Chapter Text
“They’re pushing again!”
“Has the town been evacuated yet?”
“If Bluetail’s not back, then it’s not done!”
“Then we hold! I want–”
“The gate is splintering!”
“Redwing!”
Just as the sun became fully visible in the sky, a lone earth pony crested the final hill on the road into town. The sun highlighted his dark grey coat, the breeze played with his royal blue mane and tail. His cyan eyes were tired, but sharp, as he took in the townscape before him.
That must be Ponyville.
The stallion resumed walking, but then winced, and hastily plopped down in the grass beside the path. He let out an annoyed grumble as he adjusted his saddlebags, then shook his head. He took a deep breath, held it… and slowly released it in a drawn out sigh.
Several quiet minutes passed there, his body only moving to occasionally turn his head enough to look behind him. His eyes, though, were restless, darting between every pony and thatched roof in sight. It seemed… peaceful. Pleasant. Idyllic, even. Not that it really mattered.
His gaze landed on the river that flowed through the town, its flowing water mirroring the clear blue sky. It was nice. Reminded him of that one river. Surely not as cold, as it was much warmer here, but still. The thought alone sent a shiver up his spine. But he shouldn’t need to touch the water here, so it was fine. If he’d come across it somewhere outside of the town, then yeah, he probably wouldn’t have had a choice. In his experience, river water always ran cold. And when you’re trying to keep your legs dry, it’s wildly unpleasant. Even moreso when you’re trying to stay warm. And once that cold reaches your bones…
He jolted awake.
With a shake of his head, he slowly stood up, then tentatively stretched his hindleg. Another deep inhale, and he stepped off.
“I hope you were right about this place…”
SNORT. “The secret is… ya gotta boil the rocks…”
Applejack chuckled at her dozing granny as she peered inside the second bushel basket on her stall cart. It had been a surprisingly lucrative morning; it wasn’t even lunchtime, and there were only two apples left. And seeing as they were so red they almost seemed to glow in the sunlight, she reckoned they’d be gone before long as well.
As she turned to look out at the rest of the marketplace, she noticed an unfamiliar blue and grey pony standing at the far end, looking her way. She smiled and waved, figuring he was about to be her last lucky customer for the day.
He didn’t wave back. Instead, he looked around, then turned and walked out of sight.
Huh. Guess he wasn’t looking at her stall. Oh well.
She stepped back behind the cart, her grin returning as she glanced over at Granny Smith snoring in her rocking chair. She must’ve been dreaming of her early filly years, before her family moved to what became Sweet Apple Acres, when things were so tough that they ate rock pies for birthdays. Or so she claimed. Applejack wasn’t sure she believed those particular stories, but she also wouldn’t be too surprised if they were true. She guessed she’d never know.
“Just two apples left, folks! Come an’ get ‘em before they’re gone!”
A gravely voice piped up. “I’ll take them, ma’am.”
From around the corner of a nearby shop, that same unfamiliar pony emerged. He looked up and down the street, before approaching the apple stall, his gait rather stiff.
Applejack beamed at him. “Well, howdy there, partner. I thought I saw you lookin’ from across the market a minute ago.”
The stallion chuckled awkwardly. “Heh, yes, ma’am. I, uh…” He glanced out at the rest of the market as he came to a halt by the wall behind the cart, rather than in front of it. His polite smile had already melted away. “I’m just not the biggest fan of crowds.” Despite his words of anxiety, his voice was firm, even, flat. He stood tall, rigid even. His expression, blank. If Applejack didn’t know any better, she might think that he was… bored.
“Ain’t no problem, sugar cube. And ain’t no need to be so formal, neither. My name’s Applejack, and this here’s Granny Smith.” She gestured to Granny still asleep in a rocking chair behind her, who muttered something about making mud crusts.
A single chuckle escaped the new pony, along with a fleeting smirk. His gaze briefly dropped to her hooves, then back out at the market, before finally returning to meet hers. All the while, he remained just as rigid. “Staunch Haunches. It’s good to meet you, Applejack.”
“Pleasure’s all mine, Staunch. Don’t reckon I’ve seen you ‘round here before. This yer first time in Ponyville?”
“Yes.”
Silence. He looked over at a couple of pegasi laughing nearby. Applejack realized there wasn’t more coming, so she smirked. “Careful you don’t talk my ear off, now. So you just passin’ through, or are you here to visit?”
Another short chuckle. “I… don’t really know yet. Don’t have a plan.” Another pause, this time accompanied by a look at the ground. After a moment, and another glance behind him, Staunch looked back to Applejack. ”An… old friend used to talk about how much he loved Ponyville. And I don’t really have much going on, so… Figured I’d come check it out, see for myself this magical Ponyville I’ve heard so much about.”
“Makes sense,” Apple said, her smile growing. “Everypony who comes to Ponyville falls in love with it! You won’t find a happier place in all Equestria. Does your friend live here?”
“No. He’d just visit. Though I always figured his plan was to retire here someday.”
“I gotcha. Well, think your friend’s gonna visit while yer here? That’d be mighty serendipitous.“
Staunch’s eyes seemed to lose focus for a moment. When he came back, he didn’t quite meet her gaze. “No.”
Applejack’s smile faltered as another silence befell them. His expression was still blank, but she noticed a lapse in his breathing, a pause after emptying his lungs for a few seconds, before seemingly remembering to breathe in. All the while, his gaze fixed on nothing in particular, a thousand yards away.
After a moment, Applejack put on another smile, and turned to pull the bushel basket containing the two remaining apples off the cart. She plopped it down in front of him, which was enough to pull his gaze back up to meet hers.
“So then, do you know anypony here, Staunch?” Her voice was just a little quieter now, a little softer.
“Uh… no. I do not.” Staunch glanced at a passing unicorn before lowering his head into the basket, and managing to grab both apples with his mouth.
Applejack picked up the basket and set it back on the cart, waiting until he dropped the apples into his saddlebag before asking her next question. “Then where ya stayin’?”
A pause. “I… haven’t gotten that far yet.”
She turned back to him with a warm smile. “Had a feelin’ that was the case. Why don’t you come stay at the farmhouse? We got plenty a’ beds.”
This made his eyes widened slightly, the first change in his demeanor since his arrival. “Oh, that’s… very kind of you, but I’d hate to impose–”
“An invitation ain’t never an imposition! If our family reunions ain’t too much to accomodate, one pony sure ain’t gonna be. And you don’t seem like no troublemaker to me.”
Staunch opened his mouth to respond, but Applejack promptly slapped her hoof over it. “Ain’t takin’ ‘no’ for an answer, partner. So unless you like talkin’ in circles, the next words outta yer mouth better be ‘thank ya kindly.’” She withdrew her hoof, smirking at his subtle but clear surprise. She adds in a gentle, teasing tone, “Might wanna close your mouth there, sugar cube. Before ya wind up swallowin’ a fly.”
Staunch followed her advice, then blinked a few times. “I… well, thank you kindly, I guess.”
“Don’t hurt yerself now.”
His eyes widened a little further. “No, I-I mean, thank you. Really. I just… you caught me off-guard with your generous offer.”
Applejack smirked. “I’m just yankin’ yer chain, I know ya meant it. You gotta loosen up. C’mon, lemme show ya ‘round town, introduce you to some friends of mine. Maybe then you’ll have an easier time unwindin’ and kickin’ yer hooves up.”
“Uh… okay. Sure. That’s very kind of you. But, how much do I owe you for the apples?“
Applejack shook her head. “Consider ‘em a welcome gift. Now c’mon, Sweet Apple Acres is just over yonder hill.”
“Well, thank you. Uh, should you wake Granny Smith up first“Naw. Even if there were any apples left, she always wakes up when a customer comes up.”
“She didn’t wake up when I walked up.”
“Well, that’s ‘cause I was here, silly.”
“But… she’s asleep. How could she know?”
“Look, Granny’s been in this business longer ‘n anypony else here’s been alive. I’ve learned it’s best not to question her methods. Ain’t that right, Granny?”
Granny Smith snorts. “Ya gotta get rocks, stones just don’t get tender enough...”
Staunch blinked a couple times, earning another chuckle from Applejack. “Anyway,” she said, stepping out from behind the cart, “how ‘bout I show you the farm first, so you ain’t luggin’ those bags ‘round all day.”
“I would appreciate that.”
With another uncertain glance at Granny, Staunch turned around and walked alongside Applejack as she led him up the street.
As they walked, she watched him out of the corner of her eye. His expression had returned to being totally blank, and though his head hardly moved, his eyes hardly stopped moving. Every pony they passed, every pegasus flying overhead. Every door, every alley. Every unexpected sound. Constantly scanning.
Eventually, he realized she was watching, and fixed his gaze straight ahead. But it was too late.
She offered him a friendly grin. “You, uh… you good there, chief?”
“Yes. I am.”
A pause. He wasn’t going to add anything to his statement.
“You just seem a mite on edge, if ya don’t mind me sayin’. You can rest assured, Ponyville is perfectly safe.”
Staunch takes a deep breath. “I believe you. It’s just… old habits die hard, you know?”
Applejack chuckled softly. “Oh, don’t I know it. Anything ya wanna talk about?”
Before he could answer, a certain elegant white mare with luxurious purple hair stepped out of a shop just ahead. And when she noticed the pair approaching, her face lit up. “Well, good morning, Applejack! And I don’t believe we’ve met, have we?”
“No ma’am. I’m Staunch Haunches.”
“Delighted to make your acquaintance, Staunch. My name is Rarity.”
Staunch gave her a polite smile and a nod. “It’s good to meet you, Miss Rarity.”
Rarity giggled, then waved a hoof at him. “Oh, just ‘Rarity’ will do fine, darling. Though I do so appreciate a pony who regards a lady with the respect she deserves.”
Applejack rolled her eyes. “Easy there, Rarity. If you let much more go to yer head, ya won’t be able to lift it no more.”
Rarity let out a theatrical gasp, though she couldn’t quite mask a smirk. “I’ll have you know, my head is the perfect size, as it has always been! Now then, where are you two headed this fine morning?”
“I’m takin’ Staunch here to the farm to drop off his bags ‘fore I give ‘im the grand tour of Ponyville.”
Rarity’s eyes widened as she turned to Staunch. “Oh, you’re staying on the farm? Are you an Apple?”
Staunch furrowed his brow slightly. “Uh… no? I’m… I’m a pony…”
While Staunch and Rarity exchanged confused looks, Applejack chuckled. “He ain’t a relative, just a guest.”
“Ah, I see,” Rarity said, her smile returning. “Well, if it’s that rustic small town charm you’re after, it doesn’t get more rustic than the farm.”
Applejack cocked an eyebrow. “I’m gonna go ahead ‘n’ take that as a compliment. But Rarity’s right that the farm is the perfect place to get away from all the hustle ‘n’ bustle.”
Rarity’s smile strained for a moment. “Yes, that’s… exactly what I meant.”
Staunch chuckled, turning both mares’ attention back to him. “If I’m sleeping with a roof over my head, I can’t complain. That roof being on a nice, peaceful farm? That’s practically a dream come true.”
“And ‘peaceful’ is just the word for it!” Applejack exclaimed. “Unless there’s a family reunion goin’ on. Or a zap apple harvest. Or cider sellin’. Or–” She paused, then chuckled awkwardly. “But, uh, ain’t none o’ that happenin’ right now, so don’t you fret.”
This earned a small smile from Staunch. “I’m trying to keep my life as quiet and unexciting as possible nowadays, so that sounds good to me. If I wanted excitement, I’d have stayed in Canterlot.“
Rarity perked up. “Oh, you’re from Canterlot?”
Staunch shook his head. “Well, no, I’m from a town outside of Vanhoover. I used to be in Canterlot often for work, so I’ve spent a decent amount of time in the city.”
Rarity let out a dramatic sigh, gazing wistfully off into the distance. “I wish my work would take me to Canterlot more often…”
“So what kinda work ya do?” Applejack asked.
Staunch didn’t answer immediately, his gaze wandering off to nothing in particular again. “Well, I… I don’t do it anymore. I’m… retired now.”
“Retired? You can’t be that much older than me. Retired from what?”
Staunch hesitated, then turned away from her and shifted his saddlebag to reveal his cutie mark: a light silver shield, with a dark silver outline. “I was a royal guard.”
This snapped Rarity out of her daydream. “A royal guard?! Oh, how noble! With such a bold cutie mark, I daresay you were destined for greatness!”
A polite smile flickered on Staunch’s face. “Yeah. Well. That’s behind me now.” His breathing seemed to pause again for a second. Applejack noticed, and the glance she exchanged with Rarity told her she did as well.
Rarity recovered first. “Well, darling, I’m sure you’re sick of carrying those bags, so I shan’t delay you any longer. Do stop by the boutique to visit!”
Applejack’s smile bounced back. “An’ after ya take that load off, you can take a load off at the farmhouse for a while if ya want, rest yer hooves ‘fore we walk ‘round some more an’ introduce ya to everypony. Ya’ll find that they all appreciate peace ‘n’ quiet. Well, except for–”
BOOM!
Red confetti rained down on the group. Applejack’s smile drooped into something unamused. “...Pinkie Pie.”
As if on cue, Pinkie Pie zipped up next to Staunch, an elated grin plastered across her face. “That’s me! Resident party pony and celebration extraordinaire! I’m also a certified covert confetti cannoneer, as you may have noticed.”
Rarity shook her head, managing to dislodge most of the confetti from her mane. “Pinkie, dear, must you subject every poor soul who visits Ponyville to such an… explosive greeting?”
“Uh, yeah! How else are they going to know how excited we are to meet a new friend?! It’s a big deal, so it gets a big boom! Though apparently not big enough, he didn’t even react to it!”
“That’s hardly the metric you should be basing anything on…”
While those two debated the propriety of the confetti cannon as an introductory tool, Applejack had been watching Staunch. He indeed hadn’t jumped at the unexpected commotion–in fact, his only movement was to slowly turn his head to look at the source, his seemingly bored composure fully intact. But once again, Applejack noticed the details: his entire body was tense, his breaths were shallow, and she could practically hear his heart racing.
She locked eyes with Rarity for a second. The latter promptly sprang into action, overriding her irritation with a smile and as she placed her hoof on Pinkie’s shoulder. “Darling, I think our new friend is a bit tired and needs some time to unwind after his travels. Why don’t you and I take a walk in the meantime? I’d like to… discuss something with you.”
“Ah, I get it! Need to recharge the ol’ battery so you have more energy to party! That’s smart! WAIT, I didn’t get your–”
“Come now, Pinkie,” Rarity insisted, gracefully directing Pinkie away. Her smile was still just as bright, but her tone had a slight edge to it now. “Give the pony some space. You can give a proper introduction later.”
Pinkie, ever bubbly and oblivious, began bouncing along next to Rarity, all resistance gone. “Ooooooh, okay! That’s actually perfect, ‘cause now I have time to whip up some cupcakes! OH! Or, orrrrr, I could try something new and cake up some cupwhip! Like, whipped cream, of course. But what would that even…”
Applejack caught Rarity’s gaze long enough to give her a small nod, then looked back up at Staunch. His breathing was leveling out, albeit shakily, and he was still tense. His eyes had resumed their previous restlessness, but she noticed he seemed to be looking everywhere but at her.
Once Pinkie’s voice faded away, Applejack put on a small, almost apologetic smile. “Hey… you alright there, sugar cube?”
Staunch didn’t respond right away. Applejack raised a hoof to pat his shoulder, but froze halfway, and then decided against it. She didn’t know how he felt about being touched, regardless of intention, and didn’t feel that this was an appropriate moment to test that boundary. So she just waited patiently.
Finally, Staunch’s gaze found its way back to her. “Yeah.” His voice was still flat, though a little hoarser than before. “I’m fine.”
“She means well. She’s a super sweet pony. Just… comes on a little strong sometimes. I hope you won’t hold that against her.”
To Applejack’s surprise, he smiled. It was a tired smile, but still genuine. “Nah. She seemed nice. I just hope she doesn’t think I was trying to be rude to her.”
Applejack’s own smile regained its confidence. “I wouldn’t worry about that. She ain’t the type a’ pony to assume the worst. C’mon, let’s get you to the farmhouse ‘fore some other calamity finds us.”
The rest of the journey to Sweet Apple Acres was mercifully uneventful. Neither spoke another word as they walked, but Applejack felt it was a more comfortable silence than before, so she was fine with that. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but she thought he seemed less on edge in the orchard; his gaze lingered amongst the trees, appreciating his surroundings rather than scanning them.
As they stepped up onto the porch of the farmhouse, it wasn’t Applejack nor Staunch who broke the silence, but a filly with a fiery red mane bursting out the front door. “Applejack! Do you know where the–” She flinched once she noticed the second pony standing in front of her. “Oh, howdy! Don’t reckon I’ve seen you ‘round before. My name’s Apple Bloom, Applejack’s favorite li’l sister!“
Staunch chuckled. “Hi, Apple Bloom. My name’s Staunch. It’s good to meet you.”
Apple Bloom beamed up at him.
“Do I know where the what is?” Applejack asked, her tone a mix of amusement and apprehension.
“Oh, right! Do you know where the big kitchen knife is? We’re gonna try–“
Applejack raised her hoof. “Whatever yer about to say, I’m gonna go ahead and veto it. Along with anythin’ havin’ to do with kitchen knives. Or any knives.”
Apple Bloom’s mane deflated as she looked up at her sister with the saddest eyes imaginable. “Aww, but Applejack, what if that keeps us from ever discoverin’ our special talents?!”
“Then y’all will get famous for bein’ the first ponies in history to never get yer cutie marks. No. Knives.”
Apple Bloom pouted for a second, then looked back at Staunch as though she’d just remembered he was there. “So what’s with the bags? You don’t look like no delivery pony to me. Are you stayin’ here or somethin’?”
Staunch opened his mouth to answer, but Applejack beat him to it. “As a matter o’ fact, he is. So make sure you show ‘im what hospitable hosts the Apples are, ya hear?”
Apple Bloom’s face lit up. “Well, shucks, that’s all ya needed to say! C’mon in, you gotta meet Big Macintosh ‘fore he heads back out to the fields!”
With that, the filly bolted back inside to hold the door open, holding a foreleg up as if presenting the living room to her new houseguest. Staunch looked at Applejack, who simply smirked and similarly gestured for him to enter. So he did just that. And as he did, he found himself face-to-face with a large red stallion entered from another room. Well, face-to-chest, to be more accurate.
Staunch looked up at him, his expression unchanging. “Wow. You are big.”
Big Mac chuckled. “Eeyup.”
Applejack stepped up next to Staunch. “Big Macintosh, this here’s Staunch Haunches. He’s gonna be stayin’ with us for a while.”
Big Mac gave him an approving nod, which earned a nod from Staunch in return.
Apple Bloom zipped up to Staunch, practically bouncing with excitement. “Can I show ‘im to his room? I’ll give ‘im the best one!”
Applejack chuckled. “Go right ahead. You take however much time you need to settle in, Staunch. I’ll be down here whenever yer ready.”
Staunch gave her an appreciative grin, then followed the giddy foal up the stairs, though not quite matching her speed. The other two watched with amused smiles until Apple Bloom’s voice and the creaking floorboards softened into the background. Then they looked at each other.
“Is he alright?” Big Mac asked.
Applejack looked back at the stairs, not answering right away.
“I don’t think so. But he will be. I reckon if anything can help ‘im, it’s Ponyville.”
Big Mac chuckled again as he passed by her. “Eeyup.”