Lessons In Happiness - Chapter One
#2 of Lessons In Happiness
Next part of this; I won't really be having organized parts, they'll just start and stop when I feel that it helps the overall flow of the story. I hope you enjoy it and that I didn't get the characters personalities too wrong.
Lessons In Happiness - Chapter One
"Why do ya think somepony would do something like that Big Mac?"
"I don't know AJ, I just don't know."
I was... Still alive? I opened my eyes to find myself lying in a pile of straw in a barn. I tried to stand; but as soon as I moved pain surged through my body. I looked over my back, finding blood matted into my coat, the deep crimson contrasting with the normal grey color. Whenever I shifted there was a sting of pain where my wings were once connected. There was no pony else in the barn, but the main door was cracked open. Finally, I stood up, able to stand the constant
pain of moving.
I shuffled over to the door and leaned into it, pushing it aside as the suns intense light forced me to close my eyes for a moment.
"By golly he's awake. How ya doin partner?" I placed my hoof over my eyes to block out some of the light and cracked my eyes open, seeing a smiling filly with a hat in front of me. "Oh where are my manners? I'm Applejack, this here is Big Macintosh, Granny Smith is over there, and normally Applebloom would be around here helping out, but she's off with her friends right now, doin their cutie mark crusading n such. But this here is Sweet Apple Acres, just outside of Ponyville."
"Why am I still alive?" I asked in a flat tone, dropping my hoof back to the ground.
"Well," Big Mac said. "I was walkin along and I saw somepony push you off over the edge of the cliff, and I just couldn't ignore it. It just wasn't right."
"You wasted your time then." They both looked at each other, confused about what I'd said.
"Well, umm, I've got some apples to buck, so you're free to stay here, or maybe you'd like to check out Ponyville? I'm sure Pinkie Pie'd like to meet you." I said nothing, just stared at her in silence. "All righty then, I've gotta go. Them apples won't buck themselves after all." She turned around and started walking into the fields. After a moment I followed after her, far enough back so that my hoofsteps wouldn't be heard. After walking past a few rows of trees that had been harvested already, she got next to the closest tree with apples on it and gave it a solid kick, shaking them loose and off the tree. I followed suit on another tree, taking two stomps before they all fell. The noise startled Applejack mid-kick and caused her to strike too high, making her slip and tumble to the ground at the base of the tree.
"Umm, fella, you don't need to help me harvest apples, especially with the condition you're in."
"It's fine, I've worked while feeling much worse."
"Well, I'd hate to have you bite off more than you can chew, I learned that the hard way."
"It's fine, I can handle it." I said while kicking another tree, splintering the bark. She shook her head before going back to her own tree.
"Oh Applejack, you-hoo! Where are you now?"
"Right over here Rarity." She responded
"Well, I was wondering..." A unicorn emerged from the tree line and stopped in her tracks as she saw me. "Oh my my my, look at you. Not to be rude but you're filthy! You must come, I insist. We'll get you cleaned right up, and I think I've even got the perfect thing for you to wear."
I stared at her, not saying a word.
"Ah, more of a quiet type yes?" She asked, slightly tilting her head. I went back to kicking the trees, not really in the mood for dress up.
"You'll have ta excuse him Rarity, he came from the tribes out east, you know?"
"Oohhh, so that's why you looked so strong. Regardless your mane just has so much potential o just can't walk away without making you look absolutely darling!" I looked at Applejack.
"Is she always this annoying?"
"Hey there, I know Rarity can sometimes get on my nerves, but I know she means well and she's my friend. Sure we've had ups and downs but I do not ever regret being her friend. You've just gotta get used to her; and how about you go with her, meet some of the others in Ponyville. I betcha you'll make some friends even!"
"I have no friends and I want no friends. They're nothing but a distraction..." I said, deciding that it'd be more trouble than it's worth fighting this. "So let's get this over with."
"... So then if we go with that then I can perhaps spike your mane up or even toss it back, but if-"
"Enough please! I am not going to wear any of that stuff!" I said as we approached Ponyville's main square.
"Well excuse me for wanting to help you look good."
I snorted, regretting the choice I made to come with her.
"Oh my, I just realized I never asked what your name was!"
"What's it matter to you?"
"I was just trying to be nice, why are you so grumpy?" I stopped walking and glared at her.
"My father was killed and everypony else I knew just sentenced me to death and threw me off a cliff. So I'm sorry if I'm not like the happy ponies you're used to." She was silent for a moment before I started to walk again.
"My apologies for upsetting you, it wasn't my intentions at all." She said, taking the lead again.
"Zain..."
"What was that? I didn't quite hear you."
"My name is... Zain."
"Well, I think that is just a marvelous name." She said, pushing open a door. "And this is my home, please make yourself at home while I grab a few things."