Welcome to Ponyville, Aru
I do not own Hetalia or My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Heya! No world history, no romance between two worlds, no profanity. This story focuses more on the characters themselves.
I am very well aware that it's been more then half a year since the last chapter. This story was originally not going to happen, but I see that people like it. I won't give myself due dates, but I will try avoiding several months to put up a new chapter. I won't make any promises though, since time limits never go over well for me. (Thanks to ViceVersa for that little burst of confidence and inspiration.)
Chapter 3 Summary: Rarity brings China to Princess Twilight's crystal tree "castle." After learning more about China, the two ponies meet with Princess Twilight Sparkle to see if she could help the stallion with his problem, who is unfortunately so absorbed in her duties that she neglects her friends. After leaving and much rambling, Rarity suggests Yao to meet Applejack.
On Earth, the countries worry about the whereabouts of both China and Russia. They form teams to search for the two missing countries.
Chapter 4 - Generous, Honesty
There was a wave of fresh, apple and earthy scent. It was a sweet smell, but it was slightly overwhelming for China. Scents seemed to be stronger in his new pony form, but he had adapted to the fresh air, which seemingly held up a slight force of power. It was tingly on what skin was not covered by fur. It's definitely not something that he's ever felt before. It was only until he relaxed that he could feel it, for the force was very faint. It was almost impossible to describe it other than the details he just came up with.
It was a case that stuck in the back of his head since he met the princess of Ponyville, but it was so faded that he forgot about it until now. He should look into this matter later when he has any free time.
But back on the case of apples, Rarity guided China through rows and rows of apple trees. There were probably thousands of trees here. Every single apple held a beautiful, vibrant color. They almost looked too artificial, but then again, everything in this world looked artificial and fake. Red apples, yellow apples, green apples, leaves... they all surrounded him for what seemed like miles.
Off in the distance he saw a large barn that had fences surrounding its exterior. A wave of feces scent hit him suddenly in the face, and the smell made both ponies flinch in disgust. It smelled like Fluttershy's yard but about forty times worse. It was such a huge contrast to the smell of the apple trees, which caused China's nose to sting for little while. The two ponies took a step back and clutched their noses.
"Aheh... perhaps we should see if Applejack or Big Macintosh are out in the field," Rarity suggested, sounding slightly congested. China nodded without a word.
Yes, they were finally back into the sweet air! How could anyone live here? The two ponies fell silent as they stopped to gather their bearings. A thud could be heard from their left, followed by a series of quiet pattering. Yao looked at Rarity in confusion. Taking the hint, Rarity smiled and explained,
"Ah, that's probably one of them. He or she must be apple bucking right now. You know, kicking the trees to knock the apples down."
"Um, oh..."
Yao was new to that concept. People picked apples, not made them fall to the ground. Isn't that just going to bruise all of the fruit?
"Come along, China! Let's go meet him! Or her!" Rarity began to trot towards the sound. Unable to say anything, Yao followed close behind.
As they neared the source of the noise, Rarity was wondering why China was hardly saying anything. He wasn't shy, was he? On the contrary, China was wondering why Rarity was so darn talkative. Maybe it was the absence of stallions that gave him that bit of bitter feeling. Girls were so fussy! He needed some manly space.
Up ahead, he could make out a small orange pony wearing a brown hat. She stood on her two front hooves and kicked the tree behind her, which explained where the sounds were coming from. China was disappointed that all he found was another girl.
"Applejack! Hello!" Rarity called out as we trotted closer. The orange mare wiped the sweat off her forehead with her right forehoof.
"Howdy, Rarity. Phoo-eey! Today sure is a hot one, ain't it?" the orange pony said with the same accent as the filly he met at the marketplace.
"Hm, I suppose it is a bit warmer than the last few days. How's the farm holding up, dear?"
"Ah. The farm is doin' quite dandy. There's a great crop goin' at the moment. Big Mac's all the way out in the south field at the other end." Applejack smiled at the pegasus that waited patiently for the two to finish talking. "So who's this new pegasus guy?" She eyed Yao's saddlebags. "Ya must've been ta our apple stand in town, Ah see."
"Oh yes, this is China, and if you can, try to refrain from asking where he came from. It's quite a long story, and I'd rather tell you and Rainbow Dash at the same time." The farm pony laughed and tipped her hat to China.
"Well, Ah'll be waitin' fer that. Welcome ta Ponyville, sir! Ah'm Applejack. Pleasure ta meet yer acquaintence. Ye're welcome anytime on our farm here." She tapped the ground two times. "Why don't we go meet mah brother?" Before Rarity could say anything, he didn't waste a moment to say yes.
"Of course, aru! I want to meet the only guy that can ever be found in this danged pony world! Aru." The two mares grinned in amusement.
"Hahaha! Well, not a moment ta lose, then. Follow me!"
The three of them trotted briskly down the hill and up another hill. As they reached the top, the extent of the whole farm was revealed to him. He couldn't see an end to the field of trees. How many ponies ran this farm, anyway? There must have been at least ten ponies or more. Off in the distance, Yao spotted a little red figure of a pony carrying along a cart with several containers of some sort. It was hard to tell from this spot. Looking over the rest of the field, he noticed a few figures all the way on the opposite side.
The red pony ahead started walking towards the trio, apparently noticing that they were headed toward him, and they met halfway.
"Heya, Big Mac! I jus' wanted ta intr'duce you ta China here. He just arrived in Ponyville today," Applejack explained.
"Eeyup," the big colt said.
"Hello. You're name is Big Mac?" China asked.
"Eeyup. Full name is Big Macintosh." The two hoof bumped.
"It's nice to meet you, Big Macintosh. I'm hoping we can get to know each other better since everyone in this population appears to be female. It's a huge relief to meet a guy."
"Eeyup!" he said with a somewhat amused tone.
Waiting for Big Mac to speak up to say more, they all stood awkwardly in silence before one of the girls decided to break the silence.
"Well, then, I guess we can continue on our way. Thank you for introducing China for me, Applejack. You will be at the party tonight won't you? Both of you?" Rarity asked.
"Oh yeah, almost fergot 'bout that. You sure it's alright to say that out loud?" Applejack asked, glancing at the pegasus on Rarity's right.
"Oh, it doesn't matter." Rarity leaned toward her ear and whispered, "He's already heard about a party, but he doesn't know what it's for, yet." Rarity moved her head back, and both mares giggled.
"Haha! Well, if ya say so, sugarcube." Applejack tipped her hat. "Well, if ya'll are headin' back to town, Ah might as well get back to work. See ya later, Rare!" She looked up to the sky and paused. "Whoa, nelly! The day must have gone by really fast, or somethin'. It looks like it won't be long until we meet up again at Sugarcube Corner!"
Automatically, everyone looked up to the sky the same way. China could see a hint of orange among the blue. He also noticed that the whole sky was bare of any clouds. That blue pegasus from earlier and her co-workers must have been the reason why the clouds were all gone.
"We'll be on our way, then. We'll let you finish your work so you can make it in time for the party. Goodbye, Applejack!"
"Don'tcha worry none. Ah'll jus' call some of mah work hands over ta get mah load done sooner. See ya later!" The two farm ponies went their separate ways in the farm while Rarity and China headed for the farm's entrance.
While on the trail leading back to Ponyville, he noticed a structure he missed seeing earlier. It was a small barn that had a bell above its door and a playground to the side. It was probably a school; China suddenly wondered what ponies did to write. Did they use their mouths or hold the pencils with their two forehooves?
Rarity was humming softly. She was a little farther ahead of him so that China could just follow her wherever she went. Apparently everyone already knew about this party that Pinkie Pie was throwing, and China couldn't help but stress out a bit about this secret that Applejack had hinted back at the farm. If everyone knew about the party and he didn't, that gave him a bit of suspicion that it was a surprise party... But how does everyone already know? There was obviously something that they didn't want him to know. Just to see if he could get answers or confirmation, he asked Rarity about it.
"So there is party coming soon? What is it about, aru?" Rarity pretended not to have heard him as she kept on humming. "Rarity? Hello?" Rarity was feeling bad for leaving him in the dust, but she felt nervous that spoiling the surprise would hurt Pinkie's feelings.
She supposed it wasn't really a big deal, but Pinkie was always serious about her parties. Remembering about Pinkie's last birthday party, Rarity thought that maybe she was a bit TOO serious about her parties. The very thought of the dark side that Pinkie possessed gave her a shudder. Rainbow had told her about Pinkie's mental breakdown, which was definitely hard to imagine.
Rarity squeaked in surprise when two dark brown eyes suddenly filled her vision, causing her to flinch and stop walking. She looked up to see that the red colt had flown above her and placed his face in front of hers, making her jump backwards when she noticed how close their muzzles were to each other.
"That was nice song you were humming, but are you going to answer de question I asked about three times, aru?" China asked.
"Oh, um," Rarity started, "sorry, what was your question?" Oh well, so much for avoiding disappointing him.
"What is that party you keep mentioning about, aru? I would appreciate if you stopped keeping that as secret, aru."
"Ah, well... I suppose you will just have to find out when we get there," Rarity said, trying to not spoil the surprise to the best of her ability. Suddenly, it finally clicked in the pegasus's head.
"Hahaha! You girls are so predictable! It must be surprise party for me, isn't it, aru? That must be why everyone already knows; it is welcome party, and Pinkie throws one whenever someone new arrives! Case solved." China figured he could finally die in peace.
"Um, actually, it is... uh, I'm not quite sure! Heheheh... Pinkie is just throwing a surprise party for everypony just for fun, maybe! Hahah..."
"You're terrible at lying, you know," China chortled. "Otherwise, Applejack wouldn't know about it! Actually, you wouldn't know about it, either, aru." Rarity stepped back a bit when China dropped down his forehooves to let them droop, almost hitting her face.
"Ahah... well..." Rarity sighed and shrugged. "I suppose it's all right. Just pretend you don't know about it, ok? Pinkie Pie would hate to know that you weren't very surprised. If you didn't act surprised, she would probably be watching your tail the rest of the night until she figures out how to get the proper reaction out of you that was meant for a surprise party." China chuckled.
"I will take your word for it." China gently landed next to the unicorn. "So, I haven't eaten anything since I got here. Is there place for me to eat food? Oh wait," China frowned, "I have no money to buy anything, aru. These fruits in my saddlebag were just given out free."
"Oh, are you hungry? I'll be happy to treat you to your first ever Equestrian meal as a pony! I admit that Ponyville is a little gaudy for a fancy restaurant, but there are some decent places we can try out."
"You mean you will buy me food?"
"Of course, darling! Unless you find a job that earns you proper pay, I'll be fully willing to pay for your expenses for the whole duration of your stay here in Equestria." China bowed his head toward her.
"Thank you so much!" He looked at her and smiled brightly. It almost seemed to Rarity that plants were blooming and growing behind his head in the background, which was enveloped in a happy yellow glow. "I have to repay you back! When I have good materials, I will give to you, too, aru!"
"Oh no, you really don't need to do that! It is my pleasure to help you out. I never really expect anything in return, so don't feel like it's necessary to repay me." China grinned.
"Ok. Thanks for your generosity, aru!"
"Of course! Now, where shall we go for lunch, hm?" Rarity surveyed the town. "Twilight likes that hayburger shop... well, but that one always has the best smoothies!" She made a ladylike groan, if that's even possible. "Then again, if you don't want fast food, that restaurant has a wonderful salad bar. If you don't want that either, then we can always just go over to my place, and I can cook up something real quickly."
"Um, I've never tried eating hay before..."
"If you want to try a hayburger, let's waste no time!" She said and began to trot in one direction. China followed close to her side.
"Ok, aru!"
Pinkie zipped back to Sugarcube Corner with a large box of confetti and streamers. She took out the big gun, refilled it, then the cannon was fired, quickly covering the entire shop in a red, yellow, pink, and blue color pallette of decorations. The tableclothes were red, the balloons were the usual yellow, pink, and blue, and long streamers lined the ceiling and walls.
"Oh, Pinkie, I heard your party cannon go off. Planning another party?" a blue mare holding a bag of flour on her head asked.
"Yessiree, Mrs. Cake! We're celebrating China's first day in Ponyville! I want to give him the bestest, superest, funnest, Pinkiest welcome party he can ever have! It's going to be splenderific!" Pinkie shouted, ending with an excited jump.
"Hahah, none of those adjectives are real words, Pinkie Pie. Anywho, it sounds like you have something really special planned out today. You don't usually use red tablecloths unless it's for Hearts and Hooves Day," she said, looking out at the all ready-decorated shop.
"Don't you know it! I just met China today! I don't think he really likes me all that much at the moment, but we'll become great friends at the party!"
"Well, I'm certain he will warm up to you. Since when did anypony not become Pinkie's friend? Ahahahah!" Mrs. Cake trotted back happily to the kitchen. Pinkie Pie hopped around the room in circles.
"Wee hee! China's going to have so much fun! Only about half an hour left until the party!" She looked outside the window of the shop. Pinkie spotted several figures heading in her direction. "Mrs. Cake, the crowd is coming, the crowd is coming!" Pinkie yelled excitedly.
Yao looked at the strange sandwich before him. It was like the hamburgers that America was always eating but... filled with hay. No meat could be found, which indicated that Ponyville was clearly vegetarian. It made sense.
China picked up the hayburger in his two hooves, which were shaking but slowly bringing the sandwich to his face. This felt terribly difficult, and he was worried about dropping it. Rarity was watching him silently perform his action, slightly amused and pitying of the poor human-stallion across the table.
"Ahem, you need a little help there with that, China?" she asked. The pegasus's eyebrows were scrunched, and his mouth was open, waiting to take a bite of the hayburger. He didn't glance up.
"No, I can do this..." he grumbled. Rarity blinked and took a bite of her magically levitating hayburger. She continued to watch China struggle with his new hooves.
Yao balanced the hayburger carefully. When he felt that it was secure, he leaned his longer horse neck forward, bringing his face to the food. Unfortunately, he forgot about his long pony face, and the sandwich was bumped out of his hooves, landing on the table and scattering its contents. China's ponytail shot up its single hair curl. He blinked twice. Rarity only giggled.
"Oh my. I guess you still haven't gotten used to that body yet, huh? Here." Rarity picked up one of his hayfries with her magic levitated it to China's mouth. "Haha! Open wide!" China's eyebrow lifted at this gesture, but he opened his mouth anyway, feeling the warm food touch his tongue.
He bit down cautiously. He chewed slowly, taking in the flavors of the formerly inedible straw. It was toasty and earthy. It tasted salted and fried, which actually didn't taste bad at all. His eyes widened in surprise.
"Wow, it doesn't taste too bad," he spoke with his mouth full.
"Hm. Do humans not eat hay? You seem like you've never seen it on a table." He shook his head, finally able to swallow.
"No, humans don't eat hay. It is food for horses and rabbits, aru. I think it also tastes bad, but I have never tried to eat it until now!"
"That IS quite fascinating, really. Then what DO you eat? Twilight never really mentioned what food they had at that mirror world," Rarity asked, taking a sip through a straw from some kind of soft drink.
"We eat all kinds of food! Bread, fruits, vegetables, dairy, candy, tea, alchohol, meat- oh, and of course we drink more than-"
Suddenly Rarity sprayed the contents of her drink from her mouth at the ground near China's feet- uh, hooves, and used her right hoof to cover her mouth not long after realizing what she was doing. China pulled his hooves back and tried to wipe off whatever liquid was touching him.
"Did you say you e-eat meat?" Rarity asked, surprised and slightly grossed out.
"Oh, yeah. I realize ponies are vegetarians. I'm sorry if my comment made you uncomfortable."
"No, no. It's quite all right! I was just... surprised, is all. I just haven't met a pony that eats meat." Rarity coughed lightly. "Em, sorry about your hooves. Don't worry, ParaSprite doesn't have any color, so it won't stain your coat."
China laughed while he attempted to pick up a napkin. A blue light enveloped the napkin and floated down to China's hooves and began scrubbing them lightly. Rarity smiled, her eyes as bright as her glowing horn.
The damp tissue dropped, however, as the light dissipated from the napkin. Rarity stood up from her seat suddenly and took up a tense stance while her her pupils shrinked.
"Oh my stars, I completely forgot; Pinkie's party!" Rarity pulled the stallion off of his seat by his tail, much to the latter's disdain as his rump was dragged along the rough ground. China's wings fluttered unhappily as he watched his hayfries and fallen hayburger shrink away slowly.
"No time to lose! We spent enough time dillydallying."
China groaned while he tried to pick himself up.
"Don't worry, there will be plenty more food at the party. I promise I will buy you some more hayfries in the future. For now, we musn't let everypony wait. Oh, I should probably pick up Sweetie Belle from school, first. She's off doing some strange thing over there with her little pegasus friend. I haven't seen them all day... oh my, I hope... I hope Cheerilee's all right. Oh no, wait; she's probably all ready at Sugarcube Corner." The unicorn sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. I just hope I don't see my sister covered in tree sap, mud, pine needles, grass, and bug limbs again. Then I would have to drag her to the bathtub with loud screeching ringing in my ears the whole evening." Rarity unconciously scratched her ear. "My, that would be dreadful. Imagine having to hear your little sister's screaming drown out everypony's words at the party. It has happened before once, actually. I had a headache by the time I left the building!"
China, who was unceremoniously lying down on the ground with his legs dangling as he was dragged down the street collecting dirt on his tail, grumbled to himself.
"I definitely like Fluttershy more than this pony. What was her name again? My brain's tolerance capacity has been overfilled with too much unnecessary blabbering. It has thrown out all the small, important thoughts so it could fit more of this random junk..." he mumbled quietly enough so his companion wouldn't hear. This was unnecessary though, since the sounds coming from the white unicorn's mouth continued on seemingly forever and was progressively getting louder.
Oh, how much he would pay to never have stepped foot into this town. Not that he could pay anything. He had no money. Oh, and his shopping saddlebags seemed to have abandoned him as well.
The tall man wearing clothes way too thick for the current temperature had no trouble getting around the city. The crowds of people in the streets parted away from him as if a king was taking a stroll; only, the people looked really sweaty when they did. And HE was the one wearing the scarf! Surely they've seen a really tall person walking down the road carrying a giant pickaxe and a pipe that looked like it had killed someone recently before, given away by the fact that there was red stained on the tip.
Yes, he realized that he should have gone back and told the others that he couldn't find anything, but Ivan decided that he would look for China by himself. For himself...
A few blocks away, a small, furry, black and white animal was sitting alone in a barred metal crate as if he was arrested for existing. First, his human disappeared. Second, a really tall male human scared it away when the male human picked up the weapon of his human's attacker. Third, he was lost in the streets of a foreign country and unrightfully abducted by several humans in matching uniforms then stuffed into this crate. Oh, if only he was bigger so he wouldn't be so easily defeated by mere human hands.
If only he was more menacing; he would have a chance to escape and find his human- lost, scared, and alone in the world... taken by an ugly goat-pony-bat-bear-lion-and-something-else monster.
Oh, if only he was bigger and more menacing...
A/N:
I couldn't find a good title for this chapter, so if you think of lyrics that would fit this chapter well, I am accepting suggestions!
If you have criticism, corrections, or compliments, feel free to review. I would appreciate it very much!
Uploaded 7/19/15