Chapter 1. The Story.
This is a story about a human named Matthew living in a world where his kind is enslaved by ponies.
For as long as Matt could remember he was raised to obey ponies. Matt's life has always been hard growing up, He has been beaten if he didn't do the task right. He's owner's would barley feed him or give him water. When he was old enough he was sold to another family who treated him the same. When he became 19 he was sold to a elderly pony who needed a strong human to help take care of him.
This one the first pony Matt actually liked. She treated him with respect and even would allow him to sit down and eat dinner with her. Matt really enjoyed being around her.
But his happiness would soon pass as the elderly pony died in her sleep.
Matt didn't even get to attend her funeral as he was put on a train heading to Appleloosa. There he was placed in the market place.
This is where our story begins.
Matt stood with chains on his hands as he stood with other's chained together as they waited to be moved onto strange to be auctioned off to the highest bidder.
As the line slowly moved a pony came walking up towards Matt "He'll do." The light gold stallion said pointing towards Matt.
The guard ponies walked over and unchained him from his chains.
Matt rubbed his wrists "Follow us." The guards told the light gold stallion as they walked.
Matt just remained silent. Threw the years Matt learned to keep his mouth shut and do your work and you'll never have to go hungry. That was a lesson he learned the hard way.
He found himself inside a room with a pony behind the desk "Just sign here and here. And this human will be yours."
The stallion signed the paper's "We thank you for using Human Express Mr Braeburn." The stallion behind the desk said as he rolled up the paper "If you ever need a human you know where to find us."
Braeburn thanked the stallion. Braeburn looked over at Matt "Alright, Come along." He said to Matt.
Matt did as he was told as he followed Braeburn.
When they walked outside Matt felt Celestia's sun shine down onto him. Matt had a small smile as he was glad to be outside.
"Now, I'm going to need to know your name." Braeburn said as they walked down the busy street of Appleloosa.
"Names Matthew."
"Matthew? Mind if ah call ya Matt?"
"You can call me whatever you like sir." Matt said. This was another lesson he learned over the years, Always call them sir and let them call you whatever they want.
"There is no need ta call me sir." Braeburn said with a smile "If ya want me to call ya Matthew then I'll call ya Matthew, If ya like being called Matt then I'll call ya Matt."
Matt was surprise that after being with his last owner who allowed him to be like her was kinda happy to know he was going somewhere nice where he might get treated different .
"You can call me Matt."
"My name is Braeburn, But you can just call me Brae." He said "Now, Ya ain't going to be staying long since you are a gift for my cousin's in Ponyville, They have been having trouble keeping up with everything and I'll be sending you there."
Matt figured he would be shipped off soon but this was too soon. Matt notice they walked towards the train station "Alright, Were here!" He said.
Matt was placed in a different compartment with the other humans as the train pulled out and was on it's way towards Ponyville.
One thing that Matt hated was being on long train rides. Having to sit in the dark with nothing to do sucks.
When the train finally stopped Matt was glad to get off.
Matt followed Braeburn down through the busy streets of Ponyville.
"It's been awhile since I've been here." Braeburn said as they walked.
Matt remained slient.
When they finally arrived Matt got a good look at the farm we would be working at from now one.
Matt had worked on many farms over the years and Matt never liked how they looked. But this place looked clean and pretty. The one thing Matt notice there weren't any other human's on this farm.
"Now ya just wait here while Ah go find Applejack." Braeburn said.
Matt just nodded as he stood near the entrance of the farm.
Applejack was hard at work out in the field bucking the apple tree's and collecting their apples.
"Well if it isn't my cousin hard at work." Applejack turned her head to see Brarburn standing there with a smile on his face.
"Brarburn? Whatcha doin' here?" Applejack asked happy to see her cousin.
"Ah came ta bring ya a gift." He said with a smile.
"A gift? Ya came all the way from Appleloosa ta bring me a gift?" She asked wondering why he would do such a thing "It ain't my birthday."
Braeburn chuckled "Ah know it isn't ya birthday but, Ah did want to get you guys something ta help ya'll out with all the chores on the farm."
Applejack narrowed her eyes towards her cousin "If ya brought us a human, Ah told ya before we don't do slavery here." She said turning away from her cousin and going back to work.
"It not slavery if I'm the one giving him to you for free." Braeburn said.
Applejack whipped her head around "It's still slavery either way Braeburn. Ah ain't gonna be apart of that."
"I paid good bit's for this human, He's a hard worker. He can help you guys out since Granny Smith is no longer with us."
Applejack looked back at the apple tree's in front of her "Granny may be gone but Ah for one will not be apart of slavery." She started to walk down the path way that led back to her house.
"Applejack! Wait!" Braeburn said chasing after his cousin "I'll make a deal with ya, If you allow this human to work on you're farm for a month and you notice nothing has changed, Then I'll take him back to Appleloosa with me and he can work on my farm."
Applejack looked at her cousin "Ah ain't going ta allow him ta work on this farm! It's wrong ta own a human!"
"And it's wrong to own a dog!" Braeburn shot back "You own Winona."
"That's different, She's an animal."
"Still, You make her do tricks and have her help out on the farm when she's needed. Human's are the same way."
"No, They have minds of their own like us." Applejack notice her house coming into view and she was happy. Then she notice the human standing by the entrance to the farm. He was standing there. She looked the human up and down. He was a little tall and his hair was a light brown, She could see he was wearing a plain white shirt with a few rips in it along with a pare of blue jeans with some patches on them. She then saw him turn and got a good look at the human's face. His eyes were a dark brown as he as a scar across his left eye.
"His name is Matthew, He likes to be called Matt." Braeburn said noticing his cousin was staring at the human.
"Ah won't budge." She said with a huff as she walked towards her home.
"Find, I'm sure Big Mac will take my offer." Braeburn said.
Applejack turned towards her cousin and glared at him "Ya go near Big Mac and I'll buck ya so hard you'll land on the moon!"
"Then take my offer, If you don't Big Mac will." Braeburn said knowing he had just won this fight.
Applejack looked at the human who was looking at them "Maybe Ah can free him from his slavery." She looked back at her cousin "Fine, A month working here, If ah don't notice a change he'll go free."
This made Braeburn blink "G-Go free? Are you serious?"
"Yes, If it doesn't work out Ah want you to set him free." She said standing her ground.
Braeburn looked back at Matt then back to Applejack "Fine, It's a deal then."
"Ya gonna notice a big change once he starts helping out." He said with a smile.
"Not if Ah don't make him work." She thought as they walked towards Matthew.
Once they walked up towards Matt Applejack notice he was a little taller then her and this made her blush a little, Why she blush she didn't know.
"Matt, This is my cousin Applejack. She's you're new owner for a month." Braeburn said.
"Nice to meet you Miss." Matt said.
"Ya can just call me Aj sugarcube, Now, We don't have a spare room from so ya gonna have ta sleep in the barn for now." Applejack said "Don't worry, I'll make sure there's a cot and some pillows and blanket's in there for ya."
Matt was glad to know he wouldn't have to sleep in hay. He had gotten use to sleeping on a bed.
"Thank you Aj." Matt said.
"Alright, Since my job here is done, I'm gonna go back home and get my work done." He said looking at his cousin "I'll see ya in a month Aj." He looked back at Matt "I'll see ya too Matt."
He waved goodbye leaving the two alone "Ah swear, If he wasn't my cousin Ah would have bucked him out of here the moment he stepped hoof here." Aj said with a huff.
"I take it you don't like you're cousin." Matt said as he followed Aj towards the barn.
"Ya, Ever since he started buying human's ta do his labor work for free he think's we should do the same." Aj rolled her eyes "I believe ya should work hard and be paid for it."
"Then you must not be happy i'm here."
Applejack looked over at Matt "I'm happy ta have a human on my farm, Ah just don't like the idea of human's being slaves."
"Well, It's the law. There is nothing we can do about that Miss Aj." Matt said looking at her "As much as I wish to walk among ponies with out chains is just a dream."
"But dreams can become real." She said looking back towards the barn "I hope ya don't mind sleepin' in the barn for awhile."
"I don't mind at all Miss Aj, I've slept in worst." He said looking at the barn.
Applejack notice Celestia sun slowly getting lower "I'll bring ya a cot and some blanket's, Dinner is at Nine. If ya wish ya can join us for dinner or ya can eat out here."
Matt looked back at Aj "I'll get out here tonight."
"Alright, But if ya change ya mind ya welcome ta come join us." She said.
Matt looked around the barn and notice it was nice a clean then the barns he use to sleep in when he was younger "No holes in the roofs and there is cement instead of dirt. It will be easier to clean." Matt thought.
Matt looked behind him and notice the many tree's out on the hills "Maybe I've found a good home... Miss Aj is nice, She think it's wrong to own a human."
"Here ya go sugarcube." Applejack said setting the cot down with a blanket and pillow sitting on top of it "Tomorrow I'll have my friend Rarity make ya a set of cloths that don't have rips or patches on them."
"You don't need to do that Miss Aj." Matt said.
"Ah do, And stop callin' me Miss, Just call me Aj." She said "Ah gotta go cook, I'll bring you your food when it's done."
"If ya won't, I can help you cook." Matt said "I've learned to cook not to long ago."
"Your a guest, Ya just go ahead and relax, I've left a book in the blanket if ya want ta read something before bed." She said making her way out of the barn "I'll be back in hour with ya food."
"Alright, Miss Aj."
Applejack looked back at Matt "It's Aj sugarcube, Not Miss Aj." She said with a smile as she left Matt alone.
Matt pulled out his cot and set up his bed. He looked at the book "If only I could read." He said placing the book back down on the bed as he took a seat on bed "I wish I had my paint set. I would love to paint those hills." Matt thought looking out at the hills "Maybe I can enjoy the time I have here before i'm sent off somewhere else." He laid his head down on the pillow and notice the cot he was sleeping on was nice and soft and his pillow was soft and not lumpy or a sack of corn.
Applejack stood over the stove as she stirred the noodles in the water.
"Ah hope Ah made the right choice in making that deal with Braeburn." She thought as she continued to cook "Granny Smith would be rolling in her grave if she ever found out Ah took a slave."
The door opened and Big Mac came walking in "Isn't it my night ta cook?"
"No, It's my night to cook." Applejack said "Mac, Ah need ta talk to ya before ya go get a shower."
"What is it sis?" He asked walking towards her and looking at what she was making.
"Braeburn was here today."
"He was? And he didn't even say hi ta me or Apple Bloom?" Big Mac asked looking at her.
"He brought us a gift."
"Oh? What was it?"
"A human."
"And did ya tell him ta take him with you?" Applejack turned away from her brother not wanting to look him in his eyes "Applejack... You didn't?"
"Ah did, But we are only keepin' him for a month, If it doesn't work out Braeburn will set him free." Applejack said turning towards her brother "Ah have set him up in the barn."
Big Mac sighed "Ya know how our parents didn't like the idea of owning a human."
"Ah know... But we don't own him. Braeburn still own's him." Applejack said as she knew this had to be a loop hole.
"This still counts on owning a human Aj."
"When the month is over, Matt will be set free and we can hired him." Aj said "For now he can work short hours out in the orchard till the month is over."
Big Mac placed a hoof to his chin as he thought it over. When he was done he looked at his sister "Fine, But you'll have ta explain ta Apple Bloom about him."
"Fine." She said going back to work on cooking supper for everypony.
Matt sat there with his finger's crossed over his chest as he just starred at the ceiling.
"Supper!" Aj said knocking on the door.
Matt sat up on his cot and looked towards the door. He watched Aj brought him a tray "I've spaghetti with garlic bread." She said with a smile as she sat the tray down on the cot "I didn't know what ya wanted ta drink so ah got ya a glass of milk."
"Thank you Miss Aj." He said looking at how yummy the food looks.
"Aj." She said "Ya enjoy, When ya done just leave the tray over by the barn door and in the mornin' I'll take it in."
"As you wish Miss Aj." Applejack rolled her eyes as she left Matt to enjoy his food.
Matt took a fork full of spaghetti and took a bite and his eyes went wide "T-This is delicious!"
When he was done eating he placed the tray by the barn door like Aj had asked.
He sat back down on his cot as he picked up the candle Aj had give him and blew it out as he got ready for bed "You'll need to get up real early Matt. You don't want to come off as lazy." He thought as he closed his eyes "Tomorrow is going to be a long day."
Matt's mind went into a deep slumber as he dreamed of a life of being free to do as he wish.
Applejack sat in front of her mirror as she brushed the knots out of her hair. She could see the barn in her mirror and she notice the light go out "Ah feel sorry for Matt or any human that has to go through this." She placed her brush down and turned her head to get a better look at the barn "Tomorrow I'll make sure Matt has everything he needs." She let out a yawn as she made her way back towards her bed and pulled the cover's down as she climbed into bed.
Aj laid there with her eyes closed as she her thoughts kept going back towards Matt.
She knew she wasn't going to get sleep knowing Matt was out in the barn alone.
Braeburn sat on the train heading back towards Appleloosa.
He looked out the window as he notice the night sky was already out.
"If Aj think's Ah will set that human free, She has another thing coming." Braeburn thought as he looked at the stars.
To Be Continued.
This is a new story I'm going to work on and I hope you all enjoy. Tell me what you think.