10. Weird how?
The Tale of Lord Barleycorn
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Chapter 10: Weird how?
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The morning sun was peeking through the boards that composed the sides of the barn. Red-gold lines of light, the width of spider-thread, were streaked across the floor, the westward walls, and right across Leadfoot's eye.
Leadfoot grumbled as he rolled onto his other side. The damage was already done, Leadfoot knew the consequences if he went back to sleep. The last time he'd slept in, his dad had woke him up with a bucket of ice water.
He also knew exactly why he was so tired. It had taken fifteen minutes to get the loose hay into just the right support for his back, and he also spent the whole night trying to keep from nibbling on hay, as he listened to Lord Barleycorn.
The scarecrow had already been in the barn when Leadfoot arrived to sleep. The blanket that had previously been on the back of the couch was draped around not only him, but Corn Crib.
A good morning stretch and a hoof-muffled yawn brought Leadfoot closer to total alertness. The scarecrow was laying on his back, a position which looked incredibly uncomfortable from his perspective. Corn Crib had her head resting on his chest, mouth open and drooling on that moth-eaten shirt.
The two had been together the whole night, and Leadfoot had listened to the songs Lord Barleycorn had sung. The scarecrow had sung several songs for Corn Crib at her request, ultimately singing her to sleep. There wasn't a single song that Leadfoot had ever heard before, and several were so nonsensical they had to be foal songs. Leadfoot had to admit that for a creature that hid behind burlap, 'Lord Barleycorn' had a great singing voice.
With his mind sufficiently roused, Leadfoot stood and went to the barn door. Squinting out at the rose red sun on the horizon, Leadfoot felt the need to yawn again.
Leadfoot knew his mother was already up, fixing the best breakfast she could manage. Reason, however, dictated that Harvest Moon would be saving the best food for Cousin Golden and her friends. Breakfast today would surely consist of whatever they had in the icebox.
Cousin Golden had said in her letter that she'd be leaving early. How early was up for debate, but nopony wanted her to show up and get a cold reception.
Looking back over his shoulder, Leadfoot spied his sister wiggling out of the scarecrow's arms. She shook her head and yawned, meeting her brother at the door.
"What time is it?" Corn Crib mumbled, still sounding asleep.
Leadfoot looked back out at the sun, "Early, real early."
Corn Crib hung her head, her eyes half closed. "You think mom'll notice if I'm not up yet?"
"If she doesn't, dad will." Leadfoot smirked, "How was the night with him?"
A smile tried to form on Corn Crib's muzzle, but it vanished under another cataclysmic yawn. "He smelled a little bit, but it was great! Maybe tonight he'll tell me some ghost stories."
"Ghost stories?" Leadfoot blinked. He hadn't heard a new ghost story since he was Corn Crib's age. If Lord Barleycorn could tell stories as well as he could sing, he might have a bigger audience tonight.
Corn Crib nodded, heading out into the crisp morning air. Leadfoot followed suit, but not before catching a glimpse of the scarecrow stirring under the blanket.
"Sounds fun, but first things first." Leadfoot nodded toward the house. "We should go get breakfast, then we can figure out what we're doing until Cousin Golden arrives."
"Alright." Corn Crib sighed, starting up the steps to the house.
The door creaked open before either sibling could reach for it. Harvest Moon appeared in the doorway, wearing her son's large saddlebags.
"Good morning you two." Harvest Moon smiled to her children, "Breakfast will be ready in a bit, I wasn't really expecting you to both be up so soon."
Leadfoot looked at the saddlebags, "Heading out to town?"
"No," Harvest Moon shook her head, "I'll set up a farmer's market stall tomorrow for the jam. I don't want to miss seeing that cute little filly I used to foalsit."
Leadfoot blinked, "You used to foalsit Cousin Golden?"
"Only a few times, and it was when she was still sucking on a pacifer." Harvest Moon giggled at the memory of that little filly. "I haven't seen her since. Her folks and I used to be real close, but that was ages ago."
"Come on mom, you aren't that old." Leadfoot smiled.
"Keep telling me that." Harvest Moon beamed at her son's compliment. "Come on in. I made oatmeal, and there's cattails for everypony!"
As the three earth ponies entered the house, Harvest Moon thought she heard her children whimper.
---
=== Outside Hollow Shades ===
"Come on Lily!" Roseluck whined as she trotted in place on the dirt road.
"I'm going as fast as I can!" Lily Valley was bringing up the rear, carrying enough luggage for three ponies.
Daisy frowned and nudged Roseluck with her hoof. "She probably wouldn't be lagging behind if you hadn't gotten her to take that bet."
Roseluck snickered, "Hey, I didn't know Lily wasn't that great at horseshoes."
Daisy frowned and shook her head. She'd offered to take some of Lily Valley's load, but the other pink mare had insisted that it wasn't that heavy.
"I don't mind." Lily tried to grin under the weight on her back. "How much further is Hollow Shades?"
Carrot Top motioned ahead with her hoof as she looked through her saddlebag for the road map. "Actually, we're already there."
The trio of flower-tenders looked around. The dirt path continued onward, but all around them were wide fields of wheat and corn. A weather-worn 'Welcome to Hollow Shades!' sign declared this was the right place, but the town itself didn't start here.
Daisy walked closer to the sign, trying to read the smudged writing under the greeting. "Population... I think it says fifty."
"That's gotta be outdated." Carrot Top looked on down the road, then back to her map.
"Yeah... it looks like it's been out here for ten years." Lily Valley offered, "They repaint the signs outside Ponyville every two years."
"How do you know?" Roseluck asked.
"I used to help with the painting when I was a younger filly." Lily Valley sat in the road, setting her burdens aside to straighten her back.
Carrot Top pointed ahead, the map already put away. "Okay, I think I see the road we have to take. Let's get going!"
Lily Valley sighed, but before she could return the luggage to her back Daisy had taken some of it for herself.
"Don't argue, you won't be any help if you break your back." Daisy said firmly as she walked after Carrot Top.
Not wanting to be left behind, Lily quickly gathered what remained of the baggage and hurried to catch up. She didn't say it, but she was thankful for Daisy's help.
"Hey Rose, you said you've been to Hollow Shades before. What're the ponies like?" Daisy asked.
"It was a few years ago, but from what I remember they were friendly enough." Roseluck cleared her throat, "But before we get close I need to warn you about something."
Daisy and Lily Valley walked to Roseluck's side, curiosity streaked across their faces.
"Warn us about what?" Carrot Top tilted her head. "I thought you said the ponies here were friendly."
"Well, they are. A little rough n' tumble but it's a farm town, that's expected." Roseluck shrugged, "There really isn't any other way to say this, but the town's weird."
Daisy and Lily Valley looked at each other in their confusion. They shrugged in silence, neither having the answer they wanted.
"Weird how?" Lily Valley asked.
"Well, the town's built close to the Everfree. Real close. Ponies around here see all kinds of weird stuff." Roseluck nodded upward. "Look up there, over the town."
The other three Earth Ponies did as Roseluck suggested. They could see the buildings that made up the heart of the small farming community.
The town itself was impressive only in its state of disrepair. Bare wood was the prevailing color of the houses and stores, with only speckles of paint to suggest these structures ever had any sort of color.
The Everfree loomed a short distance from the town in all its terrifying glory. Many of the residents of Ponyville worried about their home's proximity to the Everfree Forest, but if any of them saw how close it was to Hollow Shades they'd sing a different tune.
Carrot Top scanned the horizon. Yeah the sight was a little depressing, even a little unnerving, but there wasn't anything out of the ordinary.
The carrot farmer turned her head, "Rose, what are you pointing at exactly? I mean the forest is close and all, but if these ponies can live here it can't be-"
"The clouds..." Daisy whimpered.
"They're moving..." Lily Valley gulped.
Casting her eyes up, Carrot Top stopped in her tracks. She was no Pegasus, but she knew enough about the weather to pass her old classroom exams. She did know that clouds were supposed to be moved by magic, either by Pegasi or the rare weather unicorn*. The clouds back home were crafted in the weather factory, then placed by the weather team. These clouds were marching across the sky without any pony-intervention.
"It's gotta- I..." Carrot Top was at a loss for words. Seeing this weather once in a while over the Everfree was one thing, but over a town?
"Um, maybe we should go back to Ponyville." Lily Valley shivered a little as she stared at the white masses above them.
Roseluck rolled her eyes. "Think about it for a second. These ponies live practically inside the Everfree and under a wild sky. If they can live out here, I think we can spend a few days."
Daisy grit her teeth, then looked at the town. "You're sure ponies really live in this weird place?"
"It was this run down when I was last here." Roseluck shrugged, "If it was really that dangerous, do you think ponies would live out here with families?"
Lily Valley tapped her chin with her hoof. "That makes sense, I guess."
Carrot Top smiled to her two pink friends. "And really I'm the only one who's obligated to stay. If any of you want to head back to Ponyville, there's really nothing stopping you."
Daisy looked back down the road towards Ponyville, then back to Carrot Top. "Um, I'd rather stick with you guys."
A snicker rose up from Lily Valley. She knew that her friend was really just scared of walking home alone.
"That's the spirit!" Carrot Top grinned, "Just follow me and soon we'll be at my family's farm in no time!"
Lily Valley took another look at the town. If the town was in this sorry condition, surely the farm had to be better off.
---
To be continued...
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Better keep an eye on those clouds. Never know what they might try to pull.
Nice update even if it's mostly just a setup for whatever is yet to come. I find it interesting how nobody mentioned the scarecrow sleeping in the barn. Harvest Moon appearently didn't see him from the door, Leadfoot may not know that his mother is "in" on the whole affair unless his sister told him and Corn Crib is an easily distracted filly. Do I want to imagine what might happen if the Flower Trio does encounter some of the weird things dwelling in Hollow Shades if a few clouds are already giving them the creeps?
Only typos I saw this time around are space related.
Damn, nature, you scary
oh god i need moar please!!!
3208208 LOL brilliant!
3207691 glad to see you enjoyed the chapter. Oh their reaction to him will be... interesting.
Also, fixed the flubs.
3208208
The way I understand it the ponies are used to a fully regulated environment. They are in charge of the weather. They bring about the seasons. They even help animals getting through the changes of each year (although this might a Ponyville only thing). I wouldn't be surprised if every forest in Equestria other than the Everfree was carefully planned, cared for and even planted by them at some point. Out of control clouds are damn scary to them unless they grew up in places where such things count as normal.
3208421
Oh, so they are going to meet soon/eventually. That ought to be entertaining.
3208607
I know
Just due to the fact that we are human, this is incredibly funny and disappointing. Funny because there is nothing really to fear, disappointing because they feel the need to control everything.
Quite understandable why they are so skittish. If they lose control or something unexpected happens then all hell breaks loose. Consequences of becoming a totalitarian regime for nature.
3208706
I agree. This reminds me a little something I saw before.
A huge storm comes rolling out of the Everfree. Lotsa thunder, strong gusts of wind, massive rainfall, the whole shebang . This one is too powerful for any weather team to reign in so there is no choice but to let it pass and wear itself out. When the storm hits the ponies all but hide underneath their beds, whimpering. Cue the resident human in Equestria dancing merrily in the rain, singing and have a jolly good time because it's the first good storm he has seen since he got there.
The only (minor) flaw of this chapter: not enough Lord Barleycorn.
I do believe we'll be seeing quite a little more of him than usual the next few parts, though...
I just read this from start to finish and I gotta say, it brought a smile to my face. It has troubles, it has funny moments and the characters are just so real. I especially like the human being a trickster with a good heart.
I'm looking forward to any new chapters and this one is on my favorite list!
You brought in little Roseluck?!
Oh wow, Roseluck!
Roseluck = hot sexy pony!^_^
Given that Trixie is capable of creating small stormclouds she must have some ability to manipulate weather too.
why did they sleep in the barn before any guests show up?
He`s lucky he got spawned near the everfree, it is the only place that does not have its natural aspects strictly controlled.
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