Down on the Farm

by Valtyrian

Chapter 1 - Finding a Pearl in a Haystack

Pearl Rose groaned as she slowly trotted down the path that led to the Apple family farm. She had been dreading this for the last few days. Stopping at the top of the hill, Pearl looked down at the trellis archway. The midmorning morning sun was casting a shadow on the archway long enough that it reached her legs which began to tremble. Nightmare Night was long over with, but now came the consequences of her actions. Sitting down she thought back to the conversation she had with her mentor only a few hours ago.

***

“I’m going where?” Pearl groaned as she flopped her head down on the table.

“Just as I said. Sweet Apple Acres,” Twilight said not even bothering to look up from the various books laid out on her work bench. “Buttercup Apple wants to have a word or two with you. No doubt about what you did to Kohaku.” Looking up she nudged Pearl’s head to get her to look up. “Did you really think attacking him like you did wouldn’t come with consequences?”

“Well it was HIS fault, that darn prank of his…” Pearl whispered under her breath as she shyly looked away. She knew it was a weak defense that she had overused repeatedly since that night.

“Maybe his prank did cross a line. I have no doubt his mother will punish him for that. However, it still does not excuse what you did to him.”

“Couldn't you just punish me? Why do you have to send me to her.” Pearl bit down on her lower lip. She knew from experience mothers can be quite fierce when protecting their children.

“Normally I would, my faithful student. But Buttercup requested to talk to you personally. And as the local princess, I will not deny one of my loyal subjects.”

Sighing deeply, Pearl dropped her head down to the table. “So what you’re saying is I have no choice.”

Chuckling, Twilight brushed her hoof over Pearl’s flaming locks. “You always have a choice, my student, however in this case it’s the easy way or the hard way. And the easy way is always best in this situation. Now you best get going. She’ll be expecting you today.”

Pearl just groaned louder.

***

With a long deep breath she started on down the path, even now she could make out the large farmstead home. One that had gone through multiple remodels over the years to account for the expanding family. Looking down at the ground she bumped into something and fell back onto her rump.

“OH my stars, Ah’m so sorry there young filly,” Applejack said, helping Pearl up and brushing her off. Once Pearl was standing and the shock of being knocked over over with, the Farming pony smiled. “Ain’t seen you ‘round here before. Were you looking to pick up anything in particular? Ya know we have a well stocked stall at the market place. Ah’m heading there now if you want an escort.”

“No you see... I’m a schoolmate of Apple Bloom and Kohaku. And I…”

“And ya’ll are here to see your friends. Well no problem there.” Tilting her hat up Applejack pointed to the house. “Bloom’s up in her room, but she ain’t up for company right now. Kohaku’s always welcome for visitors. He’s out in the south barn. Just over yonder.” AJ pointed to the large brown barn. “You can go, just don’t interrupt his work too much. Now I have to get goin’ Silverlay’s waitin on me and Ah’m late as it is.” AJ smiled and started to gallop toward Ponyville.

Pearl sighed as she looked to the farm. Well maybe Kohaku can direct me to his mom. That’s if he’s not just slacking off like he always does. Making her way to the barn she entered and looked about. Three large pull carts were lined up under a loft with nopony, or rather no fox, in sight.

“Hello?” Moving in she saw a line of stacked boxes were off to her left. A soft rustling coming from up above caused her to freeze. “Hello?” she repeated her greeting only to once again get no answer.

Trotting over to the loft stairs the young Pegasus moved her way up to the second floor. Walking about she moved her way through the lines of hay bales. A rustling from behind her made Pearl turn around. Her eyes widened as a large fast moving hay bale moved toward her. Within the span of a second she found herself falling backward off the loft. A quick scream echoed through the barn as she plumed into a large pile of hay.

“Hmm?” Kohaku lifted his head up from the bale and quirked an eyebrow. Pulling out an earbud he leaped up onto the hay and looked over the edge. Only to see the neat pile he had recently brushed up, flattened out and moving. “What the...” Jumping off the edge he landed on one of the carts and then flipped onto the barn floor.

Moving in closer, Kohaku reached into the moving haystack, feeling around for a moment only to quickly pull his paw back out. Pushing the top part of the hay appart he saw somepony he really didn’t expect.

“Now I’ve heard about finding needles in the haystack, but this is the first time a farmer might have found a Pearl in one.” He chuckled at his own joke much to Pearl’s annoyance.

“What the buck Kohaku!” Pearl lashed out as she struggled to get out of the pile of hay, only to sink further down. A firm paw gripped the collar of her shirt as two tails wrapped themselves around her front legs. After a minute or two of pulling, Kohaku fished Pearl out of the hay. “Don’t you watch what you're doing before pushing pony’s off a second story loft?”

Chuckling to himself he brushed a few pieces of straw off of Pearl’s hair. “Well, anypony who does go up there knows not to get in the way.” Helping Pearl down off the straw pile he ushered her over to a blanket covered bale. “Besides, what were you doing up there? You're the last pony I ever expected to find in the loft. For that matter what are you doing here at the farm, you’ve never come out this way before. Not even to visit Bloom.”

“Well, I came here to talk to your mom. But got ushered here instead by Applejack when she found out we go to school together.” Sitting up on the bale looking at the house outside the barn when she felt Kohaku place his paws on her lower legs. “So I thought you…. HEY watch it!” Pearl felt as Kohaku ran his paw up from her ankle up to her thigh. As she yelled she swung her right hoof toward his face.

Without looking up, Kohaku smirked and caught her hoof deftly with his own right paw. Without missing a beat he twisted his paw to the front of her hoof. Using the same forward momentum she swung and pulled her hoof past his head forcing her to lay out on her belly.

“What’s the big Idea you letch? My body is not to be touched like that!” Pearl shouted out looking over her shoulder. “You want to touch a filly, go feel up your Sweetie Belle. Hey I said stop touching me you...” Whatever she was about to say was silenced by one of his three tails wrapped around her muzzle but that didn’t stop her from trying. Her loud muffled mumbles almost echoing in the barn.

“I knew you had a mouth on you, but I thought you had a brain too.” Kohaku sighed as he let go of the one hind leg and started to examine the other one. “I’m not trying to feel you up. Even though you have quite the adequate body for that.” Looking Pearl in the eyes, he chuckled at seeing her face turn red. “I’m checking for injuries. Even falling into a pile of hay can break bones if you're not careful. Just ask Bloom, she broke two of her legs trying to high dive from the top of the barn in an attempt to imitate one of my parkour stunts.”

After examining her legs he spread out her wings and nodded softly “Okay good. Nothing but some minor scratches, put a bit of ointment on them and you’ll be fine.” Removing his tail from her mouth he flopped down on his rump and pushed his back up against the hay bale Pearl was laying on. Reaching into a small bag next to the bale he produced two bright green apples. He placed one down in front of Pearl and took a bite out of the other.

Pearl grumbled a bit to herself at the forced examination. Sighing, she closed her eyes and took a few long deep breaths. She found it sweet that he was concerned about her, yet annoyed that he didn’t even ask before rubbing his paws against her body. She wasn’t about to admit that those paws felt amazing, far different from her pony doctor. And she felt grateful he didn’t do anything lewd that some other boy’s would try. Opening her eyes she watched him bite down into the apple.

“Thanks, for the apple and making sure i’m okay.” Pearl half grumbled out. “But could you say what you're doing before you do it.”

Nodding softly he finished his apple and burned the core with his foxfire until five dry seeds were in his palm. “Sorry, it’s a habit of mine. Comes from my side job in caring for smaller creatures. So you said you were looking for my mom?”

“Yeah, Twilight mentioned that she wanted to talk to me.” Holding the apple in her front hooves she just rolled it a bit. “I’ve been rather worried about it.”

“Mmm.” Kohaku placed the dry seeds in a small jar next to the bag. “Well mama is out at the pharmacy getting pain meds for bloom. She’ll be back in about an hour to help Granny get lunch ready. You're welcome to head to the house, but Bloom’s been in a foul mood lately so it’s best to stay clear or her. I’m sure Granny would enjoy the company though.”

Pearl looked out of the barn door. She had noticed that the entrance to every barn was facing the house. Hmmm. so do I really want to spend time with an irate Bloom, whom i’m not that close too. Or a partly senial old mare who might ask me to help her out with something I don’t wanna do. No thank you. Pearl thought before turning her head back to Kohaku.

“I think i’ll just stay here till your mom arrives.”

Looking up at Pearl, Kohaku just shrugged his shoulders. “Fine by me, just promise you’ll stay out of my way this time. There’s a lot I have to do and now I have less time to do it in.”

Pearl blinked, she had never heard him talk like this before. For the first time, to her at least, he sounded like a born Apple. All work and seriousness, this was most certainly NOT the Kohaku she had come to know and tolerate. No, Kohaku was almost responsible. She even heard the slight annoyance in his voice. She understood why too, she had interrupted him and slowed his work. She simply nodded and watched him head back to the loft. She was about to ask him about all that when she noticed he put his earbuds back in. Shrugging Pearl just watched Kohaku work. Starting with the Hay pile that was flattened out.

Over the course of an hour she watched him. Loading bales of hay into each of the different carts. As he jumped off the loft, catching his front paws on the neatly stacked Hay bales on the middle cart. Then flipped himself forward and landed on his hind paws in front of the crats. Pearl had to keep herself from applauding that acrobatic feat. Blinking she noticed that he started to take his flannel shirt off and hung it up. She couldn’t understand why he did that. While not winter weather it was still rather crisp outside being late fall.

Pearl’s eyes focused on the bandages wrapped up from the center of his belly up to his chest and felt a huge pain of guilt. That’s what she did to him that night. Closing her eyes for a moment she tilted her head to the side and sighed deeply. Unaware that Kohaku looked over at that moment.

Shifting her gaze back to Kohaku she saw he was still on his hind legs. Stretching out and grabbing a crate the same size as his chest, pulling it in close and slid it onto the wagon. As she watched this motion over and over, Pearl found herself watching his small yet well defined muscles flexing under that short thick fur. Her eyes wandering she stopped and blinked, feeling a flush come over her face. Her eyes locked on how tight his jeans were.

Who knew jeans could look so good on a boy. Pearl thought to herself as she continued to watch Kohaku work. Shaking her head rapidly, she brought herself out of her wild thoughts. What am I thinking! I’m too young for that kind of thought. Ugh, and on Kohaku no less. He’s not even my type. I don’t even have a type. NO no no no, I will NOT have those thoughts. Especially not on him. Despite her thoughts she never once took her sights off of Kohaku. She didn’t even notice that an adult mare had walked up behind her.

“Enjoyin’ the view? Ah can’t say Ah blame ya.” Buttercup chuckled as Pearl so quickly turned her head around she felt her neck pop. “You wouldn’t be the first lil filly to come around just to stare at one of my boy’s flexin’ and workin’ around here.”

“I ah… I wasn’t.. Well I…” Pearl stammered out only to be met by the adult laughing.

“Ah don’t worry your lil head about it.” Buttercup walked over and placed a hoof on her boy’s shoulder. After Kohaku had pulled his earbuds out he hugged his mom tight.

Pearl couldn’t hear what they were saying, her ears were still red with her current embarrassment from what she was doing. After a few moments Buttercup walked back to Pearl and motoned with her hoof.

“Come with me Pearl.”

Pearl could only nod as she followed Buttercup Apple up to the house.

***

Pearl sat comfortably at the table while Buttercup worked at the counter, fixing up a small snack tray. After setting it down on the table the Apple mom sat up and looked at the young girl.

“Ah assume Twilight told ya why ah wanted to talk to ya.”

Nodding softly she took a bowl filled with poached apple slices, coated in caramel syrup and a butter brown sugar crumble on top. “Yeah, she told me.”

“Then there’s no beatin around the bush. Twilight left your punishment up to me. Now Ah know you didn’t mean to hurt mah boy, but you did.”

Pearl groaned and looked down. Nodding softly to herself. “I know. I’m really sorry.”

“Well Ah know you are. Kohaku doesn’t blame ya one bit. He even told me bout that prank. Ah told him off somethin’ fierce. Even he’s not getting away without punishment.”

Pearl couldn’t help but smile at that. She was about to ask what the punishment was but quickly thought better of it. “So, what’s my punishment?”

“Well we need help on the farm. Mah’ daughter’s stupid stunt has left us short hooved. And your attack on Mah boy has limited what he’s able to do. So, you're going to be filling in.” Moving over to a drawer she pulled out a letter and placed it down on the table. “Ah’ve outlined everything here, you give this to Twilight and she’ll take care of everything. And Ah don’t wanna hear you complaining about it.”

“Yes ma’am… I mean no ma’am.” Pearl took the letter and put it in her side bag.

“Good, then Ah’ll be seeing you later tonight.” Buttercup smiled as she walked Pearl to the door.

Pearl was a bit confused at that but didn’t question it. She knew better and no doubt Twilight would explain things to her. Once outside the filly took to the sky as quickly as she could flying toward Twilight’s Castle.

***

Pearl sat in her regular chair as Twilight went over the letter that Buttercup had written. This was the second time she read it. After the first she sent Spike out on an errand. She wanted to read it but knew better than to intrude where she wasn’t supposed to.

“So what does it say?” Pearl sighed out.

“Just what she told you. You're going to be helping out at the Apple farm for one week.” Twilight folded the letter up and stuck it in a small purple box next to her chair.

“But our trip to go see her. How can I do both?” Pearl asked, lightly shifting her hooves back and forth.

“Easy enough, we’re going to be leaving next week. It’s going to take me that long just to compile everything we need for the journey.” Looking over at the door she watched as at that moment Spike returned and behind him caused Pearl to meep loudly. Her mother Cirrus Storm was standing there with a backpack and two side bags.

“I brought everything you asked me too Twilight.”

“Thank you Cirrus. And thank you again for agreeing to this.”

“Um… agreeing to what exactly?” Pearl’s voice trembled as she looked to her mom and Twilight.

“Well, sense you're going to be working on the farm. We thought it would be a good experience for you to live there too.” Twilight stood up and walked over to Pearl. Putting one hoof on the young girl’s shoulder. “While you are there, you will be treated no differently than Applejack, Apple Bloom, Mac or Kohaku. You will do whatever task is assigned to you without question or complaint. Do I make myself clear, my faithful student.”

Pearl looked to her mom and bit down on her lower lip.

“Pearl dearest, you brought this on yourself. I know the whole story and your father and I discussed this and we both agree this is what is best for you.” Cirrus walked over and kissed the top of her daughter’s head.

“Also Pearl,” Twilight began again. “While you are there, there is a special lesson I want you to learn. Something I feel you have been neglecting almost constantly.”

“What lesson?” Pearl’s head tilted to the side.

“That is for you to discover. I wouldn’t be much of a teacher if I told you everything now would I?”

Pearl goaned. She hated when her mentor did this, but all she could do was nod. All of Twilight’s lesson’s came with one lesson that was never explained. “So, do I come home first tonight or?” her eyes shifted to the three bags. “I’m going back to spend the night there aren't I?”

“You are. Your first day is tomorrow morning, early tomorrow morning. Spike will be bringing this stuff to the farm. You can spend the evening with your parents but then you’ll go to Apple Acres.”

“Okay, wait, what about my lessons with you and school? I know you pulled me out of school but do I still have my time here?”

“No, that too is part of your punishment. We won't see each other until the day before we head out on our journey. And I expect you to have learned your lesson well my student.” And that was that. Twilight turned away from Pearl and went over to her grand bookshelf as if the filly wasn’t even there anymore.

***

Pearl walked through the doorway to the Apple home. She was greeted warmly by Applejack and the dark blue mare she knew as Silverlay, Twilight’s younger sister. Pearl was told of Silverlay’s story and still found it a bit odd but didn’t question it.

“Welcome back Pearl.” Kohaku said as he leaned up against the sofa, dressed up in a dark blue kimono with pink cherry blossoms on it. A large thick book was open in his paws. “Mom’s upstairs waiting for you.”

“Thanks. Um.. what are you reading?” Pearl asked as she moved in a little closer.

“A comprehensive history on unicorn magic.” Kohaku said as he turned the page. “It’s part of my lessons to learn unicorn magic. Something I've always wanted to do.”

“Oh, I never knew that about you.” Pearl said as she looked at the pages, each one was more complex than she’s ever read before. Not unlike the advanced mathematical books Twilight has her reading.

Turning his head to the side he smiled at Pearl. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me. You best head upstairs, mom doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

“OH right. Okay.” Pearl hung her head low. She was going to miss her own bed at home tonight. Walking up the stairs she found Buttercup outside of a room with Apple Bloom’s cutie mark on it.

“Welcome to the Apple home Pearl. While you're here, you're going to share Bloom's room with her. So come inside.” Buttercup opened the door and walked in, followed by Pearl.

“Hey Pearl, welcome to our room.” Apple Bloom grumbled out sourly.

“Bloom darlin, Ah know you're hurting but please be a bit more pleasant to her.” Buttercup said as she shook her head.

Pearl looked about the room. It looked a lot like she imagined Bloom’s room to look like. Shifting her gaze over to her other school mate she saw that one cast was on her lower left leg and another on her front right leg. Pearl just offered a friendly wave as she walked over to the spare bed on the opposite wall from Bloom’s bed.

“Well Ah’ll leave you to get settled Pearl. Your welcome to come downstairs if you want but Ah recommend you get some rest. We start bright and early around here.”

“Y.. yes ma’am.” Pearl said softly as she sat up on the bed and just lowered her head. Not noticing that Buttercup was leaving.

“Hey Pearl,” Apple Bloom called from her bed. “Ah’m sorry for mah attitude, Ah just hate being cooped up like this. Not being able to spend time with mah friends.”

“It’s okay, I’m just trying to take this all in. I’m a city girl, what do I know about a farm.”

“Well don’cha worry too much. Ah’m sure they don’t give ya anything too hard to do.”

“Thanks Apple Bloom. If you don't mind I’m going to get ready for bed.”

Apple Bloom just nodded and went back to her books.

After a quick shower and change of clothes, Pearl layed out in her bed and looked out the window. Saying a quick prayer to Luna she closed her eyes and cried a bit before falling asleep.