The Sweet Taste of Apple

by Icecane

A Fan's Request

The party quickly became more lively after the guest of honor had made it, ponies mingled happily while sampling the treats set aside by the pink party planner, others swayed and moved to the beat of the music that was playing from an old record player. Pinkie Pie made herself busy right away as she took it upon herself to introduce Trader to everyone who had arrived. Nearly ripping the pegasus' foreleg from the socket, she dragged him through the barn, shouting the name of each pony they met before being forced into another random direction to greet more. It was all a big, colorful blur as the names and faces came by too quickly for him to retain most of them.

Eventually, Trader managed to pry his hoof away from the iron hold of the bubbly pony. Pinkie Pie didn't seem to notice as she continued to dart about the barn and introduce the missing stallion as if he was still there. Breathing a sigh of relief, he made his way toward the concession table.

A large bowl of punch was the dominant piece out of the spread, filled to the brim with a violet liquid. It looked big enough for a foal to be able to swim laps. Though, as the pegasus saw how many ponies were already slurping down the beverage as if it were their last, he figured it was better than he thought. Beside the punch, a large cake smiled up at him. It was chocolate, with a grinning stallion decorated into the frosting, Trader frowned slightly as it looked eerily familiar. The cake also served as another notch on his ever growing confusion, as he constantly asked himself how Pinkie had managed such a party in the short amount of time. Then again, based on what he has seen from the mare so far, he wasn't so sure such a feat was an impossibility for her. It almost made him dread the thought of what she was fully capable of.

With his appetite being nonexistent, due to suffering a near-heart attack over his unexpected surprise, Trader ignored the cake and simply poured himself a glass of punch. As he tasted it, he was surprised by how good it was, just then realizing why so many were eager to sample it.

The pegasus searched for a quiet place to settle himself, finding it difficult within the crowded barn. Thankfully, it didn't take him long to find Applejack, sitting on a hay bale at the far end of the barn. Twilight and Rarity were with her as well, along with two pegasi who he hadn't been introduced to yet. Approaching them, Applejack smiled happily as she caught sight of the stallion.

“There ya are,” the farmpony said. “Did Pinkie get tired of the introductions?”

“I don't think she's noticed I've left,” Trader replied, looking into the crowd to see a blur of pink still darting to random ponies.

A small breath of amusement left Twilight as she watched her frantic friend go. “She just likes to make sure everypony knows everypony,” she remarked. “Don't worry though, you'll eventually meet everypony on your own. That's what it was like for me after I moved here.”

“Speakin' of introductions,” Applejack suddenly said, “you still haven't met all of my friends yet.” She pointed a hoof toward one of the pegasi, a cyan-coated mare with a multicolored, rainbow mane. “That's Rainbow Dash.” The aforementioned pony nodded her head slightly, distantly looking about the barn in a continuous expression of disinterest. Applejack ignored the reaction and shifted her hoof toward the second pegasus, another mare with a creamy-yellow coat and light pink mane. “And that's Fluttershy.” As Trader gave a friendly smile to the pegasus, she flinched back slightly, hiding behind her mane while adding a quiver of a nod in affirmation, clearly not as easily warmed up to newcomers as her friends. It wasn't something the stallion had expected, to see someone even more socially awkward than himself, especially since Ponyville seemed like such a close-knit community.

“Well, it's nice to meet you two, too,” Trader told them both, despite their reactions to him.

“So, Trader,” Twilight said, eyeing the stallion expectantly, “we were wondering, since you've been around Equestria so much, if you had any good stories.”

“Stories?” the pegasus murmured, tilting his head questioningly.

Rarity nodded her head, gaining the same expectant gaze alongside Applejack, while Rainbow Dash kept her bored demeanor and Fluttershy remained as distant as she could. “Oh, yes,” she said. “Certainly a traveled stallion such as yourself, one with such an extensive list of occupations, would have at least a few interesting tales. Perhaps in any favorite jobs you've held?”

Trader thought on it for several moments. “Favorites, huh?” he thought aloud, gaining a large smirk as his gaze shifted toward his orange-coated friend. “You mean other than working at the farm?” Applejack laughed lightly while playfully punching the stallion's shoulder. Taking the blow in stride, he became more serious as he thought on it. “Well... my first job in Manehattan was nice. I worked in a bookstore. Wasn't exciting, but it sure was relaxing. I usually shelved books, though I occasionally worked the counter.” The stallion chuckled. “Oftentimes we would get mares purchasing some of the more... racy novels. Just the guilt and embarrassment written on their faces was priceless. Even had this one unicorn try and use magic to disguise her appearance, the spell wore off in the middle of the store and I recognized her as my neighbor.”

“That must have been awkward,” Twilight murmured meekly, trying to hide the fact her own cheeks were becoming flushed, having been in that boat before.

“Oh, it was,” Trader replied with a grin. “I remember running into her after closing, I swear her coat looked as though it would permanently change to red.” After giving another small laugh, the pegasus paused once again as he continued to think on his past. “Well... I can't really say there's been much excitement when it comes to my employment. I usually only ever had mundane jobs, nothing too special. Although... one of the best times of my life was had back when I lived in Cloudsdale, when I worked with the Wonderbolts as a cloudie.”

A sudden, earsplitting gasp made everyone jump in a startled fit, Fluttershy even toppled over onto the ground as he body became as stiff as a board. Rainbow Dash was the only one unaffected, being the source of the noise. Her ears were standing on end while her eyes were wide open. Without warning, the mare darted forward, nearly crashing into the stallion before hovering just inches away from his face.

“You were a cloudie?!” the cyan-coated mare blurted out, ignoring her rising voice as she continued to look Trader in the eyes.

Trader tried his best to lean back slightly, attempting to regain his lost sense of personal space. “Uh... y-yeah... some time ago,” he managed to say.

“What's a cloudie?” Applejack questioned, eyeing her two pegasi friends in confusion.

Rainbow Dash turned to her friends, a spark of excitement on her face making it light up.“A cloudie is one of the most awesome, incredible, amazing, wonderful jobs a pegasus can have,” she said giddily before adding, “Besides being an actual Wonderbolt of course.” Though there was great vigor and passion in her explanation, the four friends of the pegasus all looked at her with even more confused expressions.

Realizing there was need of a more thorough explanation, Trader cleared his throat to get their attention. “Cloudies are more like... the backbone of the Wonderbolt team,” he said. “While the actual Wonderbolts do their amazing tricks and flying techniques in performances, cloudies do everything else. Setting up the stages, clearing the skies, getting the fireworks ready, repairing suits when they get torn, maintenance on their training equipment, everything they need to keep their ship sailing. Most cloudies actually get to travel with the Wonderbolts when they tour Equestria for shows, always working out of sight while all eyes are on the team.”

“That sounds interesting,” Twilight remarked, realizing that such ponies seemed obvious to have, though she never really thought about it.

Trader simply shrugged. “It's nothing glamorous, but it is a fun job to have.”

With the explanation out of the way, Rainbow Dash's attention was again riveted onto the stallion, her eyes locking onto his with a sporadic stare. “How did you become a cloudie?! Why aren't you one now?! You worked with the Wonderbolts, how could anypony want to leave that?!”

“I-I knew a team member,” Trader stammered out, still unable to get used to the mare's closeness. “Soarin, you know him, right?” The stallion then swallowed a large lump in his throat as Rainbow Dash's eyes narrowed into a fiery gaze, silently asking him how he could ask such a question. “Right, of course you do... Well, he's from Los Pegasus. Me and him became good friends back when we were still colts. After we got old enough to make it on our own, we both headed to Cloudsdale. Soarin tried out for the Wonderbolts the first day he was there. Despite his age, they were so impressed by him that he became a member almost overnight. Though I tried to join too, I couldn't make the cut. But thanks to Soarin, he was able to get me a job to work with him as a cloudie.”

Though it seemed impossible, the previously bored to tears pegasus looked as though she had been told the secrets of life. The mare's face was void of expression, blanked in a look of utter shock. “S-so, you personally know the Wonderbolts?!” she cried out.

“S-sort of,” Trader replied, beginning to fear for his life as it seemed Rainbow Dash would explode at any moment. “It's been a while since I've talked to Soarin though. He spends most of his time with the other Wonderbolts and things tend to get a little awkward around a few of them for” he paused as he grimaced slightly, “reasons.”

Before the stallion could say anything further, Rainbow Dash grabbed him at the sides and lifted him off of the ground, shaking him rapidly in her peaking excitement. “You have to introduce me to them!” she shouted.

“Okay okay,” Trader quickly said, his vision blurring as he felt his stomach churning in his chest. “Next time they're in Cloudsdale, I'll get you in.” Though he wasn't fully aware of exactly what he was promising, the stallion was prepared to say anything to get the crazed mare to leave him be.

“Oh thank you, thank you, thank you,” Rainbow Dash said appreciatively, setting the stallion down.

“But Rainbow,” Twilight said, “you've already met most of the Wonderbolts.”

“Well yeah,” the cyan pegasus replied in a matter-of-fact tone. “But those were always formal things. I want to meet them on a personal level. To see the Wonderbolt way of life and be that much closer to becoming a Wonderbolt myself!” All Trader could do was smile uneasily, unaware of what he had just gotten himself into.

---

Eventually, the party slowed and wound down to an end. Ponies left in groups, all waving goodbye to everyone else as well as the stallion who the party was for. Applejack's friends also left, after Pinkie Pie packed up her supplies and rushed off to plan an upcoming birthday for a colt. It left Applejack and Trader alone in the barn, turned into a mess from the disposable decorations and scattered hay bales.

Though they were the ones having to pick up the mess left behind, it didn't bother Trader in the slightest as he was thankful to finally have some peace and quiet. Both ponies stayed silent as they pulled the decorations from the rafters, beams and floor, as well as stacking the hay bales neatly in a single place.

“That sure was... something,” Trader muttered offhandedly as he carried another hay bale across the room.

Applejack noticed pegasus' exacerbation and laughed. “Pinkie's parties do take a little gettin' used to. You'll see plenty more the longer you stay here. She'll always find a reason to throw another one.”

“So long as they're not for me, I'm fine,” the stallion remarked.

The statement caused a frown to be formed on the farmpony's expression, her mind turning back to the beginning of the festive event. “Trader,” she began, her tone unable to hide a bit of concern. “About what happened before... Why exactly did you react the way you did? You didn't seem all too excited about the party.”

It was Trader's turn to frown, having hoped it wouldn't be brought up. “It... It's nothing,” he replied. “I mean, I'm certainly grateful for the sentiment and everything... I'm just not one for surprises. They've never been a positive point in my life.”

“A positive point?” Applejack questioned. “What do you mean by that?”

A heavy sigh escaped the pegasus as he sat down the last hay bale and sat on top of it. “Whenever I would usually have a surprise, it was always for the worse. It was a surprise when I was told we were moving away from Ponyville. It was a surprise when I was living in Cloudsdale and I learned of what happened to my parents. Even back in Los Pegasus, it was just one bad surprise after the other. Whenever the unexpected happens, it always seems for the worse.” A small huff left the stallion through his nostrils as he formed a weak smile. “Truthfully, I think I've only ever had one good surprise.”

Applejack watched her friend with sympathy as she stepped forward and took a seat on the hay bale next to him. “Ah'm sorry to hear that,” she replied before asking, “What was that one good surprise?”

Trader's smile widened as he said, “It wasn't too long ago actually. When I came knocking on a door in need of work, and the one who opened it... was you. I never would have expected to see my old friend like that.”

Unable to help herself, Applejack laughed lightly at the answer. “That's sweet, Trader. You were a pretty good surprise too, if Ah do say so myself.”

They both shared in a good laugh as they sat together in the otherwise empty barn. As their moment of joy ended, Trader's eyes widened as he just remember something. Opening the saddlebags he was still wearing, the pegasus found what he was looking for and brought out the sack of treats he had bought at Sugercube Corner.

“I almost forgot. When I was in Ponyville today,” Trader said as he opened up the sack, “I ran across this bakery and decided to get something.” Holding the bag out to his friend, Applejack looked inside and gasped in a lapse of surprise.

Pulling one of the chocolaty treats out of the bag, the orange mare smiled broadly. “Choco-apple caramels?” she questioned in disbelief. “It's been ages since Ah've had one of these. Trader, how did you-”

“What?” the stallion asked in a nonchalant manner. “Remember that they were your favorite treat as a filly? Give me some credit, Applejack. You were my best friend, of course I'd remember something like that.”

Without saying another word, Trader took his own chocolate apple and together they chomped down greedily on the sweet splendor. Moans of savoring pleasure left them both as they tasted the caramel with relish. Mirth filled giggles left them both as well, realizing their own childlike reaction to the tasty treat.

“Mmm, that was mighty good,” Applejack said as she finished the candy. “Thank you kindly, Trader. It's nice to be able to relive old times.” In response, Trader gave a wide smile to her, his white teeth stained with clumps of chocolate and caramel, bringing a joyful laugh from the pony.

They both sat there and shared in the bag of treats. The doors to the barn were still wide open, allowing them both to see outside and catch the ending of sunlit sky and the coming of the night. It was a beautiful scene, as the last touches of twilight were coming and going, to be inevitably replaced with Princess Luna's starry sky.

The peaceful setting was enough to make almost anypony forget about their troubles and worries and simply enjoy the moment for all it was worth. Sadly, Trader's own worries weren't ones that were easily forgotten.”

Comments

[-Brutus]

Let's see what is his trouble is.

[RadBunny]

DUM DUM DUUUUUUM!
Hope he's not in TOO much trouble

[Assassindog117]

Loving this story poker face

[trooper7051]

ROCKIN' I am loving this. to be truthfully honest trader kind of reminds me of my character trooper in the stories i have on here. Keep writing. I am looking forward to reading some more.

[Mega Maniac]

Sadly, Trader's own worries weren't ones that were easily forgotten.”

You have an unneeded quotation mark.
'Twas the only error I saw.
And I just can't wait to read more.