you thought. And the last one was yellow with a pure red mane. You took notice on how they didn't have their cutie marks yet. You started to wonder about who the three were.

Suddenly the memory hit you. Like a semi-truck, you thought. You had heard rumors of three young fillies without cutie marks who went around doing various things, only getting into trouble or messing something up. What were they called again? A small pause as you contemplated the name.

Oh that's right! The Cutie Mark Crusaders. Yeah they got into a whole bunch of mischief. In fact when you first moved into pony ville a month ago, they opted to help you move in, they yelled out something rather funny. Cutie Mark Crusader Movers! That was it, catchy sort-of for the situation, but it was loud, you swore you heard glass breaking from Canterlot!

Giggling to yourself you closed the window and went back and made your bed, just the way you found it. The realization that this stay may cost you a pretty bit came into mind. Uh oh, I’m already poor as it is, I don't need this bill hanging over my head! You open the door to the room and head out downstairs to the front desk. Your inevitable debt waiting for you, looming like Nightmare Moon was waiting for her release. I'd rather have Nightmare Moon come back and terrorize me than have to pay this debt. Your ears drooped back, and you brought your head down to the floor sighing as you walked down the hall.

*BUMP*

“Oops sorry about that, didn't see you there.” You apologized.

“Hey don't sweat it Thunder.”

Thunder? How did she kn-. You looked up fairly quickly to see Rainbow Dash floating in the air with her wings outstretched and flapping ever so lightly.

“Oh hey Rainbow. What're you doing here?” You asked, tilting your head to the side a little.

“I came back to see how you were doing, and if you'd like to hang out today” She replied with a slight nervousness to her voice. Something is off.

“Did you really mean to come see me? It doesn't seem like you at all.”

“Rarity asked me too because she was too busy and she says she's sorry she can't make it, because she had to fill out an order for a big hotshot in Canterlot, she was going to come by and meet you but she sent me instead.” She said in a very fast, dragged on sentence.

By now you remember you had to go downstairs and get the bill before you left. It's difficult not knowing what you were supposed to do today. Something about hearing “Rarity” reminded you that it had something to do with her, but you just couldn't remember. Sitting there you ponder in your mind what it could've been.

“Uh Thunder, you there?” Rainbow asked, waving a hoof in front of your face.

Snapping out of it you reply. “Yeah I’m here, just trying to figure out how I’m going to pay the hospital bill”

“Don't worry about that, Rarity covered for you, she keeps telling me it was her fault.”

“Why? She didn't do anything wrong.”

“N-n-no reason, really!” Rainbow Dash smiled sheepishly, trying to keep something a secret. You wanted to know what it was.

“Rainbow, you're hiding something aren't you? I can see it all over your face”

By now Rainbow got nervous and was looking around the inside of her head to figure out something to say.

“You must be out of your mind, now let's go I have a big day planned for us!”

“Hmm, alright. But I still wish to know what you're hiding” You tried to get her to answer you, but she's one tough pony.

The both of you signed out of the hospital and headed down the street towards what looked to be like a farm. A BIG apple orchard. I wonder what Rainbow is thinking right now, why an apple orchard? You thought to yourself.

You both walked past the white fencing that looked to surround the area for miles. You saw that most of the apple trees had no apples in them. They've probably been bucked already. Moving close to the gate you saw a large sign that said Sweet Apple Acres. Looking around the yard you see a large silo in the back, and a big red barn with white lining to the right, and an average sized house, looked old, little run-down, but it's a home none-the-less.

As you and Rainbow approach the barn you see an orange coated mare with a yellowish tied back mane and tail. She wears a brown cowmare hat that's tilted slightly upwards. Looking close you see her Cutie Mark, which is as suspected. Three apples. I should've known, you joked.

“Hey AJ!” Yelled Rainbow Dash.

“Mornin' Rainbow, what're you doin' here? Shouldn't you be taken ah' nap or somethin'?” Said the confused mare.

“Nah, I’m here chilling with a new guy in town. Says he moved in a month ago, but this is the first I’ve seen of him. Granted I barrel rolled into him.” Rainbow replied with a slight chuckle.

“Ah' newcomer huh? And your name is?” Inquired AJ.

Just before you could open you mouth to say something Rainbow Dash butted in and yelled.

“His name is Thunder DASH. Isn't that cool? We may as well be like, siblings or something.” Rainbow's face just has the biggest smile, it was like looking at a little filly getting a gift on her birthday.

“Thank you Rainbow Dash, but I think I can speak for myself.” You rebutted, sounding sarcastic with ever fiber of your being. You raise a hoof to give a hoof shake to the new mare.

“Sorry about that uhm...?” Waiting for AJ to respond.

“Ah'm sorry too about her, she can be antsy when things like this happen. Name's Applejack. I run this here farm with help from my family. You have anything planned today Thunder?” She replied calmly, shaking your hoof.

“No not really, just hanging out with Rainbow today. Not much going on otherwise.”

“So what is it your job around here is anyway? If you don't mind mah askin' so?”

Rainbow seemed bored out of her mind like she needed to get out and do something. Even though you were by definition doing something.

“Oh come on Applejack, we have a list of things to do today, why not talk about this another time?” Rainbow blurted out.

“Rainbow! If you're bored that much wah' don't you do something about it?” Applejack now sounding annoyed.

“Girls please don't fight because of my wrong doing.” You piped up.

“But yah darn'd did nothin' wrong Thunder. She's just always in a rush tah' do somethin'” Applejack is now glaring at Rainbow Dash face-to-face.

“I know, it's just natural for me to apologize for other people.”

“Huh? Why's that?” Rainbow was now looking at you, Applejack still glaring at Rainbow let up her gaze and now looked at you with a sort-of what? Face. Both of them looking at you like you're crazy.

“Never mind that, perhaps another day. For now what sa-”

“Applejack it's time for dinner!!” You hear a small filly belch out with all her might to alert us of dinner time.

“Welp, looks like mah' work here is done for tha' night. If'n you'll excuse me I got dinner to attend to.”

Hold on? Dinner time? Worried you ask the for the time.

“What time is it?”

“It's about 5 pm judging from the sun's position.” Replied Applejack.

“Come to think of it today is Heart and Hooves day. Do you not have a special somepony Thunder?” Rainbow had a small grin to her face, clearly, she was wondering if you had courted Rarity.

“No, I do not, and never have. Someday perhaps. But today is a day I’ve come to dread. This holiday always reminds me that I have no special somepony, no one to love. It's a curse, not a holiday.”

Rainbow Dash was now concerned, she had never heard you say something negative so seriously, she knew something was wrong. But before she could get up the courage to ask, Pinkie Pie came bursting into the scene, physics apparently didn't work with this mare.

“Dashie! Dashie! Dashie! Guess what? I'm throwing a party for Hearts and Hooves day and you're both invited!” She sounded more ecstatic then she was when she threw a party for you. Granted it was a weird invitation because the first words she said to you were... Actually there were none it was just a big gasping noise. She somehow floated in the air for a few seconds.

“Hmm? A party? For this holiday?” You wondered why of all times to throw a party on a romantic day.

“Pinkie Pie throws parties for just about any occasion, if you look her Cutie Mark is that of three balloons. She likes parties basically. Just like I like speed! Mine is that of a cloud and thunder bolt!”

“Hmm I can see that. From what i've heard, you're the only one in Equestria who can perform the famous Sonic Rainboom. And you're the fastest flier in Cloudsdale.” You say sheepishly, a small smile protruding from your mouth.

“Yup that's me! The one and only! Thunder, you just 20% cooler in 10 seconds flat.”

“Alright Dashie, i'm off to go invite more guests. The more the merrier huh?” And in a flash the pink mare was gone. How did she hop around that fast? You wondered.

Rainbow Dash took notice of you're confused stare at the spot the pink mare was just at, and chuckled to herself.

“Logic doesn't exist for her, and no one knows how so we just all say it's Pinkie Pie, whenever someone asks. And from the look on your face, it doesn't look like you understand it.”

Snapping back to reality you reply. “Alright then, where too next?”

“Let's go check out the library, maybe Twilight has some new Daring Do book I can borrow. I finished the last one anyway”

“I didn't take you for a reader Rainbow.”

“Are you kidding? I LOVE Daring Do, she's only just the coolest pony ever to exist! Her daring tricks, her daring speeches, and her daring attitude are all just too cool!” Her face at this point was just priceless, she was just like a schoolyard filly.

Laughing to yourself you trudge on to the next location of your tour.

Comments

[TheTownCrier]

Good good. Can't wait for more.

[Warhorse_Legend]

Nice job! U did a better job on the grammar in this chapter than in the last 1

Dont know wat rainbow dash is hiding, but I'll play along for now.