Sweet and Delicate

by Nordryd

Ch.4: Getting Acquainted

"Again, Ah'm mighty sorry for scarin' ya like that." said Applejack. "Didn't think y'all would be so jumpy.”

"Oh it's fine, don't worry about it," Copper said, rubbing the back of his neck with his hoof, "I've been really shy all my life. Sorry for all the drama."

"Well at least we're all good now right?" asked Applejack.

Copper nodded. He really hated how he had to blow everything out of proportion, especially really trivial things. This mare seems really nice. How had she heard him though? Maybe he was singing a little louder than he thought.

"Um…how exactly did you hear me?" asked Copper.

"Oh, well, Ah was walking back home, and Ah heard some ponies singing off in the distance," replied Applejack, "And what Ah heard was amazin'! Ah just had ta check it out. Ah followed the sound, and Ah found you…well, four of ya. Can Ah ask what was up with that?"

"Oh yeah. Um…I started learning a duplication spell when I first started learning magic," said Copper, "I've used it to…well…start my own barbershop quartet…starring me, hehe"

"That's amazin'!" exclaimed Applejack.

"Do…Do you really think we sounded good?" asked Copper, a little hopeful.

"Darn tootin'!" an enthusiastic Applejack replied. "So, what brings y'all ta Sweet Apple Acres?"

"Huh?" a confused Coppermane said, "What's Sweet Apple Acres?"

"Oh, Ah forgot, y'all are new ta Ponyville," said Applejack, "This right here is Sweet Apple Acres, the heart of Ponyville, and also where Ah live. Best apples in all of Equestria!"

"Wait…you live here? You take care of this orchard?" asked Copper with a stunned face.

Applejack nodded. "Yep! Lived here all ma life with ma family."

"Wow…how do you manage this entire orchard? It’s massive!" a curious Coppermane asked.

Applejack chuckled. "Well, Ah don't do it all myself. Ma family helps as well. Ma brother, Big Macintosh, helps me out a lot. Ah also have a little sister, Apple Bloom, and ma Granny Smith. We all do our part to take care of everything. It's a lotta hard work, but it pays off!"

"I bet. Well, you and your family's hard work doesn't go unnoticed. This view of the orchard is breathtaking," an impressed Coppermane said, "Actually, the view was part of the reason why I decided to practice here."

Applejack's face lit up when she heard the compliment. "Well thank ya kindly! So…why exactly were y'all singin' out here? Gotta show comin' up?"

"Oh…well…actually, yes," said Coppermane a little nervously. Applejack raised her eyebrows, obviously interested. "So…you know the Summer Sun Celebration is coming up right?"

"Are you kiddin'? Everypony in town is goin' haywire tryin' ta get ready for it. This is the first time Ponyville’s hosted in a while, so we wanna make sure it's the best one yet!" said Applejack.

Great, there's a lot riding on this performance. Apparently not just Princess Celestia, but everypony in Ponyville is counting on a good performance from Copper.

"Well…I was asked to…perform at the Celebration." said Coppermane nervously.

"Really?!" a stunned Applejack said. "Wait, who asked ya ta perform?"

"Um…well…it may or may not have been…the princess herself?" Coppermane apprehensively said.

"Wait, the princess?" Applejack said, sounding a little skeptical. "Y'all know the princess?"

"Yep. I'm the princess's student. I know that it might be hard to believe, but—"

"Actually, my friend Twilight was tellin' me that the princess had taken somepony else under her wing, so it ain't that hard to believe, especially since y'all seem ta be pretty good at magic." said Applejack. "So y'all are gonna be singin' at the Celebration? That's amazin'!" she said, practically ecstatic. "Ah reckon based on what Ah just heard, y'all are gonna be great!"

"Well, I'm gonna do my best," Copper said nervously, "it's just kind of stressful y'know? The princess is really counting on me. And, there was…one other thing she wanted me to do…while staying here…in Ponyville."

"Oh? And what was that?" Applejack asked curiously.

"She wanted me to make some friends. She's trying to get me out of my shell." said Coppermane.

"Really? Well Ah reckon it shouldn't be too hard. Why, Ponyville's one of the friendliest little towns in Equestria!" said Applejack with pride.

"Yeah, well, I don't really know how to…talk to other ponies." said Coppermane, a little red in the face from embarrassment.

"Well, y'all have been talkin' ta me for a while now," said Applejack, reassuringly, "and you’re pretty nice ta talk to, once y'all calm down a little." she said with a chuckle.

Coppermane laughed too. It was true. "Hehe, yeah, but to be fair, you snuck up on me."

Applejack laughed, "Still, Ah reckon y'all overreacted just a tad."

"Yeah…I know, hehe." Copper said, rubbing the back of his neck with his hoof. "Seriously though, the only reason I can talk to you is because you started the conversation. What I seem to be unable to do is simply strike up a conversation with somepony new. It's kind of sad, I know."

Applejack approached Copper with a giggle. "Ah think y'all just need ta stop worryin' so much, and just be a bit bolder." Applejack thought for a moment, then had an idea. Maybe she could show him around town. It would help him out, maybe she could get to know him more, and also would get her family off her case about taking a day off.

"Hey, Ah have an idea. Y'all free tomorrow?" Applejack asked.

"Um…yeah, why?" Coppermane asked, curious as to what Applejack was thinking.

"Well, y'all don't know Ponyville all that well right?"

Coppermane nodded.

"Well, tell ya what? Ah've gotta get back ta work, but Ah feel like Ah can help ya with gettin' familiar with the land. So…how would y'all like me ta show ya around Ponyville tomorrow?"

"Wait…you want to give me a tour? Don't you have farm work to do?" Coppermane asked.

"Well, ma family's been on me about takin' a day off. Ah've been avoidin' it for a while now, but this would be a perfect way ta spend the day!" said a cheerful Applejack. "Ah could also introduce ya ta my friends! Ah know they'd all love ta meet ya, not ta mention everypony in Ponyville as well. And don't you worry none, Ah'll get all the conversations goin'. So whaddya say? A tour of Ponyville while meetin' some new ponies in the best town in Equestria?"

Coppermane was shocked…but in a good way. In only half a day of being in Ponyville, somepony was already talking to him, and offering to give him a tour of Ponyville out of the goodness of her heart. She seemed like a really friendly pony, and it would be nice to have some familiar faces at the Celebration instead of just one. Wow, maybe the princess was right. Maybe he could make some friends here.

How could Coppermane say no to such a generous offer?

"That sounds great, I'd love to!" said Copper, offering a smile."

"Yeehaw!" shouted Applejack, obviously very excited. "Y'all better get ready, Copper, 'cause Ah've got a lot ta show ya!"

"Hehe, I look forward to it,” he said, unable to stop smiling. “Do you…just want to meet here?”

"Sounds great! Ah can't wait ta show y'all around!" said Applejack, positively ecstatic. "How does eight sound?"

"I'll be right here." said Coppermane.

Applejack smiled. "Alright, sounds great! Ah'll see ya tomorrow."

"Yep. See you then,” said Coppermane.

Applejack started to walk away, but paused and turned to Copper. "Oh, and Copper?"

"Yeah?" Coppermane asked.

"The princess would be mighty proud of ya right now." said Applejack with a smile.

"Um…why's that?" a confused Coppermane asked.

Applejack chuckled. "Cause I reckon y'all just made a friend."

Coppermane thought he was hearing things. Was she serious? "R-Really?"

Applejack just giggled again. "You betcha. Y'all ain't a bad pony Copper. Believe it or not, I had a really good time talkin' to ya,” she said with a chuckle. “Ah'll see ya tomorrow, alright?"

Coppermane could just smile, "Yeah…I'll see you tomorrow."

Applejack walked away, leaving a stunned Coppermane on this hill with a giant grin on his face. A friend. Could it be true? Did he really just make a friend?

Refocusing his mind on his work, he re-summoned his clones.

"Hey what was with the sudden vaporization a while ago?" Copper1 asked, a little ticked.

"Yeah, you usually give us some kind of heads up before you do that." Copper2 said.

"Seriously, what gives?" Copper3 asked.

Coppermane could looked back at where Applejack once was, and smiled. "I…I think…I just made a friend."

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment, and if you enjoyed it, like and share! I'll see you all next chapter. Until next time...peace!

Comments

[moonlit scribe]

If I hadn't read "Loveliest of Trees" before this, I would be assuming AJxCoppermane right about now.

[Applejack224]

I love how the first of the mane six he met was Applejack and this is really nice

[John the brony and yknow]

Lol, generous offer from the element of honesty

[Bedwriter223]

I think that it's princess' and not princess's. correct me if I'm wrong.

[Old Diggy]

Okay, are they clones or are they their own person, because you've already switched between them have the memories of the original and not and it's very confusing. I know it's a minor thing and your likely doing it to add dialogue but little inconsistencies like that tend to bother me the most for some reason.