Getting to know each other.
Down in in Sweet Apple Acres, Bright Mac and Igneous Rock tended to the orchards. With a swift kick with only his back left leg, all the apples fell for Bright Mac. Igneous Rock, on the other hand, bucked his tree multiple times, with very little apples falling. The rock farmer glared at the tree and grumbled to himself.
“Ya’ll alright?” Bright Mac asked.
“Yes, I am.” Igneous replied. “I just need to get these Celestia forsaken apples off this tree or-!”
“Settle down there. Here, let me help.” Bright Mac simply walked to the tree and delivered a light kick to it, making all the apples fall down. “There ya go. No need to get so worked up now.”
“Right…” Igneous took a deep breath as he walked to the next tree. Bright Mac followed.
“Something on your mind?”
“No no, just need to work.”
“... Well, I know work’s good for you, but ya’ll can talk to me ‘bout whatever’s on yer mind.”
“... It’s been a week, and I already miss my home.”
“Ah. Homesickness. It’s ok to feel that. Miss your ma and pa?”
“Yes, even if they’re not as… inviting, as your homestead.” Bright Mac gave a curious look.
“What does that mean?”
“Family traditions. You wouldn't exactly understand them.”
“Oh, I get that, but I mean mah family’s inviting?”
“... You hate somepony?”
“Well…” The sound of somepony humming broke the silence. Walking into view was Pear Butter, with a basket of pears, occupied by a middle aged, tan coated stallion with small, brown curly mane & tail. Said stallion turned to Bright Mac and gave a death glare to Bright Mac.
“Just what are you two doing?” He asked with some venom in his voice.
“Just working, Grand Pear, sir.” Bright Mac answered. “We’ll be out of your hairs in a few moments.”
“Better make it sooner! I’ve seen you eyeing my daughter! Don’t get any ideas.”
“I won’t, sir.” He turned around and walked away. Igneous followed.
“What was that about?” He asked.
“Just our families, the apples and the pears, we’re rivals to the core. Ah think it’s because of our preferences, but this has gotten quite out of hoof!”
“But… You and that mare… You both seem to be good friends with each other.”
“Oh yeah, Buttercup and I go way back.” He smiled with a goofy grin, almost enchanted by the memories. Igneous noticed.
“Oh! Forbidden love.”
“... What?”
“Two households, both alike in dignity. From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hooves unclean.”
“... Again, what?” Igneous groaned.
“You can’t be with your love your families forbade it.”
“Oh… yeah, that’s it.”
“But you both do it anyways, because you both love each other?”
“What can I say? We just connected.”
“... Right… yes… Hmm… you know, if you need, I can help in this here endeavor of yours.”
“Wait, you will!?”
“Of course. I have no quarrel with them, and I’m not a member of your family, so I can help.”
“Oh yes! Yesyesyesyesyesyes!!!” Bright Mac hopped around like a colt who first ate sugar, dropping his hard earned apples, and crushing a few under his weight.
“... Right after we clean up first.”
---
After a clean up, and getting some more apples, Igneous headed to the Pear’s family barn. One thing he noticed was how the trees were shaped like pears, untike the apple shaped apple trees, though, besides the obvious fruit differences, and the color green was more present, both looked quite similar to each other. He delivered a few knocks to the door.
“I’mma coming!” Grand Pear’s voice announced, rather cheerfully. The door opened and Grand Pear stood. “Well, welcome to Candied Pear-” He stopped and looked at Igneous. “Hold on… weren’t you with that darn apple family?”
“Uh… I-I was, sir.”
“Give me a good reason for not kicking you out.”
“... I’m not a member of the apple family.”
“That’s one.”
“And… I’m only temporarily working with them. I’m actually a rock farmer and-”
“Wait, a rock farmer!?”
“Yes, I know, it’s kinda weird, but-”
“Oh no! Not at all! I actually need help with a few rocks in the Southern Orchard. If you can help me with those rocks, I’ll pay you… 20 bits for each boulder.”
“Oh! Th-that much!? Uh… where’s the Southern Orchard?”
“Follow me, I’ll get the necessary tools. Pear Butter will be there to help… just don’t get any ideas!”
“I won’t, sir. Only Holder’s Boulder will decide whom I shall go with.”
“Holder’s Boul-?” Grand pear shook his head. “No, no, if it’s going to control you, then I’ll allow it. But if you make a move on my daughter, you’ll be too late to regret it.”
“I promise you, I have no intentions.”
“You better keep that promise. Now come along.”
Igneous followed Grand Pear down into the orchards. He noticed how the other pear family members plucked the pears down rather than how the Apples buck their trees. It seemed to be more around his alley, but he digressed and continued following Grand Pear. After some walking, they looked down a ditch to see a few dozen boulders, all varying in size, but were about the size of a pony. Pear Butter and a few other ponies struggled to pull a single boulder along.
“As you can see,” Grand Pear spoke “We’ve been trying to move these boulders away so we can plant a few more trees around. If you can help us move these boulders, or break them, I’ll be very much appreciated.”
“Hmm…” Igneous thought. “We’re probably going to need a pickaxe for this. You wouldn’t happen to have any on your farm, would you?”
“Hmm… we should. Give me a minute. Get to know the family a bit while I’m gone.” Grand Pear turned and walked away. Igneous hopped into the ditch and, while he did get to know the other farmers, he made his way towards Pear Butter.
“Here by Bright Mac’s request?” She whispered to him.
“Erm… yes.”
“How sweet. For both of you, really.”
“Why thank you. I just hope your father doesn’t-”
“Found some pickaxes!” Grand Pear announced, walking in with a few pickaxes on a wagon strapped onto his back. “And I brought a wagon, just in case.”
“Thank you, sir.” Igneous spoke, walking to Grand Pear and taking a pickaxe from the wagon. “Yes, these will do just fine.”
“Everypony, get yourselves a pickaxe! Start digging away.” A good half of the pear family members, excluding Pear Butter, got themselves a pickaxe and began to pick away a boulder, reducing it to rubble, with the other half loading the rubble onto the wagon. However, the thing that caught them was inside the boulders were some gems, something that everyone agreed would make a nice bunch of bits for the farm.
“I can take it to the jewelry store, Pa!” Pear Butter spoke.
“Absolutely not!” Grand Pear snapped. “I don’t want you going with that Apple!”
“Then let me go, sir.” Igneous spoke. “I worked for my pay, and I don’t want to start a quarrel with you by stealing your new bits.”
“... So you’ll take these gems to the jewelry store?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm… well, with your work ethic, I can trust you. And, being a rock farmer, perhaps you can, maybe, get a few more bits?”
“I can try, sir. I just have one question.”
“Yes?”
“Where’s the jewelry store?”
“... Can anypony-?” All of the other pear farmers left, leaving only Pear Butter. “... Ugh! Pear Butter?”
“Ah can, Pa!” Pear Butter hopped over to Igneous and strapped him and herself to the wagon. “Let’s go, Iggy!”
“It’s Igneous.” Igneous replied. They two walked out of the farm, with Grand Pear giving a suspicious look to her daughter.
---
“So, what do you think?” Pear Butter asked as they walked across town.
“This town?” Igneous asked. “It’s… nice. I kinda wish I had a proper tour before, but-”
“No, not the town, about my farm and pa!”
“Oh… well, I can say, it’s kinda different from the apple family… kinda… and your father… he’s not too different from my father.”
“Really? How so?”
“He seems strict, but he has his reasons. With me, it’s more about traditions, and with you, you’re his only daughter, right?”
“Well… yeah, but I’m not a filly anymore! I’m almost an adult! I can choose what I want to do!”
“Like hang out with Bright Mac?”
“Yeah!”
“... What do you see in Bright Mac, exactly? I am quite curious.”
“Oh, you know, we just… connected.” Pear butter made the same goofy smile Bright Mac made. Igneous just rolled his eyes.
“To each their own, I suppose. Have you decided to do anything special?”
“Special? Like... a date?”
“... Maybe.”
“Uh… I’m not really sure, actually. What, with mah pa and all.”
“Well, whatever happens, there’s no doubt that you two will still have a strong bond like Holder’s Boulder.”
“I… have no idea what that is, but I’ll take it as a compliment.” She looked ahead. “Oh! There’s the jewelry store! Time to work your magic.”
“Yes. If it works, that is.” With a simple unstrapping, and taking the largest of the gemstones out. Inside was a surprise for both; Cloudy Quartz stood behind the counter, wearing some strange glasses, looking at some gems.
“Hmm… yes,” she spoke to herself. “Black Opal, ma’am!”
“Correct!” Another mare’s voice spoke from the back “You have what it takes to be my assistant!”
“Yes!” She turned to the two. “Oh! Uh, customers here!”
“Busy at the moment! Chat with them!”
“Uh… ok!” She cleared her throat and turned to them. “Uh, hi, I’m Cloudy Quartz, and-”
“We remember, don’t worry.” Pear Butter spoke “Was wondering where you left after that crashed Iron Pony competition.”
“... Wait! Oh, now I remember! You helped out with the baking of those cookies! Oh, I am so sorry for what happened!”
“It’s alright.” Igneous spoke, putting up the raw gemstone. “We found these and wonder if we can trade these for some bits.”
“Oh… uh… Do we accept new gems!?”
“Yeah!” Her boss yelled. “Look at what it is, and that chart next to it!”
“Alright! Ahem, can I see the gemstone?” Igneous carefully placed the gemstone on the scale. Cloudy Quartz examined the gemstone with her glasses. “Hmm… yes… I see this is actually alexandrite! And it’s about…” She looked at a list next to her. “Hmm… 50 bits per pound.”
“Well, we have more.” Pear Butter spoke.
“And if I know my minerals right,” Igneous added “It is exceptionally rare and valuable, as it can change color depending on it’s location. Am I not right?” Cloudy looked at him, but smiled.
“You’re right, sir.” She looked around and leaned in, whispering to them. “I’ll give you an extra 10% total.”
“Pleasure doing business with you!” Pear Butter spoke, walking out and bringing in the other chunk of gemstones. Cloudy Quartz saw this and nervously chuckled.
“Uh… I might need to get rid of the excess rocks… for better quality, of course.”
---
After an hour or two of getting rid of excess rocks on the gemstones, Igneous and Pear Butter walked out with some large bagfuls of bits.
“You know, I’m quite surprised about her.” Igneous spoke.
“Surprised? How?”
“I’ve seen her as a city pony, never one to study gems or minerals.”
“Well… maybe you shouldn’t judge a book by its front cover.”
“Hmm… I think I should.”
“Yeah… wanna see the rest of town!?”
“But… shouldn’t we be-?”
“Mah pa can wait. That Cloudy fellow was pretty fast compared to the owner, Gold Digger.”
“... Well.. shouldn’t we be back before-?”
“We have as much time as we need! Besides, I gotta check with Chiffon Swirl to see how her baking’s doing.”
“And the bits?”
“We’re in a small town. Everypony practically knows each other here! Nopony’s gonna want to steal, and if they try… I think we can take ‘em on. Now come on.”
“Er… if you say so.” Igneous walked with Pear Butter to the building that looked like a life size version of a gingerbread house. The overwhelming smell of freshly baked goods assaulted their nostrils, making them feel hungry almost immediately. Inside, while a few ponies were around, having some sort of baked good, behind the counter was a plump, blue, earth pony mare with a mane that had pigtails, but looked like frosting on a cupcake.
“Oh, well butter up my biscuits, you’re here!” The pony behind the counter spoke, noticing Pear Butter, then seeing Igneous Rock. “Ooh! You brought a friend as well?”
“Yep. Came to check on your work, Swirly.” Pear Butter spoke. “How’s your baking coming along?” Chiffon quickly ran to the kitchen, and back with a simple looking cake that had some sliced bits of pears on the sides, most looking evenly cut.
“This is what I was able to come up with. Not exactly the best looking, but it’s a work in progress.”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry, Chiffon. You should try her cake, Iggy!”
“It’s Igneous.” Igneous spoke, walking to her side. “And, I would like a sample, Ms. Swirl.” Chiffon smiled as she sliced a piece off and gave it to Igneous on a small plate. Pear followed, getting her own piece. They both took a bite.
“Mmm! This is delicious! Did you add any ingredient in there?”
“Uh, no,” Chiffon replied with a blush. “I had help, actually.” Walking out of the doors behind was Cookie Crumble, covered in baking powder, almost looking like a ghost.
“Ugh… it happened again!” She spoke, rubbing the powder off of her face with a towel.
“Oh no! What happened?” Pear Butter spoke with concern.
“It’s Hondo Flanks’ Junior Hoofball team! Their ball landed through the window again!”
“Oh, please don’t be mad at them.” Chiffon spoke, comforting Cookie. “They’re just practicing.”
“I know, but Hondo needs to take them somewhere else! I can’t clean the kitchen and remake all the baked goods from scratch!”
“How about Iggy and I solve this problem?” Pear Butter spoke.
“Igneous.” Igneous corrected, sounded a bit annoyed, but enjoyed his piece of cake.
“You can do that?” Chiffon asked. “Aww, why thank you, Pear Butter! You really are a great friend!”
“I do what I can for my friends.” The two hugged right before Pear Butter ran out. Igneous followed her. Right around the corner, they bumped into the stallion, wearing a coach outfit.
“Oh, sorry about that.” He spoke. “Little Puck had another accident and I need to-”
“We know.” Igneous interrupted. “And we’ve accepted a request from Chiffon Swirl.”
“Sorry, but ya’ll can’t be practicin’ around here.” Pear Butter added.
“Uh… well, we know that, but we don’t have anywhere else to go.” Hondo replied, turning and walking, followed by the two earth ponies. “We’ve been trying to find a new place to practice at, but this is the only place where we can effectively do our training.”
“Have you ever thought of practicing in the park?” Igneous asked.
“I’ve had, but usually, Bow Hot Hoof’s there.”
“Him? Why?” Pear Butter asked. “I mean, what’s he doing?”
“Training for his chance to be in Cloudsdale’s Hoofball league themselves, The Thunderbirds.”
“The Thunderbirds?” Igneous asked.
“They’re considered the one of the best hoofball teams in all of Equestria. They won 9 Power Bowls in a row, and are trying to get their tenth victory against Fillydelphia’s Falcons, who hold the 9 Power Bowls won in a row.”
“... And why is Bow holding your foals back?”
“He wants to be the best, and he requires everyone to leave his personal space.”
“But can’t he do that in Cloudsdale?” Pear Butter asked.
“He says it wouldn’t give him the authentic feel of being tackled and hitting the floor if there’s clouds and not the floor.”
“I think we need to talk to him about who own what.”
“Same, but how?” Both Pear Butter and Hondo thought about this.
“... Why not visit the mayor’s office?” Igneous suggested. “Surely, she, or someone else, might know who owns what.”
“That’s… a good point.” Pear spoke, turning to Hondo. “Care to join us?”
“Oh, I would,” Hondo replied “But somepony needs to keep an eye on these foals. Don’t want them running around and causing some havoc now, do we?” As he said that, a window broke with the foals cheering. “Oh no, Field Goal! No! We don’t do that!” He ran to his team.
“Looks like we have to solve this. C’mon, it’s not too far!”
“But… our bits?” Igneous asked, turning and pointing to their wagon filled with their bags of bits.
“Chiffon Swirl own this place. She can look out for it for a while. Now come on, we don’t want another window to be shattered, do we?” Igneous sighed and followed Pear Butter through.
---
“There we go, there’s the last of the files.” Nightlight said, putting a folder away in one of the cabinets. Standing next to him was Secretary Mare, a light amber mare with a pink mane & tail, wearing a matching pink scarf.
“Why, that’s the best organization I’ve seen since our last organizer!” She exclaimed, looking through some of the files. “Completely organized! No files lost!”
“Eh, it’s what I do. Just simply, organize the races first, then gender, all in alphabetical order with their last name first, and the rest is a cakewalk.”
“Hmm… would you like a job here, Mr. Light?”
“Well… I don’t know... “
“You can live here.”
“Ooh! Sold!” The doors opened as Igneous Rock and Pear Butter walked in.
“Secretary mare!” Pear Butter spoke. “Sorry if we’re interrupting anything, but is the mayor around?”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she replied “But Mayor Shire’s out on vacation. I bet I can help. What did you need?”
“Well, we’re trying to discuss on who owns Ponyville’s park, and if Hondo Flank’s team can practice over there instead of Bow Hot Hoof.”
“Oh… well, is Bow Hot Hoof alone?”
“Uh… well…”
“He has company.” The voice of Twilight Velvet spoke, making everyone jump. Sitting in a nearby corner, reading a book around landscaping, Twilght Velvet sat, idly sipping from a canteen. “Some of his friends from Senior flight camp are with him, becoming other Hoofball team members themselves.”
“... And how do you know this?” Secretary mare asked.
“I’m a librarian. I see everything from my windows.”
“... Well… it’s hard to say…”
“Found it!” Nightlight spoke, finding the files almost immediately. “Let’s see here.” He skimmed through the files. “Ah! According to the files… Ponyville’s park belongs to Celestia’s Botanical Garden Divison… so, Celestia owns it, but one of the members lives here.”
“Oh? And who’s that?”
“Somepony named… Vipassana.”
“And where is she at?” Igneous asked.
“She’s in the park in her hiding spot in the middle of the park, stalking Cumulus.” Twilight Velvet answered, still reading her book. “And if you ask me, you should make a field around Ponyville other than trees. It’ll help make the town stick out more than be covered by trees, and provide more materials needed for future projects.”
“... And since when did you become an expert at architecture?” Nightlight asked.
“Since I finished this book, so, now.” She shut her book.
“Uh… thanks.” Pear Butter replied. “And that doesn’t sound too bad of an idea, actually. Might get some more folks here.”
“And not be close to the monsters.”
“Monsters!?” Igneous asked in shock.
“They’re local to the everfree forest.” Secretary mare spoke. “Did you now know that?”
“No!”
---
Vipsanna looked through her telescope, seeing Cumulus in Cloudsdale, working hard with a hard hat, taking a small bit of cloud in one of his personal jars.
“I would love to see your cloud collection.” She spoke to herself. “Your cloud and my flower collection can go hoof in hoof.” She began to daydream about him, imagining him with his hair finally flowing in the wind, giving him his pretty boy eyes, with some foreign music she remembered from her Foalhood
“Go long!” The voice of Bow Hot Hoof interrupted, followed by some cheering from Windy Whistles.
“Go Go Bowie, if you can’t do it, then no one can!” Vipsanna sighed as her dreams were shattered as Bow Hot Hoof and many of his other Cloudsdale friends were playing Hoofball with each other.
“Excuse me?” Pear Butter spoke, making Vipsanna jump.
“I-I wasn’t doing anything!” She screamed, before turning to them. “Oh… uh… s-sorry about that. I don't get much visitors to my office.”
“... This is a bush.” Igneous spoke.
“... A bush can be an office.”
“... Right…” Pear Butter replied. “Listen, we just came from the mayor’s office, and we learned how you’re in charge of Ponyville’s park. We need to know who owns the right to practice here for their Hoofball team; Bow Hot Hoof and his friends, or Hondo Flanks and his Junior Hoofball team.”
“Oh… uh… well, I would prefer Hondo Flanks and his Junior Hoofball team, those cute little foals need all the training they need, but I don’t want to be the cause of some confrontation… oh, I don’t want to decide.”
“... Twilight Velvet suggested we cut the trees around here.” Igneous spoke.
“Cut the trees!? Here!?”
“Nono, those in the Everfree forest.”
“But… why?”
“To… make a field, as she said. I belive it was to get more needed resources and help this town stick out more.”
“... Well… we do need more homes now that I think about it… and most ponies usually pass by us, not seeing it…”
“So you’ll help cut the trees!?” Pear Butter asked.
“I won’t cut them. I need to send a letter to Celestia, informing her of this action, see if she approves or not.”
“... Will there be a problem?” Igneous asked.
“No, not at all. She rarely denies requests.” She pulled out a scroll and began to write with an ink & quill she had and began to write away. Much to the earth ponies’ surprise, the words she wrote down dissapeared, and were replaced by others in a different hoofwriting.
“What was that?”
“Instant writing messages. Let’s see here…” She cleaered her throat. “My dearest subject, I am alright with your proposition. I am sure you’re going to be reasonable, take only what’s needed. I’d like see how the town will change.”
“So… a yes?” Pear Butter asked. Vipsanna nodded. “Yes! We did it!”
“Well, it’s approved, but I need the bits.”
“Bits?” Igneous asked. “But don’t you work for the princess?”
“I do, but something like this is going to cost bits, most of which are out of my pockets.”
“Hmm… I think I know how to help.” Pear Butter said with a grin.
“... Oh no!” Igneous spoke. “What about your father! He’ll surely be-”
“I’m pretty sure my pa will understand… besides, if we say it’s from our farm, then ponies will surely buy more of our pears. You gotta spend some bits to earn your bits.”
“And… Bright Macintosh?”
“He will understand. I want to make mah family proud as he does with his. I ain’t gonna rub it across his face.”
“So, you’ll help?” Vipsanna asked.
“Oh, definitely! Just follow us, your bits are ready.”
---
It took a few days, but the surrounding forest were chopped down, leaving a more open field around Ponyville. While the trees were cut down, in their place was grass and flowers, with a much more clear road that lead to the town, and into the forest, if anypony dared to, that is. Grand Pear was a bit disappointed at first, but when it word spread hosw the Pears donated their bits to this cause, it was a bit of a hassle as the Pears had to get more pears ready for buying customers. Hondo Flanks, and other ponies, were very pleased to be in the new field, as it was more open with very few trees around for what they wanted to do. Truth be told, now the town was truly able to stick out, no longer surrounded by the everfree forest, with many more ponies visiting the quaint, little village. But in the border of both the Pear and Apple family barns, Bright Mac, Pear Butter, and Igneous Rock built a small shack, with plenty of rocks around it.
"Ya'll sure about this?" Bright Mac asked. "Mah family's still got a nice room."
"I very much appreciate the offer," Igneous spoke. "but I work for the Pears as well."
"But why the rocks, Iggy?" Pear Butter asked.
"Igneous. And it's like home in a way."
"Let him be, Buttercup," Bright Mac said. "He needs a slice of home. Just glad you had some spare bits and wood to help." Pear Butter giggled.
"And I'm glad you had the time and muscles to help." Both stallion and mare smiled at each other, followed by closing their eyes, and perking their lips. Their lips were just inches from each other.
"Bright Mac!!!" Granny Smith's voice yelled.
"Pear Butter!!! Where are you!?" Grand Pear's voice was followed.
"Uh oh! Gotta go!" Bright Mac and Pear Butter said simultaneously, running away. Igneous turned to see them run away, but shrugged and entered his shack. It wasn't impressive to say the least; a bed was in the top right corner, a table with a chair to the left of it, a rack, and a single candle with a book about agriculture. He sighed with a smile, lighting the candle, sitting on his bed, and read to himself as the sun was gone and the moon took it's place.
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Soon. Working on it
Twilight Sparkle after she gained her cutie mark.
Scootaloo looking at her as though she'd drained a year's worth of cider barrels.