Episode 18: "Of Mice and Mares"
…
As the sun rose on Sweet Apple Acres, the Apple Family prepared for another day of running their farm. Little did they realize of a pair of uninvited guests that would be intruding on their property.
"Boy howdy," Applejack remarked as she approached one of the many orchards on the farm. "We sure got our work cut out, don't we, Big Mac? That there's the biggest hunk of crops I've ever laid eyes on."
"Eeyup," Big Mac added. "Should be enough to meet our quota for the month, AJ. But uh, it does make you think that maybe we should…?"
"...Hire some help?" Applejack finished, looking at her big brother with a raised eyebrow. "We've talked about this already, big brother."
As Applejack spoke, Big Mac began to kick at one of the trees, causing several apples to fall into several buckets. "I'm just sayin', Applejack, that it's getting to be too much for all of us," Big Mac cautioned. "We need extra help around the farm, at least for now."
"But…who would be willin' to help us out?" Applejack wondered while kicking at another tree. "There isn't anypony else out there who's like us."
"You're a princess, Applejack," Big Macintosh remkared. "I'm sure you can use your authority to recruit some ponies. It's becomin' too much for just you, Apple Bloom and I to tend to these here trees."
As Big Mac spoke, some of the apples missed their target on Applejack's tree and landed on the ground, much to her embarrassment.
"You see what I mean?" Big Mac asked, looking at the apples on the ground. "I reckon if Granny were still alive, she would say the same thing."
Picking up her grounded apples, Applejack felt somewhat taken aback by her big brother's words.
…
Back in the Apple's house, Sugar Belle was at work baking the latest batch of apple pies when she suddenly heard a knock at the door. "Hmm? Who's there?" She called as another knock followed. Walking to the front door, Sugar Belle opened the door and discovered a pair of male earth pony stallions standing in front of her. One was red and big and the other was green and medium sized.
"May I…help you?" Sugar Belle asked in a confused voice.
"Um, is this Sweet Apple Acres?" The green coated pony asked in a slightly gruff voice.
"Scammer," The red coated pony interjected. "I don't think that…"
"Keep your yap shut, Skimmer!" The green coated pony whispered while glaring at his friend. "We need a job."
"A job?" Sugar Belle asked, slightly confused as the green coated pony turned back to her.
"Yes," The green coated pony answered. "The name's Scammer and this here's my cousin, Skimmer. We're looking for work."
"Where I get to tend them rabbits." Skimmer chirped before getting nudged on the side by his friend.
Scammer shook his head. "Skimmer, what did we talk about?"
Sugar Belle was slightly confused by the presence of these two ponies. Little would she or the others know of what background these two ponies were bringing to Sweet Apple Acres.
…
…
Although still confused at the sudden arrival of two random ponies, Sugar Belle allowed them inside the house. "Applejack and Big Mac are out in the orchards, but you're more than welcome to wait here," She offered. "My name's Sugar Belle, Big Mac's wife."
"Nice to meet you," Scammer replied, admiring one of the many pies already made. "These look delicious. You sell these?"
"Yeah, we sell them throughout Equestria," Sugar Belle answered as she placed several pies into the oven. "A lot of ponies and creatures love our pies. Where are you and your friend from?"
As Sugar Belle spoke, Skimmer took one of the pies, sat down at the kitchen table and began to eat it rather sloppily, much to his friend's embarrassment.
"Skimmer!" Scammer cried while sternly looking over at his friend. "That's not polite! We haven't even been asked yet!"
"Oh, it's all right, we're going to have extras anyway." Sugar Belle giggled, much to Skimmer's delight.
"Sorry, sorry," Scammer still apologized as he realized his error. "You'll have to excuse Skimmer here. He's a little bit…off in the head shall we say."
Sugar Belle looked over at the big red coated earth pony that was Skimmer. He reminded her of Big Macintosh and as a result in her mind, he seemed like a nice pony despite his flaws.
Just then, Skimmer began to turn his attention over to a small red towel used for decoration. Taking the towel, he began to rub his hooves on it.
"Skimmer put that back!" Scammer commanded. "Put it back I say!"
"But it's soft," Skimmer replied. "Scammer, it's soft."
Scammer frowned. "Yes, I know it's soft but it's not yours. Put it back!"
Whimpering, Skimmer placed the towel back where it belonged.
"Sorry about him," Scammer sighed. "It's just…how he was born, I suppose. Anyways, how long do you think that the heads of this house will be out?"
"They just left an hour ago for the fields," Sugar Belle remarked. "But if you'd like, Grand Pear should be back any minute now. You can talk to him about work."
"Who's Grand Pear?" Scammer asked, looking slightly confused.
"He's Big Mac and Applejack's grandfather," Sugar Belle explained. "He tends to the pears in the west orchard."
"Pears? But I thought this was an apple farm." Skimmer blinked in surprise.
"Well, we make pear products now too," Sugar Belle explained. "We produce Pear Jam, Pear Butter, Pear Soap…"
At that moment, an elderly male earth pony made his way into the kitchen carrying a bucket of pears. "Sugar Belle," He groaned as he struggled under the weight. "I need your help to put these pears into production before the day is out and…"
Suddenly, Grand Pear stopped speaking when he saw Scammer and Skimmer. "Can I help you?" he asked in a confused tone as he placed the pears on the table next to Skimmer.
"Um, yes, um, ahem," Scammer stuttered. "My friend and I were looking for work here."
"Hmm, well I was thinking about hiring some outside help," Grand Pear nodded. "Name's Grand Pear, partial owner of Sweet Apple Acres and you are…"
"Scammer, sir," Scammer answered. "And this is my friend, Skimmer."
Grand Pear looked over at Skimmer, seeing the devoured apple pie that he had been eating. "I see," He spoke, trying to not let the sight of a destroyed apple pie get in the way of his job. "As a matter of fact, I could use some help tending to the pear trees. Do you think you and your friend can give me a hoof?"
"Sure, we can do that," Scammer replied while gesturing for Skimmer to get up from the table. "Please lead the way…I guess."
Grand Pear said nothing. Leading the two ponies out of the kitchen, he brought them to the west orchard.
…
A little while later, Applejack and Big Macintosh came into the kitchen with their collected harvest of apples. Immediately, Applejack was greeted by the devoured apple pie on the kitchen table. "Um, Sugar Belle?" She asked while looking over at her sister-in-law. "Was somepony here just now?"
"Yes, two earth ponies," Sugar Belle replied. "They came here looking for work."
"See? I told you we need help around here," Big Mac commented while placing a bucket of apples on the kitchen counter. "Where are they, Sugar Belle?"
"Whoever they are," Applejack muttered. "They didn't pick up after themselves," Then she noticed the mussed up decorative towel that Skimmer had put back. "Okay, whoever this here pony is they're nothin' short of sloppy," She declared while trying to fix up the towel. "I mean, really…do they even understand that these towels are not for touchin'?"
"I'll say," Big Mac added while going over to see the towel for himself. "These here are Ma's decorative towels."
"He did seem a little 'Different in the head' to quote his friend," Sugar Belle declared. "But…"
Applejack blinked in surprise. "Who seemed a little different in the head?"
"Why, the red big colt who was just here," Sugar Belle pointed out. "He kind of looks like you, Big Mac."
Big Mac said nothing.
"They're with Grand Pear in the west orchard, helping him with the pear trees," Sugar Belle added. "They seem harmless to me."
Without saying a word, Big Mac and Applejack headed for the west orchard, leaving Sugar Belle alone with her assortment of apples and pears.
…
…
Meanwhile, in Appleloosa, Sheriff Silverstar was in the process of gathering a posse together. A heinous act had been committed in the town and he was on the hunt for a pair of ponies on a wanted poster. "All right, y'all," He declared to a group of five ponies, including Braeburn. "These are the no good varmints who carried out that act against one of our marefolk. According to the latest telegram, they've gone east towards Ponyville."
"They won't get away with this!" One of the posse cried.
"All of you have one task," Sheriff Silverstar declared while brandishing a rope. "Capture these two and bring them to justice!"
The posse cried out in support of their sherriff. But Braeburn didn't cheer. He had something else deep in his mind that was more concerning.
"Say, Braeburn, how come you ain't cheerin'?" Sheriff Silverstar questioned.
"Oh, uh, sorry y'all," Braeburn stammered. "It's just that…those two are headin' for Ponyville. My cousins might be in their path."
Sheriff Silverstars' eyes widened when he heard those words! Now a princess of Equestria was possibly in the path of the wanted criminals. "Well then, what are we waitin' for?! Let's go!" Sheriff Silverstar cried while dashing to the front door of his office and opening it up.
"Sherriff, wait a minute!" Braeburm called. "One of the vandals, he…he may not have realized what he was doin'."
"What he did was inappropriate and uncalled for," Sheriff Silverstar quietly replied. "Now let's vamoose out of here! We'll catch 'em before they do anythin' else bad!" So Braeburn reluctantly followed the posse.
No sooner did the posse start to leave Appleloosa when they were joined by several buffalo.
"Sherriff!" A gruff voice belonging to a buffalo wearing a feathered headdress with a blue base called. "Sorry we're late, I needed to wait for a few more of us to join. My tribe and I are pledging to help you find the offenders responsible for what happened in your town!"
Nodding, Sheriff Silverstar gestured for his posse and the buffalo to follow him. Braeburn reluctantly trailed behind, but he wasn't alone for long.
"It's that bad, isn't it?" A familiar young buffalo asked while walking alongside Braeburn.
"Yeah, but I'm convinced that hulkin' pony didn't understand what he was doin', Little Strongheart," remarked Braeburn. "He seemed…to be different minded."
"Still, it's not an excuse for such behavior," Little Strongheart declared, running to catch up with the combined posse. "Chief Thunderhooves would show no mercy if something like this happened in our tribe. Justice must be served!"
Despite his reluctance, Braeburn had to keep up with the posse. In his mind, he knew he wanted his cousins to be safe. But he also wanted the pony who committed the act to be punished accordingly, not excessively.
…
Back at Sweet Apple Acres, Grand Pear led Skimmer and Scammer towards the pear trees to help him out with his harvest. "So, you boys are lookin' for work, right?" He questioned them.
"Yes sir," Scammer nodded. "We come from a town not far from Appleloosa. Dodge Junction, to be precise."
Grand Pear then turned to Skimmer, who was taking in the sights of the pear trees. "What about him?"
"Skimmer?" Scammer remarked while gesturing for his friend to pay attention. "He's my cousin. Had an accident when he was a colt, got kicked in the head."
"By what?" Grand Pear asked.
Scammer explained. "By a cow, a really aggressive cow. My aunt asked me to take care of him, so that's what I've been doin'."
Grand Pear pondered and proceeded to start laying out buckets for the pears to fall off the tree. "So you say," He whispered and then asked. "So, can you buck trees?"
"Of course," Scammer replied with a grin. "Just watch!"
Standing back, Grand Pear allowed Scammer to kick at the pear trees. The pears fell off and into the buckets. The elder Pear was delighted to see such bucking. "Good," He smiled. "What about him?"
"Skimmer," Scammer directed his cousin to another tree that needed to be bucked. "Buck that tree."
But the dimwitted red stallion just stood there. "Use your hind legs," Scammer commanded. "Your back leg!"
Skimmer used his hind leg, but merely tapped against the tree causing only one pear to fall off into the bucket.
"You're gonna need to use both of them," Grand Pear explained. Sure enough, when Skimmer did that he hit the tree hard and several pears fell off and into the buckets. "Much better," Then he decided to give them both a challenge. "All right. Now, I want you both to buck these here trees within an hour. If you do that, then I will consider hirin' you both on as full time workers. Understood?"
"Yes sir!" Scammer replied as Skimmer did the same.
Smiling, Grand Pear left the two alone to do their task.
…
Returning to the house, Grand Pear brought the pears he'd bucked into the kitchen. "I've given those two an assignment to buck all those pear trees in an hour," He said to his grandchildren as he set the bucket of pears down on the kitchen counter. If they complete the task, I'm gonna hire them as workers."
However, as he spoke, he was greeted by the suspicious look on his middle granddaughter. "What's the matter, Applejack?" He asked before suddenly noticing the wrinkled towel that Skimmer had touched. "What happened to your mother's fine towel?!"
"One of the two ponies yer trainin' mussed it up," Applejack answered as Grand Pear inspected the towel. "Played around with it like it was his own."
"Must have been the one who has a poor sense of direction," Grand Pear muttered. "But I'm sure we can iron it back up to its nice lookin' self. Right now though, we need to get our products ready for shipment in the mornin'."
Taking the pies already baked, Sugar Belle loaded them onto a cart outside and pulled them into the barn, making several more trips afterwards.
…
One hour later, Scammer and Skimmer completed their work in the pear orchard and were bringing their harvest back when Skimmer began to see light coming from within the barn. "Scammer," he asked his friend. "Can I go to the barn?"
"Why?" Scammer remarked. "We're to report back to Grand Pear."
Skimmer then took notice of Sugar Belle bringing another supply of baked goods into the barn. "Pretty pony might need help," Skimmer said to Scammer, who sighed at knowing what his friend was probably going to have planned. "I'll not be long."
"All right," Scammer replied. "But, don't do anythin' stupid, understand? We came here to lay low, not bring more heat down on us. And don't forget, she's married."
So Skimmer trotted over to the barn just as Sugar Belle made her way inside, taking the latest assortment of baked goods off the cart and placing them next to the others. "All right, that should do it," She said to herself. But as she turned around to get back to the house, Skimmer stood in the doorway. "Oh uh, hi, Skimmer. Are you done with the pears?"
"Scammer and I did good," He replied and then asked Sugar Belle. "Need help here, miss?"
"Um, sure," Sugar Belle offered. "If you like, you can take that cart to the back and load up some more supplies."
Skimmer nodded. "Okay."
With Skimmer gone, Sugar Belle turned around to do a count of what she had brought to the barn.
…
A few moments later, Skimmer returned to the barn while bringing in a cartload of baked goods.
"Just put those over with the others," Sugar Bele gestured to Skimmer and Skimmer complied, placing the stack of boxed goods with the rest. "You know, I think you're going to be a good worker here. You and your cousin seem to have a good work ethic."
Skimmer then turned around to Sugar Belle and right away all he could do was stare at her. "You…you think so…?" He asked, suddenly being enraptured by Sugar Belle's presence. "You think I's a good worker?"
"Of course," Sugar Belle smiled, but her smile soon turned to a look of nerves as Skimmer began to slowly walk over towards her. "Um, what are you doing?"
"You very pretty, Sugar Belle," Skimmer replied as he walked closer and closer towards Sugar Belle. "I love pretty things."
Being uncomfortable, Sugar Belle attempted to try and send Skimmer away. "Um, go help the others with more unloading." She hastily but politely ordered.
But Skimmer didn't get the message as he slowly continued to get closer to Sugar Belle. He promptly placed his front foreleg on Sugar Belle's mane, playing around with it.
"S..stop it," Sugar Belle whimpered. "You're messing it up!"
But, Skimmer didn't stop and he kept running his hoof through her mane.
"You're messing it up! Stop it!" Sugar Belle shouted, only for Skimmer to place his other front hoof on her mouth.
"Don't scream, don't scream," He pleaded in a hushed voice. "Scammer said I gonna do a bad thing. But I not gonna do a bad thing. I no wanna hurt you, miss."
But Sugar didn't believe a word he was saying. She was seeing the true nature of this pony up close and personal. "Stop it! STOP IT!" Sugar Belle screamed as Skimmer forced her to the ground. "STOP IT! BIG MAC! BIG MAC!"
…
Sugar Belle's screams were heard from the kitchen!
"What's going on?" Big Mac cried upon hearing his wife's screams. "Sugar Belle? Sugar Belle!" He immediately went into protective mode and charged towards the barn.
Right away, Scammer realized what his cousin was doing. "Dear Celestia!" He cried as he and the rest of the Apples followed Big Mac into the barn, and the hulking red pony gasped loudly as he discovered Skimmer approaching Sugar Belle as she lay on the floor!
Snarling, Big Mac charged at Skimmer and the two stallions began to fight with one another! Growling, Big Mac used his superior strength to try to subdue Skimmer and Skimmer fought back while the others ran over to Sugar Belle's side!
Suddenly, Big Mac screamed loudly as Skimmer bit on Big Mac's right front leg. "Let go! Let go!" He shouted as Applejack ran towards her brother's side and headbutted Skimmer in the stomach!
"You disgusting…!" Applejack yelled to Skimmer, hitting him in the face! "I'll teach you to do that to one of our own!"
As luck would have it, the sounds of commotion were heard by Silverstar and his approaching posse. Gesturing for them to follow him, Silverstar led them into the barn, kicking down the door and pushing Applejack off of Skimmer. "Get him up!" He ordered to the posse. "And take his little friend too!"
Several ponies and buffalo then grabbed Scammer, throwing him to the ground!
"What's going on here?" Grand Pear asked while walking over to the sheriff.
"These two varmints are wanted in Appleloosa!" Sheriff Silverstar explained while looking at the old earth pony. "Messin' with young mares."
"What?!" Applejack cried, angrily glaring at Scammer as he was led out of the barn by the posse. "Get off my farm, you…you…!" In her anger, Applejack spat at Scammer's face as he was escorted out of the barn. The fury in her eyes grew more and more as the posse left with the two drifters while Sugar Belle and Big Mac were tended to by Braeburn and Little Strongheart for their injuries.
….
...
Once the tension settled down, the Apple Family were left to lick their wounds after what had transpired.
"I'm glad Apple Bloom is staying over at Scootaloo's on a sleepover, I'd have hated for her to have to witness somethin' like that," Applejack angrily remarked as she and Big Mac sat with Sugar Belle, still shaken by her experience. "How could those two clowns…?"
"He…he didn't mean it," Sugar Belle whimpered with her face plastered to the floor. "I saw it…in his eyes. He was trying not to hurt me."
"That's no excuse, Sugar Belle!" Big Mac protested. "If that crazy pony had done any more to you, I'd…" But he couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence and instead let out a snarl.
"How was I supposed to know that he had such a habit?" Grand Pear sighed, feeling both embarrassed and betrayed. "I thought that they would be good workers. But I'll make it up to all of you, I swear!"
"It's not your fault, Grand Pear," Applejack sighed back while looking over at her maternal grandfather. "You were blindsided, we all were. But now, as a princess, I need to decide what happens to those varmints since their crime took place here in Ponyville. If there was ever a time I wish Granny were here, it's now. I could sure use her advice."
Sighing deeply, Applejack got up and towards the door.
"You goin' to her grave?" Big Macintosh asked his younger sister.
Applejack silently nodded that she was and left.
…
Walking to her grandmother's grave, Applejack sighed at the decision she had to make. The fate of two random drifter ponies was hanging in the balance. In her mind, she felt that they needed to pay a price. However, she wasn't sure how big of a price it should be.
Finally, Applejack approached the grave of Granny Smith. Closing her eyes, Applejack took in all her thoughts and sought out the late pony's advice. "Granny, what am I going to do?" She whispered.
"Do what, Applejack?" Applejack heard a faint, all too familiar voice in her mind.
"I need your help," Applejack quietly replied, seemingly hearing her grandmother's voice. "And I normally don't ask your advice for much these days, but there really is no one else to turn to."
"If you say so, AJ," Granny Smith's voice declared. "What is it?"
"Grand Pear attempted to hire two ponies as hired hooves," Applejack explained, looking up to the skies. "One of them tried to take advantage of Sugar Belle, and apparently somethin' similar happened in Appleloosa. Now I have a choice to make on how they should be punished."
"That is a mighty difficult choice, child." Granny's voice remarked.
"It is," Applejack sighed. "If you were still alive Granny, and saw what happened tonight, what would you do?"
For a few moments, Applejack heard nothing. Then, she heard Granny's voice again.
"I'd punish them, Applejack," Granny Smith answered, her spirit manifesting out of her tombstone in front of Applejack. "As for what I think on whether they live or die, maybe have them take part in this here hoedown you're about to have. But make sure to keep an eye on them while they're repayin' their debts to society."
"It's a war," Applejack corrected. "Against Grogar and the Legion of Doom, surprisingly. Along with some strange allies of his from another world."
"Uh huh," Granny Smith remarked. "What I mean is that they need to be taught discipline, just like you and your siblings when you were younger. It's either that or take a one-way trip down below if I do say so."
Having now heard her grandmother's thoughts on the matter. Applejack turned away and began to think of what to do to rectify the situation. "This isn't easy, Granny." She commented while turning her back.
"Nothin' like this ever is, Applejack," Granny's ghost remarked. "But that's part of growin' up. We all have to make very difficult decisions in life. And sometimes they have to be the necessary ones."
Applejack contemplated on these thoughts for a moment, then she turned around back to her grandmother's spirit. However, when she turned around the spirit was gone.
Returning to the farmhouse a short time later, Applejack rejoined her family. "I've come to a decision." She announced to them.
"What is it?" Big Macintosh asked.
…
The next morning, Applejack and an entourage of royal guards arrived in Appleloosa to pay visit to Skimmer and Scammer. However, they were only met by Braeburn, who had a forlorn look on his face.
"Braeburn?" Applejack asked, emerging from the train while wearing her royal accessories. "What happened?"
"One of the prisoners is dead, cousin," He sadly replied. "Died in the night, all unbeknownst in fact."
"Who was it?" Applejack inquired, but Braeburn didn't answer and led Applejack and her entourage towards Sheriff Silverstar's office.
Upon arrival, they saw just Scammer alone in the cell, holding what appeared to be a pie tin in his hooves.
"What happened here!?" Applejack questioned, with Scammer still holding onto the pie tin. "I asked you a question and I want an answer!"
Taking his eye off the pie tin, Scammer turned to Applejack. "I had to do it," Scammer answered. "I had to put him out of his misery."
"How?! Why?!" Applejack questioned.
"He…Skimmer…there's only one fate that would await him for what he did to those mares," Scammer replied, his eyes welling up with tears. "I swore to his mother I would protect him at all costs and so I did…by poisonin' an apple pie. It was quick, he went to sleep after eatin' it, never to wake up."
Disheartened and cheated of justice, Applejack turned away in disgust.
"It was the right then to do, Princess Applejack!" Skimmer protested. "If you were in my situation, you would have done the same thing!"
Not wanting to hear anymore, Applejack then turned to Sheriff Silverstar. "Well, what do you want me to do?" He asked as Applejack sharply turned to him. "If you wish to press charges…"
"No," Applejack firmly interrupted, and Sheriff Silverstar was not prepared for what he heard next. "Have him placed into the ranks of the Equestrian Military. I think a little discipline during wartime is punishment enough."
Somewhat taken aback, Silverstar was stunned by what he heard. "But what if he refuses?" He asked as Applejack turned around to leave.
"Tell him he doesn't have a choice," Applejack said, her back still turned to Silverstar. "Because if he does, he would be dishonorin' his cousin's memory."
Without saying another word, Applejack made her way out of Sheriff Silverstar's office, leaving the sheriff baffled by what he had heard.
…
Once she was outside, Applejack looked up to the skies.
"Well, what did you think of my choice, Granny?" Applejack thought to herself. "I think it was the right one, given the circumstances of the situation. I hope that serving in the military will get him to see the error of his cousin's ways."
Naturally, Applejack heard nothing and boarded the royal train back to Ponyville, hoping that her decision would be a wise one in the end.
…
Stats
Page generated in 0.027 seconds
Total duration
1,043 users online
1,614,062 hits today, 2,054,621 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Whoa, mama. Definitely a REALLY emotional chapter. The exchanges, characterizations and future chapter set-up were all well done in all the right places. Yeah, I can see where AJ would be put into a situation like this under the circumstances. I can see where most ponies would be disturbed by what Skimmer did (even if his child-like mind meant he didn't MEAN any harm). And enlisting Scammer in the military after he mercy killed Skimmer was probably the best move that they could have made given the situation. Yeah, putting Scammer in basically Equestria's answer to the Suicide Squad (now, all we need is a few technically non-reformed minor villains who have the skills to be useful [such as the Flim-Flam Brothers' mechanical expertise and Lightning Dust's daredevil experience] and a few reformed villains looking for a shot at redemption who also have useful abilities [and Equestria's got enough of THEM to form their own support group] to round out the squad and we'd be golden) is a pretty good idea. All in all, a quite very well done MLP-Style "Of Mice and Men". I especially liked Little Strongheart's speaking cameo.
VERY definitely looking forward to the next chapter.
Nice work. I liked the idea of a Mice and Men related chapter. Having Granny Smith's spirit apparently speaking to Applejack makes a nice touch.
Certainly a chapter that's pretty surprising.
Didn't expect the actual "crime" Skimmer actually did to be like that.
Though I wonder if Skimmer's condition counts as a mental illness, would it affect his punishment if he didn't die there.
Probably send him to some place for treatment for whats wrong with his brain after that hard kick to the head from a cow if I remember right.
That bit is pretty curious for me.
It looks like that those two won’t get the chance to get a nice house and leave off the fat of the land and to tend the rabbits
10327756 Yep, just like in the actual John Steinbeck novel. BTW, I casted Gary Sinise and John Malkovich based on their performances of George and Lennie in the 1992 adaptation of "Of Mice and Men."
10327793
I was thinking more along the line Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney jr. there the best ones
10327979 I've only seen bits and pieces of the 1939 film, but it's the 1992 film I remember more because I watched that version in high school.
Geez this fanfic series is getting dark. Next episodes will be all about the villains. First Sombra's Start Of Darkness, than a villain episode dealing with...I think the Maximals? The names get confusing. After that, the multi part season finale...I think. I thought this would be the last breather episode of the season. I was wrong. It seems like the further this goes, the more intense this gets. I can only wonder what the season 12 series will be like. It will introduce Arabus. I wonder what he will contribute. The heroes will need a new ally or weapon soon. The stakes are currently stacked against them.
I also need to ask, if there is a Hell according to Granny Smith, is there a Heaven? If so, how do she and Starlight's mom appear as ghosts? Are ponies sometimes allowed to return to the living world from Heaven? Also, if there is a "place below", why were Sombra and the SK sent to the ether? This fanfic's afterlife mythos is confusing.
i love mice and men i watched it in high school after i read the book