• Published 16th Oct 2019
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Trust Once Lost - Greenhorne



When I agreed to be sent to Equestria I didn't read the fine print. I'm the wrong age, the wrong gender, and lost in the wilderness.

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What a Strange Little Filly

Applejack was not a pony to drink tea recreationally. Tea parties weren’t really her scene, but she nonetheless took Fluttershy up on her invitation for tea at her cottage today. It would take some time out of her workday, but it wasn’t a harvest season yet so she could make up for it later.

“All the advice ponies seem ta have is about how ta get foals ta be obedient an’ polite,” Applejack said, “But with Green it seems ta be tha opposite problem.”

“So she’s too obedient?” asked Fluttershy, “That’s not a bad problem to have if you ask me.”

Applejack sighed.

“Trying ta get her to admit when something bothers her is like pullin’ teeth.” said Applejack, “If ah ask her ta do somethin’ she’ll just do it, even if it hurts her.”

“Oh my,” Said Fluttershy, “You wouldn’t ask her to do anything dangerous though?”

“Remember, last night when I forgot to give her dinner?” Applejack said

Fluttershy nodded.

“Well, when I got her some food she ate so fast I was worried she would choke,” Applejack explained, “She was too scared to tell me she was hungry after I told her to go to bed.”

“Oh the poor little thing!” exclaimed Fluttershy.

“When ah got up in the morning, Green was already awake, standing to attention in the kitchen - An’ then ah found out Granny had put soap in her mouth!” Applejack vented, “She din’t even complain, she jus’ stood there until ah gave her permission ta be excused.”

“Why would Granny put soap in her mouth?” asked Fluttershy

“Apparently Green used a bad word.” Applejack said, “Ah just don’t know how to convince her that it’s okay to say ‘no’ ta me.”

“It sounds like she’s afraid of your disapproval,” said Fluttershy, “Have you tried explaining why you want her to do things?”

“Well, Ah explained why she had ta go ta school.” said Applejack, “Ah hope she’s doin’ alright. She was so anxious it was making her feel sick.”

“Wait, so she refused to go to school?” Fluttershy asked

“She begged for my permission not ta go ta school.” Applejack explained, “Ah jus’ told her that she didn’t go ta school Ah’d get in trouble an’ then ah wouldn’t be able to look after her anymore. She didn’t fuss anymore after that.”

“Oh no!” Fluttershy exclaimed, “I, er... nevermind.”

“What is it?”

“I mean, I don’t want to worry you,” said Fluttershy meekly, “But I think Green might have taken that in a way you didn’t intend.”

Fluttershy took a sip of her tea and Applejack waited for her to continue.

“Well, it sounds like she finally worked up the courage to tell you she was afraid to do what you asked,” Fluttershy said, “And then you may have, not on purpose, implied that she would be kicked out of her new home if she didn’t do what you say.”

Applejack swallowed as she looked at her own reflection in her cup of tea. It tasted bitter despite the sugar she’d heaped into it.

The bitter taste persisted in her mouth as she arrived at the schoolhouse to see Cheerilee arguing with a clearly distraught Green.

“What’s goin’ on here?” asked Applejack, “Are you alright Sweetpea?”


“I’m fine.” I said, “Let’s just go.”

Cheerilee sighed.

“We should probably talk in my office.” Said Cheeilee, “Green can stay or go if she likes.”

Much as I wanted to go home and take a nap, I had to know what they were saying about me. There had been entirely too many misunderstandings up to this point.

I wordlessly followed Applejack and Cheerilee back to the schoolhouse, my tiny hooves leaden with equal parts fatigue and dread.

Most of the class had left as soon as class was released, but there were still some ponies hanging around, no doubt to see the outcome of the confrontation between student and teacher.

I could imagine them all saying “Oooh, Green’s in trouble!”

They didn’t say it, but I could see it in their expressions.

When we got back to Cheerilee’s office I was leaning against one of Applejack’s forelegs to stay upright. I knew I couldn’t sit down or I would fall asleep. AJ’s coat was soft and warm, even if it was coated in a layer of dirt from working out in the fields. I didn’t have to worry about that anymore since it wouldn’t make my skin itch. Heh.

“Well,” said Cheerilee, “As you may have gathered, Green hasn’t had a good first day.”


While the filly was making a valiant effort to stay awake, it was clear she was fighting a losing battle. Applejack had been warned that if Green had a magic surge she would be very fatigued, so she wasn’t too worried about Green physically; emotionally though, she had clearly had a very rough first day of school.

Applejack felt somewhat responsible. She’d forced Green to go to school on the understanding that she’d be removed from her care if she didn’t go to school. The farm-pony had said it rather casually, but she hadn’t really considered how deeply Green might be affected by it. Green had immediately changed her tune, but, rather than just understanding the reason Applejack was making her go to school, the filly was probably terrified of being kicked out of her new home.

She looked down to see that Green’s eyes were closed, and her legs were locked; she’d fallen asleep standing up.

“Is she alright?” asked Cheerilee

“She had a magic surge,” asked Applejack softly, “Didn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“Well they told me if she has a magic surge she’ll be real tired after an’ go straight ta sleep.” Applejack explained.

“You can put her on the sickbed if you like.” Said Cheerilee

While ponies were entirely capable of sleeping standing up, Green would wake up aching all over if Applejack let her sleep like that.

Careful not to wake the sleeping filly, Applejack picked Green up and tucked her into bed. The two adults moved to the other side of the long room before they continued the conversation.

“Green isn’t coping well with a school environment,” Cheerilee explained. “She was too shy to ask to use the bathroom during class, and then after class she was in such a rush she ran into the wrong bathroom - and while that could just be first day jitters, when she realized what she’d done she gave herself a full-blown panic attack.”

“Ah was afraid a’ that,” said Applejack

“As for her academic performance, you’re right, she does seem clever,” said Cheerilee, “She’s very articulate for her age, but emotionally? She’s cynical but without the maturity to accept it stoically, much as she tries. All her cleverness is focused on figuring out how everything is going to go wrong and why any attempt to help is doomed to failure.”

“So how did she end up having a magic surge?” asked Applejack

“It seems one of the other students was bullying her.”

“They what?” The floorboards creaked dangerously as Applejack’s earth pony magic twisted the floor beneath her.

Cheerilee took a step back involuntarily, hooves raised to placate the fuming mare.

“I can assure you I dealt with it as soon as it came to my attention.” said Cheerilee, “Green has obviously had a very negative experience with her previous school. She was absolutely certain that anything I did to try and stop the bullying would only make it worse.”

“And ya just listened ta her?”

“Of course not,” Said Cheerilee, “The first time I just forced her to apologize to Green, but for the second incident there will be consequences.”

“Then why was Green the one ya were hollerin’ at?” Applejack questioned

“She told the filly that was bullying her to jump down a well.”

“And?” said Applejack, “Ain’t nothin’ wrong with tellin’ a jerk ta go soak their head.”

“Green was very clear that she wanted her to die.” explained Cheerilee, “She seemed to think it was the only way to stop her from bullying her and her friends.”

“Her friends?” Asked Applejack, “Wait just a minute, don’t tell me this was Diamond Tiara again.”

Cheerilee sighed. “I don’t think Diamond Tiara is the real problem here.”

“Ya mind running that past me again?”

If she didn’t word her next sentence right Cheerilee was worried that Applejack might leave hoofprints in the hardwood floor.

“Not that Green is the problem!” Cheerilee assured, “I just think Green is projecting the feelings she had for bullies at her old school onto Diamond Tiara.”

“So yer tellin’ me that not only is that filly still bullyin’ ma little sister after ya said you’d deal with it,” Applejack said, “But now she’s bullyin’ Green too on her first day ‘a school?”

“From how the other foals tell it,” said Cheerilee, “Green exploded just because Diamond gave an insincere apology. What Diamond did isn’t right, and I just got done talking to her about it before I went to get Green’s side of the story, but Green clearly has issues that go beyond just what happened today.”

“And what about ma little sister?”

“Applebloom has one group of friends, and Diamond has another.” said Cheerilee, “They don’t interact much anymore. If they start antagonizing each-other I can step in, but I can’t force them to be friends.”

“Ah guess that makes sense.” said Applejack, “So what was Diamond apologizing for?”

“Diamond was making fun of Green for not knowing how many days there were in a year.” said Cheerilee, “I think Green was feeling insecure and she just said a random number as a joke, but it didn’t land. She can be very sarcastic.”

Applejack looked over at the sleeping filly’s fragile form.

“She was fidgeting a lot during class and not paying attention.” said Cheerilee, “At first I thought she might be a bit hyperactive, but as it turns out she was just trying not to let anypony know she needed to use the restroom. She’s not the first student I’ve had with anxiety issues, though she is on the more extreme end.”

“Well, Ah did warn ya.”

“And Applebloom too I gather,” said Cheerilee, “She spotted that Green was having a panic attack immediately and tried to comfort her. Green kept saying she was fine until I took her back to my office to calm down.”

Applejack felt a swell of pride at her sister’s thoughtfulness, but it was tempered with concern.

“After I spoke with her, she was much calmer in the second class.” said Cheerilee, “Though she still wasn’t paying much attention. She had her eyes closed - I think she was testing to see if I’d react; she seems determined to prove other ponies are out to get her.”

“Ah’m thinking she might not be ready to go to school.” said Applejack, “Ah’ll discuss it with her social worker. She was going to schedule some therapy sessions for Green, but I haven’t heard back about that yet.”

“I don’t entirely disagree,” said Cheerilee, “She definitely needs therapy, and maybe a couple days off, but given time I think she could settle into the class alright. Applebloom and her friends seem to have already taken her in as one of their own.”

Cheerilee breathed a sigh of relief as the farmer finally stepped away from her. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d just survived an interrogation.

As Applejack approached the cot she noticed, despite the filly’s best efforts to hide it, that Green was awake.


“Do ya really think Green meant what she said about Diamond Tiara?” Asked Applebloom

The crusaders were standing guard outside the schoolhouse waiting for Green to return.

“I mean she did sound a bit psycho.” Scootaloo winced at Applebloom’s glare, “What? She did!”

“She was just scared.” Applebloom insisted

“She didn’t sound scared,” said Sweetie Belle, “Just really, really angry. You don’t think she would actually hurt Diamond Tiara do you?”

“Well it’s not like she wouldn’t deserve it,” said Scootaloo

“We’re not throwing Diamond Tiara in a well,” Applebloom stated in a flat tone.

“I don’t want her to die!” Scootaloo waved her hooves placatingly, “I just - you can’t tell me you’ve never wanted to buck her in the face.”

“Ah guess,” Applebloom admitted, “But Green’s barely met her - and you know Tiara isn’t going to leave her alone now. What’s going to happen next time?”

“Speaking of next time,” Scootaloo mumbled under her breath.

Applebloom turned to see that the pink Filly in question was approaching them with her friend Silver Spoon.

“Haven’t ya done enough?” asked Applebloom

The pink filly grinned. “Once my daddy hears about how that new filly tried to kill me she won’t be allowed at this school anymore.”

“No-pony tried to kill you Diamond.” said Scootaloo, “Just leave us alone.”

“It was very traumatic,” said Diamond Tiara, “I’ll make sure she gets taken away so she doesn’t beat you up again Scootaloo.”

Scootaloo rubbed at her bruise involuntarily.

“It was an accident,” the pegasus bristled, “But if you keep talking I can give you a matching one.”

“Looks like Green isn’t the only one I have to tell daddy about.”

Tiara flicked her hair as she walked away.

“Blank flanks.”


“You awake, Sweetpea?” she asked softly

The filly stretched and yawned. “Unfortunately.”

“It’s time to go.” said Applejack, “Are you up for walking, or would you like me to carry you?”

The filly looked embarrassed. “I’ll walk.”


Despite straining my hearing I could barely make out any of the conversation. My horn hurt, though not quite as bad as it had after my first magic surge. The crusaders had been waiting for us outside the schoolhouse, which I guess meant they really considered me one of them. Which sucked because that meant they would want to include me in all their activities, and I couldn’t turn them down all the time because then they’d think I was rejecting them.

“Are you alright Sweetpea?”

“I’m fine,” I answered automatically

“That was a rough first day.”

“Understatement of the century,” I grumbled

“How ‘bout Ah take all y’all for some icecream.” said Applejack, “Mah treat.”

I wanted to say no, all I wanted was to get back home and crash on my bed, but seeing the excited faces of the other crusaders I just couldn’t ruin that for them.

“That sounds nice,” I replied

The closer we got to Sugar Cube Corner, the more I felt like something was going to go wrong. I couldn’t nail down exactly what. There was Pinkie Pie of course. I hadn’t seen her since the failed party. The words ‘failed party’, and ‘Pinkie’ being in such close proximity raised the hair on the back of my neck. I wasn’t looking forward to seeing her, and what’s worse if she found out I was avoiding her she’d be hurt even more.

There was also that Sugar Cube Corner is one of the places the CMC were ambushed by bullies in the show. If Applejack was there Diamond wouldn’t be able to say anything overt, but that almost made it worse.

Maybe we’d run into Rainbow Dash and she and AJ would argue again because I’d screwed up their friendship.

“Ah said, what flavor did ya want?” asked Applejack

I shook my head to clear it.

“Uh,” I was so tired I couldn’t quite see straight so I didn’t bother reading the flavors, “Vanilla. Thanks.”

The ice cream tasted great, even if it was tricky to hold the cone with my hoof.

I kept an eye out for Pinkie Pie as we sat in the booth, fortunately I didn’t see her since I’m sure she would have noticed me ducking to avoid being noticed. Even with that anxiety though, the force of will keeping me awake was flagging and I ended up resting the side of my face on the table.

When Applejack picked me up and placed me on her back I was too tired to feel embarrassed over it. I just yawned and closed my eyes as the motion of her walking gently rocked me back and forth.

Author's Note:

Chapter title is a reference to this brand new story which I highly recommend if you enjoy my story: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/478316/what-a-strange-little-colt

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