On the Day of Rath’Gor’s Defeat

Baen sat down with a wide smile on his face as Lucretcia bounced about as happy as a school filly. He had arrived in the Place Between to deliver the news of his victory, but as usual, the mare knew before he spoke.

“This is fantastic! You’ve truly grown stronger since we last met,” all four of Lucretcia’s legs were wrapped around Baen in death hug of happiness.

Baen grunted, “Well. I aim to please.”

Lucretcia sat beside him and was still smiling, though it had shrunk slightly, “You realize you got lucky right? If it had been any of the others or the window of opportunity had expired….”

“I’m well aware Lucretcia,” he smiled soothingly but like hers, his smile shrunk, “I am curious, why haven’t the others come to see me?”

Lucretcia rubbed the back of her head, “Well they want to….they just…”

“Can’t work up the courage?”

Lucretcia laughed, “Exactly.”

Baen nodded as he glanced to the side, “Well it seems I have to go, I have a victory party to attend.”

Lucretcia smiled and gave him a short hug, “Be well.”

Soon the realm vanished for the two and the day proceeded.

*

Present Day

Applejack was busy. Well granted she was busy fifty percent of the time out of her day, but today she was doing something that would surprise anypony. Applejack, the hard working farm pony, was building a model. She was never one for bragging, but if you asked her about wagon models, she would be tempted to break this bragging oath of hers. At the moment, she was holding tweezers like a surgeon in her mouth as she went to place the last wheel of the wagon she was building in place. Then a frantic knocking on the door broke her concentration causing her to almost knock the whole wagon over.

“Oh for the love ah,” she snorted as she placed the tweezers down and walked out of her work room on the top floor, “Ahm comin, hold your,” she opened the door and stared in mild confusion at a flustered Twilight.

“Oh, howdy Twi,” her look became concerned, “What happened?”

Twilight glanced around making sure to cover something behind her, “Um…well. You see, let’s say a certain alicorn MIGHT have been testing some new spell theories and she MIGHT have over looked a few variables and…”

Applejack raised a hoof, “Twi stop beatin round the bush, what’s the problem.”

Twilight lowered her head, “This is the problem.”

Twilight stepped aside and Applejack’s jaw dropped. Standing behind her glancing around in wonderment was a colt…but this colt was very familiar. His mane was wild looking and rose red, he had a light peach coat, and emerald green eyes. The only difference was that he had no scars.

“Twilight, am I starin at?”

“Yes.”

Applejack was still gawking at the colt Baen.

Colt Baen glanced at Applejack in surprise and stood behind Twilight shyly.

“What’s the matter with him?”

“Honestly I’m not sure,” Twilight gently scooted Baen out from behind her with her wing, “when he turned out like this…it’s like his memories were also aged back. He doesn’t know who I am or where he is.”

Baen stared at Applejack for a long while as Twilight continued her explanation, “In all honesty here, he spell should where off in about a day or so…”

Applejack rasied an eyebrow, “And the reason you brought him here is?”

Twilight smiled sheepishly and kicked the ground, “Well….I was wondering if you could…”

“MOTHER!”

Applejack was jostled slightly as Baen plastered himself to her chest with all four hooves wrapped around her as best he could.

Applejack was at a loss for words, “M-mother?! Whoa there sugar,” she gently pried Baen off her, “Ah’m not yer….,” then she saw it.

Baen’s eyes were wide with wonder and were a glow with childlike warmth and love.

Applejack shook her head and gently placed Baen on the ground…only for him to wrap around her foreleg and nuzzle it, “So ya want me to keep an eye on the little warrior until he grows back up into his big warrior self?”

Twilight giggled at the affection her friend was receiving, “If you wouldn’t mind. But I don’t think I’ll have to worry,” she gently prodded the barbarian, “Baen, you be good alright?”

“I’ll be good Plum Mare.”

Twilight shook her head at the nickname, “Make sure he dosen’t….well.”

“Do Baen things?”

Twilight nodded, “Exactly.”

As Applejack turned to leave she stopped, “By the way, how’s the castle looking?”

“It’s…better,” Twilight grumbled as she flew off.

Applejack glanced down after waving to her departing friend, and gave a half smirk, “Yer really an affectionate ain’t ya?”

Baen smiled up at Applejack with a squee.

Applejack smiled warmly at the colt and gently pulled him from her leg and placed him on her back before trotting into the house. As she passed the kitchen, the mild sound of somepony choking on food alerted her to something. Glancing over, Big Mac was staring bug eyed at his sister and the colt on her back.

“AJ…,” he asked slowly, “who’s that?”

“Oh,” Applejack gestured to Baen, “this is Baen-“

“AH KNEW IT!”

Applejack was surprised at the outburst as Baen slipped from her back and landed on the ground on all fours, “Ah knew that red maned stallion was after mares since the first moment ah saw him eyeing you. But to do this? Ah’m goin to that house of his to give him a piece of my mind.”

Applejack stood in front of her brother, “Whoa there big bro! Firstly, ya know ah’m not that easy a mare to get at, and second,” she gestured to a staring Baen, “that IS Baen. Twilight just zapped him into a colt by accident.”

Big Mac glanced at Baen in confusion, “Ya know…he’s kinda adorable like this…”

“Ah know right?”

Baen then hugged Big Mac’s neck, “Father!”

Big Mac snorted in surprise at the sudden glomp, “Uh….”

Applejack playfully poked her brother, “Looks like he likes ya.”

Big Mac gently pried the barbarian off, “Eeyup.”

Applejack stifled a laugh as the front door opened to reveal Applebloom, “Ahm home and….what’s everypony doin?”

Big Mac placed Baen on the ground as Applejack gestured to him, “Applebloom, you remember Baen right?”

Applebloom stared in disbelief, “Mr Baen?”

Baen blushed and kicked the floor as he was stared at and shyly hid behind Applejacks leg.

“Careful Applebloom,” Applejack chuckled, “He might not look it, but he’s a hugger. Twilight kind of had an accident and she shrank him to a colt, so ahm gonna watch him for the day until the spell wears off.”

Applebloom’s face lit up instantly and ran to Baen as she hugged him, “This is so great! It’s like ah have a little brother!”

Baen squeaked in surprise but hugged her back.

Big Mac shook his head with a smile, “That stallion.”

Applejack nodded but then an idea sparked in her head, “Say Baen,” the barbarian looked at her, “you wanna go play with Applebloom for a while….mother and father gotta go get some work done.”

Baen looked at Applebloom, “Do you have any qualms?”

Applebloom thought for a moment, “Ah don’t know what qualms mean, but ah don’t mind in the least, cmon! Me and the girls were gonna go crusading today!”

Baen smiled and was about to follow the departing Applebloom, but stopped and turned back to Applejack. He then trotted over to her and bounced up…and kissed her cheek.

“Thank you mother! I’ll be back!”

The colt then ran out the door with Applejack rubbing her cheek with a warm smile, Big Mac however had a frown on his face.

“Oh come on big bro,” she nudged him, “he’s a colt.”

Big Mac’s frown deepened, “Eeyup…”

*

Applebloom stared a Scootaloo in disbelief, “Are you serious?!”

Scootaloo crossed her front legs, “As the cutie pox. We agreed as a sub rule that we wouldn’t have any boys in the CMC until we were older…or at least one of us got a cutiemark. Besides that pony got us in trouble remember?”

Sweetie Belle giggled as Baen drew some pictures nearby, “I don’t know Scoots. He seems a little…nicer? Plus remember, he’s the only pony we know who’s as old as Rarity and doesn’t have a cutie mark yet.”

“Exactly,” Applebloom exclaimed as she pointed to Baen, “plus! He qualifies, he’s a colt our age and doesn’t have a cutiemark and,” she whispered to her friend, “Imagine if we helped him get his cutiemark at this age? We’d be….um…”

“Miracle workers,” Sweetie added.

“Yeah!”

Scootaloo sat stone faced and rubbed her chin, “Hm….I don’t know. Does he have what it takes? We crusaders are the toughest of the tough after all.”

Applebloom stared at her deadpanned, “Didn’t ya see him bring that big red monster thing down two weeks ago?”

“Point taken,” Scootaloo looked over at Baen, “Yo Baen! You’re in!”

Baen hopped up, “Yay!”

Sweetie trotted over to the drawing he had and looked at it and smiled widely, “Girls! I think we just found what we can do today!”

The CMC walked over to the drawing and gazed at it in wonder as Scootaloo pumped her front leg, “Aw yeah! This is gonna rock!”

*

It had been a good few hours and the sun was setting and Applejack was starting to get a little worried. She hadn’t seen head or tail off Baen or her sister…that usually was a bad sign. Making her way down to the CMC clubhouse, she halted when she saw something poking a bit over the tree line. Running to it, she skidded to a halt and stared on in utter surprise. Somehow, beside the girl’s clubhouse, a massive fort of wood had been constructed. Applejack had to admit, it was pretty impressive.

“Hello up there!”

The familiar head of Applebloom popped out, “Heya sis! Like the fort?”

Applejack gave the front door an experimental tap, “It’s pretty solid, how in the hay didja make this?”

Sweetie Belle joined Applebloom, “Oh, we just used some scrap wood and stuff no big deal.”

Scootaloo was hoisting a flag that bore their crest, “Yeah it’s super awesome!”

Applejack tilted her head, “But where’s Baen at?”

Applebloom’s eyes brightened, “Oh, he’s coming down. Ah told him you were coming.”

Applejack shook her head, “Sheesh, even as a colt he’s trouble.”

“I am no colt, I am Baen The Barbarian!”

The front door to the fort opened to reveal colt Baen dressed in a cardboard version of his armor and axe, “Roar! Who dares trespass upon our fort?”

Applejack chuckled then got close to the ground and mock growled, “I am the great conqueror Applejack, and ah’ve come to eat you all!”

The CMC squealed in mock fear as Sweetie Belle yelled, “Baen the Barbarian, defend us!”

Applejack mock lunged at Baen only for him to hit AJ in the chest with his cardboard axe.

Applejack gagged and stood on her hind legs as she whirled to and fro, “ARG! Ah’ve been slain! Curse ya Baen and yer strength!”

AJ then keeled over and her back leg twitched. Baen and the CMC howled in victory only for AJ to leap on Baen and pin him down.

“AH!! SHE’S GOT ME!”

All laughed until they went inside for dinner.

*

That night, Applejack placed Baen in the guest room and smiled as he curled up in a ball and fell fast asleep. Walking to her room, she curled into her own bed and started to drift off to sleep until she heard a pair of hoof steps enter her room. Looking over, she gazed at the colt Baen who looked at her pleadingly.

“Come on up here sugarcube.”

Baen squeed and hopped up, settling himself in between Applejack’s forelegs, both ponies then drifted off to sleep.

*

The next morning AJ’s, ears flicked as she heard deeper breathing in front of her. Opening her eyes, she saw that she was hugging a now full grown Baen who was staring sleepily at her with a small smile. Her face became as red as an apple as he kissed her cheek. Climbing out of bed, he looked at the still frozen mare and smiled.

“Thanks for a good day, Mother.”

Applejack couldn’t help but give a small smile as Baen went down the hall.

“Big Mac, how many times do ah got to tell ya to trot quietly in the mor- Well hello there. Shoot, they sure grow em big these days!”

Baen squeaked and then yelled, “WHERE IS MY ARMOR!?! WHY AM I WITHOUT IT IN THE FIRST PLACE!”

A series of rushed hoof steps met AJ’s ears as Granny Smith hobbled past her door, “You youngings get all the good ones, sometimes ah wish I was as young as ya’ll.”

Applejack face hoofed.

Author's Notes:

Just a small daw chapter I made, if it seems rushed, I apologise. Not sure if I made Baen daw-inducing though