Canterlot High Chronicles

by Shadowsnake89

The Pretty Okay Outdoors: Part 2

Getting attacked by a bear was not what Wreath would have called a good weekend. Neither was having the life shaken out of him and hurled into a river before blacking out. If he was dead it certainly hurt more than he anticipated. His entire body throbbed with pain as he could hear what sounded like a female voice humming a sweet melody. In addition he could feel something covering his eyes, preventing him from seeing anything around. “Is this the pearly gates or the fiery pit?” He asked hesitantly. “Because if it's the second one I can explain.”

“Pearls? Pits?” The voice said, a bit of a country accent in it. “You must have hit your head harder than I thought. Good that you're awake though. Didn't think you'd come to this soon. Here let me get that.” A pair of hands gently removed a moist towel from Wreath's face as his vision focused, revealing a wooden ceiling above him, illuminated by a lamp in the corner, hinting that it was either late night or early morning. He shifted his gaze to his right as he met the face to go with the voice.

The girl, rather tall with bluish skin and dark grayish hair done up in a mullet haircut, stood over him with a light smile. “Woah.” Was all he could manage as the girl gave him a bizarre look.

“What?” She asked with her arms on her hips.

“Nothing, nothing.” He said quickly as he attempted to get up.

“Hold on there hotshot. You're going nowhere fast.” She said as she held him back from getting up. “I'm no doctor but I don't think getting washed down river and smashing up against the shore is too good for your health.”

Having accepted that he might not be going anywhere for the moment, Wreath sat up in the bed he found himself in. He realized something wasn't quite right and took a quick peak under his blankets before covering up nervously. “What happened to my clothes?!”

“Shoot, what did ya expect. They was all shredded and soaked. You'd have caught your death of cold if I'd have left em' on you.”

After he'd calmed down, Wreath addressed the girl with a hesitant smile. “And to whom do I owe my rescue?”

“Name's Buzzsaw, Buzzsaw McColt,” She introduced herself as Wreath did his best to hold back his laughter. “And who did I have the privilege of saving?”

“I'm Indigo Wreath. Thanks for the rescue. My friends and I were on a hike and let's just say I got on nature's bad side. How long have I been out?”

“At least half the day. I was down by the river having lunch with my sisters when we spotted washed up on some rocks. It's about ten at night now.”

“Ah man, I've got to find my friends. Where am I exactly?”

“My family's cabin. It's a few miles south of the campsites. Town's in the other direction, a good hour drive down some pretty rough road.” She explained. “But daddy took the truck out for business and he won't be back for a while. Only ones her are my sisters, Crosscut and Hacksaw.” Busssaw took notice of the intrigued stare he was giving her. “My family's good at building things, alright?” A bit of redness flashed across her face.

“Do you have a phone I could use so I could call my friends?”

The girl shook her head in response. “Sorry, daddy has the only phone for his business calls. Only thing we got here is walkie talkies to call each other.” She took a glance at the clock on the wall and noted the time. “Well I'd better get some sleep, got a big day tomorrow. Should probably get some sleep yourself.”

“Good night and thanks again for the rescue.” Wreath said as he laid down.

“Call if you need anything. Night Indie.” She said before catching herself. “I mean Indigo...Mr. Wreath...um good night.” Buzzsaw quickly turned out the light and shut the door. Wreath brushed off her strange behavior and went to sleep.

Buzzsaw made her way down the hall to her room where her sisters were already in their beds, busy chatting. They turned their attention to her as she walked in. “So how is he?” One of the sisters, wearing her hair tied high asked.

“He's fine, Hack.” She said simply as she closed the door.

“Ooh, fine huh?” The two said playfully

“You know I didn't mean it like that.” Buzz said defensively.

“Sure you didn't mean it like that?” Her other sister, Crosscut joked before being silenced with a pillow to the face.

“Shouldn't the two of you be getting some sleep?” She scolded as she rolled over in her bed. Her sisters continued to chuckle before they headed to sleep as well.

Morning

A loud thud woke Wreath as he jumped to his feet. “What was that?” He looked over to the chair and found a pair of overalls, a note attached from Buzzsaw stating they are for him. He quickly got dressed and made his way down stairs, finding two other girls in the kitchen eating breakfast. The two shared a similar skin tone which gave Wreath all the info he needed. “You must be the sisters.”

“That's us,” One of the girls, her hair in two long pigtails said. “I'm Crosscut McColt.”

“Hacksaw,” The other sister introduced herself as she invited him to sit. “Buzzsaw's out chopping trees but she told us to help you out today. How about something to eat? You look skinnier than a scarecrow.”

“Uh, thanks,” He said, still feeling a bit sore as he grabbed a plate off the table and prepared his meal. Looking outside he noted that the sun had not even come out fully. “What time is it?”

“6:30, why?” Crosscut asked simply as she continued eating.

“I mean isn't it a bit early for that kind of thing?”

“Actually she's a bit late today,” Hacksaw said as she took a sip of her juice. “Probably cause she was watching you sleep all day.” The two girls snickered and Wreath gave them a quizzed look before he continued with his meal.

“So what do you all do out here anyway?”

“Daddy builds furniture and Buzzsaw helps him with all the number crunching stuff. But since he's away making some sales, she's out chopping trees to get the orders they have ready.”

“Isn't that a lot of work for one person?”

“She likes it that way,” Cross explains. “We focus on our schooling and she works out here with daddy.”

“Yeah, they usually get loads done just between the two of them.”

After breakfast, Wreath decided to get some fresh air as he got Crosscut to help him outside. “There you go. Comfy?” The girl said as she sat him in a chair, placing a pillow behind him.

“Thanks.” He said as she handed him a glass of lemonade. At a distance he spotted Buzzsaw trimming the branches from trees she'd already felled.

“If you need anything just holler.”

As he watched Crosscut leave, Wreath turned his attention back over to Buzzsaw who was making her way in his direction. She wore a white t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans with a long sleeved shirt tied around her waist. “Hey there.” She greeted with the ax over her shoulder.

Standing in front of him, he couldn't help but notice the girl's defined muscle tone that surely came from the daily labor she was currently involved in. “Wow. I mean how...how's it going?” He stumbled over his words as she smiled.

“Could ask you the same. Glad to see you're out and about though, so to speak.”

“Couldn't just sit around,” Wreath responded.

“How about a little walk then?” She recommended as she offered her hand and helped him to his feet. “So where you from?”

“I go to Canterlot High,” He says as the two take a stroll around the homestead. “Just outside the city. It's a nice quiet little place. Well, for the most part.” Wreath remembered all the happenings since Princess Twilight's first visit. “What about you? When did you graduate?”

The questioned caused her to chuckle and look away for a moment. “I leave school alone. It's more of my sisters' thing. Besides, daddy couldn't handle all this business he gets on his own. And Cross and Hack are focused on school so not a lot of help otherwise.”

“You don't have any family or friends that could help out?” The two continued their discussion as they made their way around to a mid sized building that served as a workshop.

“A lot of the family is pretty spread out. We did have some neighbors, the Hooffields, but they moved away a while back. I don't mind it though. Helps keep me trim and fit.” She began playfully flexing as Wreath found himself unable to take his eyes off of her. He was snapped out of his daydream as Buzzsaw took him by the hand. “Come on, I wanna show you something.”

The duo made their way to the workshop, Buzzsaw opening the door and hitting the light as they entered. Inside Wreath sees dozens of pieces of furniture from rocking chairs to bed frames. “Wow, that's a lot of wood.”

“Made it all myself,” The girl said proudly as she watched Wreath's amazement. “Well some of it. Daddy did most of the work. I just added the finishing touches.”

Wreath walked up to one of the chairs and put his hand to it, noticing the fine feel and detail. “This is incredible. You've really got talent to do something like this.”

The compliment caused the girl to blush slightly. “Gee, thanks.” She said simply before asking something that had been on her mind. “So do you have a girlfriend? I mean of course you do. Why wouldn't you? I mean you're handsome with great hair and....and I'm just going to shut up before I embarrass myself anymore.”

Wreath chuckled for a moment before turning to the now flustered girl in response. “It's cool and no, I'm not seeing anyone right now.”

“Oh good. I mean not like that. What I meant was...and I'm doing it again ain't I?” She asked with a bit of embarrassment again flashing across her blue skin, putting a shade of purple on her face. “Sorry, it's just I don't have much experience with this sort of thing, boys I mean and I tend to stammer on and...” She is surprised as she looked down to find Wreath's hands wrapped around hers.

“Believe me, I know how it gets sometimes. It's hard to express what you feel in words,” Wreath says.

“And you want to avoid,”

“Looking like a fool.” The two said in unison as each stared into the others eyes. Buzzsaw made a quick move forward, pressing her lips against his for a moment. She stopped herself pulling back from a stunned Wreath.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...” The farm girl said, an embarrassed look about her.

“It's...it's okay.” Wreath said quietly as the two locked lips again. The two were so caught up that neither noticed when they tumbled to the floor of the shop.

“You know, maybe I could come to Canterlot High and finish school. That way I'd get to see you every day.”

“I'd like that.” Wreath agreed before noticing the position they were. “Uh, maybe we should get up.” The jumped up, blushing as they seperated.

“Well I'd better get back to work. Those trees don't chop themselves.” Buzzsaw nearly tripped several times as she made her way to the door with Wreath following a ways behind with a slight grin on his face.

As the girl went back out into the woods Wreath found his way back to the chair he'd been seated in earlier. He enjoyed the rest of his lemonade, watching the woodcutter in the distance as Crosscut rejoined him.

“You know, I think she likes you.” Cross said as Wreath gave her a raised eyebrow. As she continued, the two watched Buzzsaw as she proceeded.

“Yeah, I uh...I noticed.”

“I'm really happy for her. She doesn't get out much working with daddy and all.” She said as she poured more lemonade into his glass. “We're the same age you know? All three of us.”

“You're triplets?” Wreath said surprised as she calmly nodded her head.

“When mama passed away a few years ago she dropped out of school to help out around her so she's always been the more mature one. Daddy wanted to hire someone to help him with the business but she insisted on being the one to do it. We wanted to do the same but she said 'I already called the easy job. You two have to go the hard route.' I think she took the harder choice though. She doesn't go to parties with us or date or anything, just stays here and works. Doesn't ask for help, doesn't want it.”

“Oh.” That was all Wreath could find to say as he sipped his drink.

“But since she met you I've seen a side of her I haven't seen in years. I know you two don't know each other that well but I'm really glad you crashed into her life.” She hugged him lightly before heading back toward the door of the house. “Hacksaw's making lunch. It'll be ready in a bit. Hope you like soup.”

Wreath sat back as he contemplated what he just heard. “What are you so worried about? She likes you, you like her. What's the problem?” He looked over to his left shoulder where a miniature version of himself stood in a bright red suit.

“But I can't just let her throw her life away.” Wreath said as another appeared on his right, this one wearing a white suit.

“Hey she's ready to give up everything for you. What more could you ask for?” The white suited figment of his imagination asked as he looked over to it.

“I thought you were supposed to be the good part of my conscience?”

“Well we talked and we just really want you to get a girlfriend already.” The two nodded as Wreath brushed them off.

“Enough. I know what I have to do.” He made his way down the path that Buzzsaw was down as he looked around for her. It took him several minutes to reach a clearing where several trees already lay. “You out here?” He called before he heard a creaking sound a short distance away. Turning he saw a tree teetering in his direction.

“Look out!” Buzzsaw shouted, tackling him out of the way with all her might. The two tumbled down a hill before crashing into a bush. Opening his eyes, Wreath found Buzzsaw laying on top of him yet again. “You sure have a knack for needing saving.”

“Well you have one for saving it.” Wreath joked before remembering why he came out there in the first place. “Listen I need to talk to you.”

“Buzzsaw! You out here girl?” A voice interrupted as a man stood on the hill above them. The fellow, a bit on the short side, had the same blue tone to his skin as the three girls and a long, dark blue beard to match. He also wore a ten gallon hat and a disapproving glare to go with it.

“Daddy, you're home early?” The girl asked in a confused panic as the two teens rolled away from one another and got to their feet. “Now look I can explain. You see what happened was...run!” The two made a break into the woods as her angered father, albeit slowly, pursued them. After running a good distance the two duct under a large collection of bushes near the river.

Now having a moment to rest Wreath decided to say what he needed. “Listen, I can't do this.”

“Sorry I know daddy's a little intense right now but he'll calm down in a bit.”

“No I mean I can't do this to you. You care about your family and I don't want to get in the way of that.”

“But I thought you wanted to be together?” She said with tears in her eyes.

“I do but I can't let you give up on what you're doing here just for that. You barely know anything about me. What if things don't work out? Do you really want to abandon your family for someone who may be no good for you?”

“But,” She struggled to respond before Wreath stopped her.

“Maybe in another time, another place, we could have had something.” He wipes the tears from her face as he gives her one more kiss. The two hear her father calling out a short distance away. “I...I'm sorry. I should go.” Looking around to make sure the angered man is not in sight, Wreath makes a break for it, leaving Buzzsaw to return home.

Several Days Later

“It took me a while but I finally made it back to the park.” Wreath concluded his story as he walked down the hall of Canterlot High with Brawly Beats and Scott Green.

“Hmm, not buying it.” Brawly said simply.

“Come on guys, ask Cap. He'll tell you the same thing.”

“So last weekend you got chased and mauled by a bear, thrown down a river, rescued and nursed back to health by locals.” Scott repeats as Indigo nods. “No, that part we get. But you expect us to believe that one of said locals fell madly in love with you and you turned her down out of the good of your heart.”

“Yeah not buying it.” The two said in unison as Wreath continued to walk.

“Well if you don't believe me that's fine. I probably wouldn't believe me either. Doesn't matter anyway. We went our separate ways and it was for the best, end of story.” Wreath stops as he is spun around and kissed. He is shocked to see Buzzsaw McColt is the culprit.

“Or we just got to the next chapter.” She said as she stared into his eyes.

“What are you doing here?”

“Well after he calmed down I asked daddy if it would be okay to go back to school. Then I remembered what you said maybe another place and another time. So another place, here. Another time, right now.”

“But what about your family?”

“I decided to swallow my pride and daddy said he'd hire someone to cover me and Cross and Hack said they'd help out when they can. And he pulled some strings and set me up with a nice family in town that's going to let me stay with them so I can finish school.”

“That's great.” Wreath said as the two share a hug.

“And icing on the cake, he can't wait to meet you proper.” Her comment caused Wreath to frown a bit over her shoulder.

“Great.” He said as he put on a forced smile as the two walked together. “Let me show you where your first class is.”

“I don't believe it.” Scott says as he and Brawly are almost knocked over by what they've just seen.

“Told you we should have gone.” Brawly said as he punched his friend in the arm.

“So we could have gotten attacked by a bear?”

“Eh, it would've been worth it.”

Author's Note: