Chapter IX

Goldenponyboy is here with another chapter for ya. I hope you guys are enjoying this. And I want to thank everyone who commented. You have no idea how much that means to me. But enough of me being emotional. On with the fic!

I own my OC's.

The day after Rarity gave me my new outfit, I decided to fulfill another one of my promises from my first day. After asking a few directions, I headed towards Sweet Apple Acres. The whole farm had a unique feeling of home to it. Maybe that's why Applejack was so accepting when I arrived: she wanted me to be at home in town.

Walking through the gate, I found that Applejack was currently no where in sight. There was, however, a big red stallion carrying two giant baskets of apples right past me.

"Uh, excuse me." He turned to face me. "I'm sorry to interrupt you, but do you know where Applejack is?"

He himself had a southern draw, but it was hard to pick out when he only said, "Eeyup."

"Um, could you show me?"

"Eeyup." But he remained to stand there, staring at me.

"Can you say anything other than 'Eeyup?'"

"Nope." He smiled at me and gave me a slight wink before he jerked his head to the left. Looking in that direction, I only saw a orchid of apples.

But soon, one of them shook very violently, dropping all of its fruit to the ground. I decided to head off in that direction. The closer I got to the trees, the ground itself started shaking with every tree that got hit. It sounded like a cannon was hitting each tree.

When I got to the area with the trees, I realized that it wasn't a cannon. It was Applejack, bucking trees to get their fruit. Applebloom was carrying smaller basket to catch any apples that fell.

After another bunch of apples fell, Applebloom caught sight of me. "Well, howdy Crossback!"

AJ turned from her work to look at me. "Well, y'all look mighty spiffy."

I smiled now. "Rarity couldn't stand my cloak anymore, so she made me this one. If it's too fancy to wear on your farm, I can switch into my cloak."

"Why don't ya' do that. I don' want ya' ruinin' yer new duds."

I always kept my old cloak on me, so I ran over to the barn, quickly switched my clothes, put the new ones in the bag, then ran back to the girls. "Better?"

AJ answered. "Very. Now, can ya' buck?"

"Pardon?"

"Can ya' buck? Ya' know." She turned and kicked a nearby tree, making the apples on it fall. The ground shook when she did that.

"Oh, yeah, that's doable." I walked to a nearby tree and bucked it swiftly. Except, I might have done it a little too hard. And by that I mean that I I managed to knock down not one, but four trees in a line.

"Uh, whoops. I'm so sorry about that."

AJ and AB just stood there with their mouths open in surprise. Then, they hit the ground laughing.

Suddenly, the red stallion came running out of nowhere. "Applejack! Are ya' both okay?"

"We're fine, Mac. Oh, Crossback, Ah want ya' to meet ma brother, Big Macintosh."

I stuck out my hoof to shake his. "Pleasure."

He smiled and shook my hoof. Very hard I might add.

Big Mac and Applebloom went to town to get some seeds to replace the trees I... err... "Cleared." Applejack and I stayed behind to clear up the lumber.

"Ya' know, yer mighty strong fer somepony yer size," she said as we cleared up the last tree and got the apples off. No use wasting the apples.

"You're not so weak yourself."

She smiled when I said this. "Thank ya' fer helpin' me with this."

"Ah, it's no problem. I'm usually making trouble for everypony that I meet, so this is nothing new."

We threw the last tree on top of the pile before we headed to the farm house on the property. She led me up to her room, a simple, cliche farm room, and stood by her bed. I remained by the door.

"So, Crossback, about that riddle ya' gave Twilight..."

"I'm not going to give you the answer."

"Come on, Hun. Please?"

I lifted my hoof and drew it across my mouth. "My lips are sealed."

She grinned cockily when I said that. "Well, if tha's the case." She ran over to me and put her lips on mine. This surprised me the most because Applejack didn't seem like the kind of mare that would, shall we say, "kiss on the first date."

After a while, we broke apart and looked into each others eyes. "Applejack..."

She put her hoof to my mouth. "Ah thought yer lips were sealed."

I smiled as she pointed this out. "Okay, you got me. I'll tell you the answer, but you have to swear to me that you'll keep it to yourself."

She nodded and turned her ear to me. But when I whispered the answer, she gasped and took several steps back. "Y-Yer lyin'."

I bowed and shook my head. "I'm afraid not But now you know why I'm worried. My siblings are like Fluttershy when compared to the oncoming storm."

Chapter Complete. I think that the answer is pretty obvious so I'm going to tell you know. The name of Crossback's parents...

Will be revealed later. HA HA! I had you going there. Anyway, R&R for me.