|
Post by Crescent on Aug 31, 2005 3:32:18 GMT -5
[[cont. from elsewhere ]] Applejack walked closer to the Show Stable with slow, awkward steps. His ears swivelled around and his tail tossed from side to side nervously. He swallowed when he saw in what kind of condition the place was nowadays. So different from what he remembered. He wondered if it would ever - if it could ever - be repaired back the way it had been. He stopped a good way off the Stable, just staring at it quietly. The cracked paint, the hanging window shutters, the flowers growing wild, the vines snaking up along the shabby walls... it was all so different, so... sad. Applejack lowered his head, trying to decide what he should do. How could anyone live there anymore? He considered it for some more moments, then took courage and trotted closer. He didn't go through the door. Instead, he circled around to one of the windows, and lifted his hooves up to the windowsill, peering inside. He could see dust and abandoned furniture, but not much anything else. Until his eye caught on a pale yellow shape on what appeared to be a bed. His heart skipped a beat. He was certain it was a pony. But was it alive? Swallowing, he took his hooves off the windowsill and moved to another window, closer, and craned his neck. He cleared his throat, hoping to attract the other pony's attention. His heart was beating so fast he felt out of breath.
|
|
|
Post by Crescent on Jan 19, 2006 6:56:35 GMT -5
Lemon Drop barely moved. He whisked one hoof toward the window and growled.
"Grr-go'way."
Applejack hesitated for a moment, but then drew in a breath and cleared his throat more loudly.
"Ahem... hello, I am... I am looking for a pony."
Lemon Drop lifted his head from the pillow and stared at Applejack across the room. His eyes narrowed and he rolled up from the bed. His strong hooves hit the floor with a loud thud. Then thud-thud-thud as he trotted to the window. He pushed his burly face out of the window and stared at Applejack angrily.
"You've found one," he growled. "Now go away."
Applejack's eyes grew very wide as he stared at the pale yellow stallion, with the purple locks hanging over his equally purple eyes, full of bitterness. There was no youth or power on those features anymore, but he still recognised him.
"Lemon Drop," he said breathlessly.
Droplet's ears flattened and he lifted his powerful hooves on the windowsill, staring Applejack down from high up.
"Yeah?" he asked rudely. "What'dyou want?"
Applejack took his feet off the windowsill and stepped back. His first instinct was to turn round, but he'd come this far. He stared up at the older stallion, memories flashing through his mind until it felt like they might choke him. The stallion had once been a great jumper, the greatest athlete of the valley - well, the greatest when it came to wingless sports. And now... the pony staring at him through the window pane was but a shadow of his former self. Applejack swallowed.
"What has happened to you?" he whispered.
Lemon Drop glowered at the other stallion. "What's it to you? Who are you, anyway? Isn't this a mighty fine day, to have half of Ponyland come knocking on my door! Don't you see this place isn't open anymore?"
Applejack straightened himself. No. He would not let himself be intimidated by the other stallion. He had come there in search of answers. And by the Rainbows, this pale yellow pony would give them to him.
"I came to talk with you," he said with a low voice, determined look in his deep green eyes. "And I won't leave until I've got the answers I need."
[]
|
|
|
Post by Crescent on Jan 21, 2006 3:41:11 GMT -5
Lemon Drop squinted his eyes suspiciously as he stared at Applejack. What? Talk with him? What answers? What was this deranged orange pony talking about?
"What answers?" he grunted with a hostile tone. "I don't have any answers. Just go away."
Applejack had found his courage by now, however. He stepped forth, his head held up and a stern look in his eyes.
"No. I remember... I remember how you used to be. How everything used to be. This stable... it was the finest sports centre in all Ponyland, or so mother used to say. And we used to come to the games, and..." His voice trailed off when he realised that the pale yellow pony had grown a bit paler still and he had pulled himself back into the stable and turned away. "...and you were the greatest jumper of all," he finished with a lot quieter voice.
Droplet had had enough reminders of times past that day. He turned away to hide the tears that had risen in his eyes. Angrily, he stomped a foot in order to try and chase away the pain with anger. But the fire soon died as his eyes hit the painting of the beautiful mare again. His foot slowed and finally stopped. He stared at the painting quietly. Yes, they had been so good together. So perfect. And he had been the greatest.
Seeing the bigger stallion was caught up by something else going through his mind, Applejack chose to seize his chance. He put his forefeet on the windowsill and hopped up. He had intended for a graceful, noiseless landing behind the other stallion, but tripping, as usual, he fell muzzle first into the ground.
"Ouch!"
Droplet was stirred from his melancholy thoughts by the sound behind him. He jumped a little and turned round, an angry exclamation on his lips. But when he saw Applejack, having landed on his muzzle, his back feet thrown up on the air, his forefeet pointing to different directions, and his golden tail all over his face. Droplet had last seen such a funny display when he had instructed some foals in jumping and they had done bad landings. An involuntary smile twitched on the corner of his mouth and his muzzle quivered, until finally he burst out laughing.
Applejack glowered up at the other stallion as he let his rump fall with a thud, and then shook his tail back in place.
"It isn't that funny," he protested as he stumbled on his feet again. He shook his mane to get all the dust off his fur.
Droplet continued laughing.
"You're not a very good jumper, are you?" he asked and hit the floor with his hoof. After a moment's more laughing he got back his self control and looked at Applejack, now a little more amused expression on his face. "I could give you a few lessons, you know."
Right after those words had slipped from his tongue his eyes grew wider and he stepped back. He had not meant to say it.
Applejack suddenly realised he had broken through the barrier for a moment, and stepped forth, not about to let Droplet withdraw again. Bitter or not, he was the only link Applejack had to the past he so desperately wanted to learn more of.
"Yes, yes you could," he offered right away. "I'm a lousy jumper, it's true. I don't have any sense of balance at all."
Lemon Drop stopped backing and swallowed. He stared at Applejack from under his forelock quietly, then turned his eyes away. He lowered his head and scratched his muzzle against his other foreleg almost absent-mindedly. He had been caught off guard this time.
"No," he then said, and lifted his head with a jerk, shaking his head. An angry expression returned to his features. "There is no more Show Stable, and no more Lemon Drop the Master of Games. There are no more Games. If you want to learn how to jump go find yourself a treestump to practice on. And reserve the rest of your life. You wouldn't make a jumper even if you grew wings."
He turned his back angrily and hoped the strange orange stallion would just take the hint and leave, finally.
[[...to be continued...]]
|
|
|
Post by Angel624 on Jan 30, 2006 14:36:11 GMT -5
(cont. from Dream Castle)
The little winger fluttered her little wings as far as they could take her. Her wings started getting sore from flying around a lot. The little winger kept flying, not knowing exactly where she was going.
"Oh, why am I doing this? I'm not going to make any friends, anyway...." She said softly to herself. She decided to land. She looked down on the ground, and found that she was very high in the sky. She gasped and lost her balance. She fell from the sky, crashing into a tree.
She looked around. She saw something very odd......it looked as what used to be the Show Stable. But it looked much worse than it used to look. Flurry tried to get herself out of the tree, but she found herself stuck. She looked around to see if she could find any ponies that would be of some help. She felt tears filling up her big, cyan eyes. She started crying. She realized that she'd be stuck there forever. She decided to call out, anyway.
"Help!! HELP!!!" She cried. "I'm stuck here in this tree!!! I can't get out!! HEEELPP!" She weeped even more. Feeling lonely, and scared.
|
|
|
Post by Crescent on Feb 11, 2006 22:21:05 GMT -5
[[*sigh* I did mention I wanted these two to be left alone for the time being... but I'm going to forget it this time because this looks like it will make an interesting plot development. ]] Applejack had just been about to answer, unsure if he should have been offended for the insult or saddened by the bitterness in the other stallion's voice, when the scream outside startled them both. Applejack turned his head and galloped over to the window, putting his hooves on the windowsill and craning his neck to peer out and see who was wailing so desperately. Lemon Drop, for his part, only twitched his ears a little, a rather unkind expression still on his face. It sounded like a mare. Well, good riddance, let this orange bug take care of that. He seemed like the heroic type, anyway. Slightly reluctantly he walked over to the window, behind Applejack. "Shall I give you a push?" he asked sardonically. That made Applejack's temper rise. He turned his head backward and stared hard at Droplet. "Is there no pony decency in you anymore, either?" he asked hotly. "That's someone in trouble, can't you here that? Someone needs our help. Maybe they're even injured, and way at these parts there's no one else to help. Did you think of that?" Droplet scowled at Applejack. "Well, it's their own d**ned fault," he said defensively. "I didn't ask anyone coming way over here to get injured." Applejack stared at Droplet in dark disbelief for a long moment until shaking his head. "And I thought you were a great pony," he said darkly. "But now I find that whatever you might have been, there's definitely none of it left anymore. I'm sorry to have wasted your time." And then he hopped up over the windowsill and started galloping over to the tree from where he could hear the weeping. Droplet was left standing at the window, gazing out after Applejack, very quietly. It felt as though a stake was driven through his heart. Had he really lost so much of what he had used to be? He felt frozen at the window, only watching Applejack run to the tree in which Flurry remained. Meanwhile, Applejack stopped under the tree and peered up. "Hullo up there!" he shouted. "You all right? Calm down, sweetheart, I'll... I'll get you down." But how? he thought to himself, trying to figure out exactly how Flurry was attached to the tree.
|
|
|
Post by Angel624 on Feb 12, 2006 0:49:51 GMT -5
The small winger looked down at the stallion. She felt relieved that someone came to her rescue.
"Yes..I think so, I'm just stuck here!" She said. "I don't know how, but I think I got one of my hooves caught on another branch, and I can't seem to move it!" She looked to where her hoof was caught. She was afraid to move it, she was afraid she'd break it or sprain it. She hoped she hadn't already, but it was kind of sore.
She felt a few more tears roll down her purple cheeks, hoping she could get free again.
|
|
|
Post by Crescent on Feb 12, 2006 10:08:23 GMT -5
Applejack peered up at the little winger, examining her situation as closely as he could. He could soon decipher that her hoof was indeed caught in the branches, pretty tight, too, it seemed. She could never tear herself free, being so very fragile. Anxious, Applejack trotted back and forth under the tree, squinting up undecisively. She was really very high. He wasn't very good at climbing, not good at all. And besides, he had a bit of a fright of heights - nothing too severe, but enough to make him hesitate. He backed down, then came forward again and finally made his decision. He set his fore-hooves against the tree trunk and craned his neck toward the winger.
"Just hold on! I'm coming right up to get you off!"
Then he started to climb up on the tree trunk and the branches. Carefully, one hoof at a time...
In the Show Stable, Lemon Drop examined the situation through the glassless window. He shook his head when he saw the staggering climb Applejack was making up along the tree. The orange stallion's words nagged on him and he tossed his tail this way and that indecisively. It seemed like the winger was truly in pain. He glanced behind him to the empty stable, to the dusty corners and the raggety furniture. Then he looked over to the tree again.
Applejack's other back hoof slipped, and he let out a yelp as he fell. There was a thud and a cloud of grass pieces as he collided with ground. He got on his wavering feet a bit dazedly, shaking his head.
"You're really helpless," a gruff voice just then resounded from nearby. "I'm surprised you've survived this far."
Applejack blinked and looked up, pushing the hair back and off his face to be able to look at the other stallion. A smile crept on his face when he recognised the yellow stallion. He had come after all.
"Well, you a better climber?" he asked as he started to stagger on his feet.
Lemon Drop shook his mane.
"Not particularly," he said, "but I wasn't going to climb. Stand back." Applejack took a few steps back obediently and meanwhile Droplet looked up into the tree. "Hold still, Miss!"
Then the dusky yellow stallion backed a few steps, galloped toward the tree, and then pushed his body up into the air with all the power in his still strong muscles. The leap was magnificent, and higher than Applejack had thought possible. Effortlessly Droplet landed on a branch just two branches down from Flurry. Then he hopped once more, until he finally could reach her branch. With a rather unfriendly smile he grabbed the branches that were holding her.
"Careful now," he said. "I'm going to pull these apart so you can slip your hoof free."
[[OMG I am having so much fun with this scene now!]]
|
|
|
Post by Angel624 on Feb 13, 2006 18:38:24 GMT -5
The purple winger watched Applejack climb. She hoped he could make it. But he slipped. Flurry gave out a tiny yelp as well. She then noticed another stallion coming to her rescue! And a while ago, Flurry was feeling lonely, now she had 2 stallions rescuing her! She wondered how it got to be this way...
She watched Lemon Drop leap up to her. She listened to his instructions. "Ok." She said. She hoped that he knew what he was doing. It seemed like it, anyway.
|
|
|
Post by Crescent on Feb 14, 2006 1:58:45 GMT -5
Lemon Drop nodded when getting the confirmation from Flurry that she was on top of the situation. Then he flexed his muscles and started to pull the branches apart. A few moments, and Flurry's foot was free. After she had pulled it out, Droplet let the branches go and looked at the winger.
"Can you climb or fly down on your own?" he asked gruffly. He didn't really like helping ponies - at least not anymore - but he had started now, and he couldn't back down.
Applejack peered at them from below, anxious to find out if the winger was all right or if they needed to take her to the healing house.
|
|
|
Post by Angel624 on Feb 15, 2006 21:14:39 GMT -5
The small purple pony slipped her hoof out of the two branches. She looked at Lemon Drop and smiled. "Thanks! And yes, I think I can get down." She replied, flapping her wings as she flew down, landing on the grass.
She looked at her hoof to see if it was alright. There was a small bruise on it from the branches squeezing on it. Her hoof did hurt a bit, but not too much.
|
|
|
Post by Crescent on Feb 16, 2006 6:27:35 GMT -5
Lemon Drop watched Flurry descend from the tree. When she was down, he hopped off the branches, landing gracefully on the ground.
Meanwhile, Applejack hurried to Flurry and looked at her intently.
"How are you feeling? That legs looks bruised, but are you sure you aren't worse hurt? I think we should take you to the Healing House, just to be sure." He glanced over to Lemon Drop. "Or what do you think?"
Droplet had by now got his balance properly back after the leap down from the tree, and turned round to look at Applejack and Flurry with his usual unfriendly expression plastered on his face.
"What I think? I think I will go back to my Stable. You can do whatever you like." Huffing, he turned round, but at that reply Applejack's eyes had grown colder and he had taken a few strides closer to Droplet.
"Oh, no you don't!" he said with a harsh voice. "Look here, you're going to help me take her to the Healing House. What if she'll tire or the leg will start hurting so that she can't walk? I can't very well carry her on my own." They were all excuses, of course, but he wanted the gruff old pony with him. He wanted to get Lemon Drop out of the stuffy Stable and back among ponies. Maybe that way he could, little by little, bring back that old Lemon Drop... and eventually find out answers to his questions.
Lemon Drop paused, his other forefoot in the air, his form haunched, his head turned toward the Show Stable. His eyes stared right through the scruffy building. Applejack had a point. He stared at the Stable and slowly lowered his hoof. What would she have thought about him, had she known he was about to turn his back to an injured mare? She would have said she didn't know him anymore.
She would not have approved.
Lemon Drop gulped back the strangling feeling that was about to settle around his neck, and finally turned round again. His expression was still sulky, but he did come to the two other ponies.
"Fine," he muttered. "But one of you had better remember where that blasted house is, because I don't."
Applejack smirked a bit and turned to Flurry.
"Come on, dear," he said kindly. "We'll take you to the Healing House to be checked up. Just in case you hurt yourself worse than it seems."
[[...because this is the perfect opportunity to drag my little Droplet out a bit to the other ponies. ^-^]]
|
|
|
Post by Angel624 on Feb 16, 2006 18:32:10 GMT -5
((LOL, ok. XD))
The purple winger sniffed a couple times. "My foot kind of hurts." She said, looking at it. "I may be able to walk, but I'm afraid it'll get worse." She looked back at the orange stallion, listening to his instructions.
When Lemon Drop was about to turn away and not help, Flurry could feel her eyes welling up. She had a feeling this would happen, as she didn't have many friends...
She then heard Applejack give Lemon Drop orders. It sounded as if Applejack cared for her! That made Flurry smile. She found a liking to Applejack, as he was one of the few ponies who actually noticed her, since she was sometimes overlooked, because of her size....
She smiled and nodded. "Ok." She had never been to the Healing House before, so she wasn't sure where it was. She hoped Applejack knew, since Lemon Drop sounded as if he didn't have a clue. "Do you know where it is?" She asked the orange stallion.
|
|
|
Post by Crescent on Feb 18, 2006 3:08:24 GMT -5
Applejack bit his lip. Well, he had been here last when he was but a foal. He wasn't QUITE sure of where everything was, but then again, he had found the Show Stable with very little trouble as well. Yes. Certainly he would find the Healing House as well.
"Umm, uh, yes, well, yes, I'm sure I... I can find it." He smiled in a way that was meant to be reassuring.
It didn't fool Lemon Drop, who rolled his eyes.
"Great. I'm on a mission with an oaf who doesn't even know his way around his own home valley," he said sardonically.
Applejack was quick to retort.
"Well, neither do you," he snorted back. "And for your information, I just got here. Well, uh, back here. I've been living elsewhere for years and years now, the last time I was here I was a foal. So there."
Droplet whipped his tail angrily, then turned his head away. Applejack was satisfied with the silence, and turned his attention back to Flurry.
"I don't think it's a good idea you walk," he said. "I'm sure Lemon Drop here can carry you, can't you, champ?"
Droplet scowled at Applejack.
"Do I look like an ambulance?" He pawed the ground angrily, but then looked at Flurry. Oh, well, the winger wasn't big or heavy. He sighed and shook his mane. "All right," he growled. "But you girl had best see you don't tug my hair."
And he went down on his knees, to allow Flurry to climb on his back.
|
|
|
Post by Angel624 on Feb 18, 2006 20:37:40 GMT -5
The purple winger watched the two fight. She hated it when other ponies faught.
When Lemon Drop allowed her to climb on his back, she did so. She nodded. "Don't worry, I won't!" She said with a smile, resting on the stallion's back.
|
|
|
Post by Crescent on Feb 19, 2006 8:39:53 GMT -5
Droplet lifted his body from the ground effortlessly. He was slightly surprised at how little the winger really weighed. Then he started to walk.
Applejack, who hoped he would really remember the right way, trotted ahead.
[[cont. at the healing house when I'll have a moment to move them]]
|
|