Chapter 21: A Friendly Challenge

Hope: Day 4
Nightfall: Day 18

Hope’s POV

It hadn’t been long since me and Fluttershy had left our house, and began our small journey.

After a but of a walk. We came across an old looking barn, in Sweet Apple Acres, which we believe must be the Apple Family Bar itself. So I asked, “Are you sure this is the place? Looks like a regular old barn to me.”

Not looking sure as I was. She replied, “Well, this is where Applejack told me it would be.”

As I came to a decision, I decided to continue journeying towards the barn. With Shy quickly following, I said, “Might as well check it out.”

Just outside. We heard a large clap-like sound, followed by cheers inside. Next we heard a female voice shouting, which I’m sure was Applejack herself, “Who’s next!?”

If I’m not mistaken, that was the impact of pool balls. Hope I wasn’t wrong. I’m just dying for something fun to do.

The door was just a regular barn door. But as soon as we entered, you wouldn’t think there was a bar inside.

Looking around the place. There were ponies seated on some hay at a bar table, taking small sips of their drinks now and again while joining in each others conversation.

“How ya doin’ partners? Glad ya both decided to come Fluttershy. I was startin’ to worry that ya wouldn’t come at all.”

Looking towards the source of the voice. We found Applejack, standing there, holding a pool cue with her right hoof to her chest. This was actually quite unexpected for me as I didn’t think ponies could play pool.

I quickly responded, while getting excited, “Wow, didn’t know you own a bar Applejack.”

She explained, “We had been open for about a month now sugar cube. Although, things haven’ been good tonight without my rival.”

I asked, “Let me guess. It’s Rainbow Dash right?”

Taking a sigh while looking down in disappointment, she replied, “Yea…”

To cheer us up a bit. She brought her head back up and offered, “Anyway, y’all want a drink?”

Fluttershy answered, “Please. If ya don’t mind.”

As me and Shy found a small stack of hay to sit on at the bar, AJ went behind it. There her big brother, Big Macintosh, was on the other side preparing something. What I would guess, was some sort kind of fruit juice. AJ then offered, “Say, I’ll give ya both a free drink for ya first visit.”

Fluttershy examined the blackboard menu on the wall, written in choke, “Thank you Applejack. Could I have a Lemon and Apple flavour please?”

Not sure what would be good to try first. So I asked, “I’ll have the same please.”

AJ called to her bro, while she went to prepare the apples for us, “Hey bro, we need lemon.”

It didn’t take ten seconds for them to mix the drinks. Once AJ given them us, Shy said her appreciation, “Thank you.”

I showed my appreciation, “Thanks AJ.”

She replied, “Hey, it’s nothin’.”

Applejack went in thought for a moment and then suggested, “I got a good deal for ya Hope.”

While I just finished taking a sip of my drink, I asked, “What is it?”

She explained, with a challenging grin, “Say, why don’t you and I have a one-and-one game. Like I said, it’s been boring tonight. Besides, me and Rainbow play nearly every night. But nopony else here can match us. If you win, I’ll give you a full bottle of ice-cold Apple Family Cider.”

Not refusing such a challenge, I replied, “You’re on. But what if you win?”

She replied, “Eh I need nothin’. Just a challenger will do for me.”

I then said to Shy, “Looks like tonight is going to be fun. You wanna watch?”

Getting excited, she replied, “Sure…”

As soon as AJ had set up the table, we were ready to begin. Many pony folk crowded around us, excited to see if I could own AJ. Or probably, seeing how badly she’s going to own me. Like that’s going to happen.

Just before we were about to start, two ponies had just entered the bar. Turning my attention to them for a moment, I found that it was Trixie and Twilight.

I started to wonder where that bucking bug was, unless…

Applejack then snapped me out of my thoughts, “Ready partner?”

Picking up the cue at the side of the wall, while feeling pretty confident, I answered, “Yep.”

Being such a gentlecolt, I offered, “I let you break.”

She replied, “Well, if ya insist.”

As she broke the triangle of balls, she successfully pot two yellows at the break. The thing that surprised me was how ponies managed to play. She balanced the cue with her hoof and used her teeth to grip the other end of it.

It was then followed by three more yellows straight. I then realised that I was in for a thrashing, if I don’t focus here.

I knew that I had to play it safe. But when I looked at the layout, I had a good setup that can allow me to quickly catch up.

I had managed to catch up after I had pot four reds. Sadly though, I missed my fifth one. But I managed to leave the white in a safe position.

Getting over confident. She commented, “This is where your beatin’ truly begins.”

I knew if she gets over confident, she was going to slip up badly and how right I was. As soon as she reached the black ball, she slipped up that set me up to finish my last three reds. Which I managed to do.

This is where it got too intense. With everypony crowding around us, in the room, it was so quiet that ya could only hear the wind blowing outside. As I took a deep breath, some male pony shouted out, “Hey, hurry up!”

Everypony looked towards the source of the voice. Not very surprised, I found that it was Cocoon who was sat at the side of Twilight.

Partly annoyed. The lavender unicorn instructed him, “Shhh. Quiet! They are trying to focus.”

Then some other tough male earth-pony shouted out loud, “Hey a changeling!”

Cocoon snorted, while not paying much notice, “That is just plain rude…”

Starting to lose my cool, I protested, “Do you two mind, we are trying to play.”

Getting wound up himself. The male pony protested back, “Hey fur ball, you know what that thing is don’t you!?”

Cocoon snickered quietly from after hearing the insult I got. Trying to stay calm for Fluttershy’s sake, I replied, “Yes and I don’t approve about them. Now be quiet please.”

I then took another breather. But I had the idea that a possible fight was about to erupt any second, with that pony being around.

I was about to lean down and take my shot again, until that pony said, “Don‘t you know that those things are trouble?”

Getting annoyed. AJ decided to blast him, “Oh darn it. Nopony talks to my friends like that. If you don’t shut the tar-nation up, I’ll have to ask ya to leave.”

Big Macintosh, taking notice of the conversation behind the bar, agreed, “Eeyep.”

Getting worried about getting hoofed out by the Apple Family. He carried on his protest, nervously, “But you know those things are nothing but trouble right?”

Hoping to clam the situation, Twilight spoke, “That is precisely why I’m with him.”

While Cocoon was taking sip of his drink. The male pony replied, “Fine, but I am not taking responsibility for this.”

Now that the scene had been taken care of, I turned my attention back to the game. I started to get nervous, so I took another deep breath and took my shot.

The black ball slowly reached the pocket and stopped at the very edge… until it fell in the pocket a moment later, with the white ball still resting on the table.

Everypony in the room cheered, well almost everypony, except Cocoon. Fluttershy flew up to me, but avoided knocking me over again and gave me a kiss on the cheek. She then shouted out, “You did it!”

AJ admitted, “I got to hoof it to ya. You’re a great player, Hope.”

I replied, while putting Shy back on the ground, “Thanks Applejack.”

Applejack then went behind the bar and came back with a bottle. She then congratulated me as she handed me the prize, “Here ya go Hope, as promised.”

As I took the bottle from her mouth. I showed my appreciation, “Thanks Applejack. But I think I’ll give it to Rainbow Dash, as a way of apologising, for yesterday. Just having a great time was good enough for me.”

She replied, “Hey no problem. Hope ya don’t mind me havin’ a rematch with ya and…”

She then came closer to me and whispered, “Don’t go tellin’ Rainbow Dash that ya beat me, alright?”

I ensured her, “Don’t worry, I won’t.”

As everypony went back to doing their thing, me and Shy went to the bar table where Cocoon and Twilight are sat. Twi then said happily, “Congratulations on beating Applejack, Hope. Only Rainbow has managed to beat her.”

I replied, “Thanks Twilight. But it could have gone either way though.”

Noticing that Trixie wasn’t around, so I asked, “Hey, where’s Trixie?”

Twilight replied, “Um well-”

The changeling interrupted, “Ha ha, she was me. And by the way… sorry for this morning.”

Not believing what me and Twilight had just heard. We both looked towards the changeling and asked in sync, “What?”

Pretending like he didn’t say anything. He replied, “Nothing…”

Well, I never thought I would become friends with a changeling. But regardless, I still don’t fully trust them. I don’t think I’ll ever will. I need to have a word with Shining Armor about this, to see what he thinks.

With it starting to get quiet between us. I decided to ask Twi, “So, how is the real Trixie doing?”

The lavender unicorn replied, “She’s a lot better, but she’s still tired though. She should be okay tomorrow. Spike is at the library looking after her…”

As our night out was coming to a close. We decided that we should probably call it a night. It had been a bit of a walk this morning, shopping with Fluttershy and walking to and from AJ’s bar. I’m just glad that a fight didn’t start on our first night out.

When we arrived home, we were both tired out so we decided to call it a night. As Shy put her saddle bag away, I put the prize cider on a nearby table.

Then, totally unexpectedly, we found that the cheeky little bunny was sound asleep on the chair… with a girlfriend. I just hope that they don’t plan on having hundreds of kids. Shy, who was stood at the side of me, whispered, “Awww, looks like he’s found a mate.”

Shy then got a towel and carefully covered them, while being careful not to wake them.

As we headed up stairs, I started to think. Everything that has happened so far, it has gone so fast. Could it be that time goes quicker in this world? It’s my fourth day being here, isn’t it? I arrived at night and slept here. Then, on my first proper day, we checked out a mansion together where we found Trixie living all by herself.

The second day, I got my transformation. Rainbow flirted with me and I found out that Nightfall was really my best friend back from Earth.

The third day, I ran away because of my fears of losing Shy. This ended up with us facing the Hydra itself, in the Everfree Forest.

The fourth day, I wake up in hospital and had a fought with a changeling. Then, we had tea with Pinkie. And now, we just had a drink at AJ’s bar. It is a different adventure every day…

As I came back to my senses, me and Shy had just gotten under the covers. She then took the flower out of her mane and put it in a nearby vase and says, “You know, this is the fourth night you been here right?”

I yawned and then gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Finding it difficult to keep my eyes open after a hard day, I replied, “I was just thinking same. Anyway, good night my love.”

She yawned cutely herself and then we cuddled under the covers, as we let sleep take us.