I let out a tired groan as I lay on the ground, panting rather heavily. That pony was insane with her workout. I was surprised I could even keep up...though I'm not sure I could even call it that. As I laid panting on the grass, a certain cyan mare gently floats down next to me before landing on her hooves, a satisfied grin on her muzzle.

"Well, that was a pretty good start, I must say. I'm surprised that you could keep up with me though." She said, looking me over curiously.

"When...you said...workout...I wasn't...expecting...this..." I replied, taking deep breaths between almost every word I said, still feeling rather out of breath.

"Oh, it wasn't that hard. I only made you do a fifth of what I do to start, just to see what you were capable of." She states. "And like I said, it's not that bad. Perhaps if you start moving more and staying in that library less, you may even become as active as me." She replies, a smirk on her face. I just roll my eyes as I finally start to focus on my own breath, slowly getting it back to a more steady pace as I looked around the place we were at. It was a rather open field a small ways away from the town where Rainbow brought me, out of the way where no one else would bother us by mistake. After a few moments of silent...or not so silent panting, I finally was able to speak in a more normal tone.

"You know...I would have thought that you would help me get in shape later...as in, when the snow melts?" I stated, gesturing around us to the snow that surrounded our small clear space.

She snorts at this, shaking her head. "No way, the snow isn't scheduled to melt for another two months, and I wasn't going to wait that long."

"Wait, scheduled?" I asked, curious.

She nods as she walks over to sit next to me her wings still out as if she was ready to fly at any moment, despite how much she used them already. "Yea, the Winter Wrap Up isn't for a while like I said, and we may even have some more snow coming as well before then. I'm not really sure, I'll have to double check to see if that is the case." She says, seeming to have missed what was causing me confusion.

"No, I mean, you schedule your snow and when it melts?" I asked, making my question a bit more clear.

"Oh, of course! Not only that, but we manage the rain, wind...just about all the weather really. I'm actually the one in charge of the weather here in Ponyville." She adds, smiling. "Why, is that strange to you?"

I give a small shrug, wincing as I felt slight pain through my shoulder. "Not really, and if it was, how would I know, I have amnesia, remember?" I said, chuckling at my own joke, Dash following suit.

"Heh, fair enough." She says, before falling silent as we just look around and take in our surroundings. When she first brought me out, I was curious as to what she had planned for me, since I didn't think it would be much with the snow around, but once again I was surprised, as she just quickly cleared a good four meter area of the snow, thus giving us a decent area to work out in. While she didn't make me do any sort of running or such things, what she did have me do was more movement and stationary things, such as things called pushups and crunches, and while the amount she made me do was nothing crazy...the number of times that I had to do them per 'rep' was tiring.

"I still think...that doing twenty of these reps with ten of each was...a bit much for my first time..." I stated, breaking the silence, thankful that the cool air of winter was able to prevent me from really overheating.

"No way, a little snow isn't gonna change anything for my workout rep, so I thought why make it different when helping you out." She states, smiling as she falls onto her back, forelegs behind her head a she looks at the clouds above. With her mentioning about her helping me, I fall silent once again, thinking over exactly why she was helping me. I mean, despite being here for a few days now...nearly ten days in fact, I was still rather new to the whole place, and it made me wonder...

"Drak, hello? Equis to Drak, you there?" I blinked as I realized that I kind of zoned out, and turned to look over at Rainbow who was giving me a worried look.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about something."

"Yea, what about?" She asked, curious.

I hesitate for a few moments as I think it over, debating if I should tell her what I was thinking, before with a small mental shrug, I just say, "About the workout really. Actually, about why you're helping me with it."

She looks at me with a raised eyebrow now, her head tilted to the side in confusion. "Helping you? What do you mean by that?"

"Well, I mean that...why? Why help me, or even offer to help me? We barely knew each other...hell, still barely know each other, and yet you offered to help me get in shape just like that." I said, snapping my fingers to add emphasize. "I just...I don't get it."

"Oh, that's all?" She says, chuckling, this time causing me to be the one to raise an eyebrow. "I offered cause you're a friend. Sure we just met only a few days ago, and yea you may be a completely knew species and entirely dangerous, but you haven't done anything dangerous to us yet. In fact, I do recall a certain human saving a pony from certain death from a basilisk." She says, giving me a wink, which just causes me to blush. "But besides that, my other friends trust you, and if they say you're nice and trustworthy, than why should I doubt them? I'm willing to lend a hoof to a pony...err, human in need if you so need it." She finishes, a smile on her face.

I blink in surprise. "Oh...I didn't think of it like that."

"Plus, you're friends with the Princesses! I mean, that is a double bonus in my book." She adds with a grin, causing me to blink, wondering how she knew about that. Almost as if she was reading my thoughts, she says, "Twilight told us all a few days ago. Actually, she told us a couple of days after the...party incident."

Nodding in understanding now, I remained silent as I thought over what she said, turning my head to face the sky again. It's true, I was a new and potentially dangerous being that just happened into their lives, and it was those things that made me think they would be more cautious of me, yet here is Rainbow, telling me that just cause of what I did doesn't mean she's going to judge me for how I look. After remaining silent for a few minutes, I turn to look at her yet again, a smile on my face. "Rainbow...I'm glad that you're my friend."

She just chuckles as she nods, waving a hoof at me. "Yea, no biggie. Like I said, if my friends trust you, than so will I...at least, until I catch you doing something really bad." She adds, both of us to laugh at this. Once the laughter died down, I blinked as I realized that I was staring Dash in the eyes, and not looking away, and she was doing the same. We both remained silent as I realized what was happening, but before she could say anything, I quickly turned my head, a rather large blush on my cheeks, yet an annoyed look on my face. Once again, I tried to look someone in the eyes, and even after I nearly got something, I just had to look away...

"You ok?" I heard her ask, causing me to look back at her, this time not bothering to try and look into her eyes.

I nod as I give an annoyed exhale. "Yea, just...miffed would be the right world I guess." I said, sitting up as I rubbed my head with my hands.

She too gets up into a sitting position as she looks back at me, slight concern in her voice as she asks, "Is it about the eye contact?" I blink as I look back at her with surprise, before she adds, "It's not really hard to miss, you keep avoiding making eye contact with...everypony really."

I sigh as I nod once again. "Yea, I just...can't seem to make eye contact with anyone, no matter how hard I try. it's like...something keeps pulling me aside from doing so, like I'm...uncomfortable with doing it. I...I'm still not sure exactly why either." I said, eyes closed as I think it over.

"You know, App...I mean, some of us were kind of worried about that as well. We thought you may have been lying about the whole amnesia thing." She admits, causing me to look at her in surprise. "What, you're the one who said you're new here, it's safe to be cautious just in case." Realizing that she was right, I nod as she continues. "Anyways, once Twilight explain the whole thing with the Princesses...well, we kind of threw the whole lying thing out the window. I mean, how else can you explain you not knowing them, yet they do."

I smiled a bit at this as I give a nod of agreement. "Yea, I have a feeling that I would know two ponies such as them if I didn't happen to have this damn amnesia."

We both fell silent once again as I looked out at the town in front of us, and I was starting to think of something else to talk about...when my stomach beat me to it, rumbling rather loudly and causing me to give a sheepish smile. Rainbow easily heard this and gave me a smirk as she stood up, stretching her limbs out. "Well, I think that's our cue to get some lunch. I hope you don't mind some apple fritters, cause I've been having a craving for them for a while now."

I give a nod as I too stand up, stretching my aching limbs, glad that they weren't nearly as sore as a few minutes ago. "Sounds fine with me. I'm assuming Applejack is selling them?" I asked.

She nods. "She sure is. Think you can walk over there on your own hooves?" She playfully taunts.

Laughing, I start to get up before giving a small stumble. Thankfully, I'm able to quickly catch my balance again as I look over at Rainbow, who was already flying right next to me. "I think I can manage." I say with a small smirk.

Dash just chuckles at this before flying off, leaving me to follow her at a small jog, giving a small wince with each step that I took. I'm going to be feeling this the next morning, that's for sure.

---

(Applejack POV)

I sigh as I lean against my post, feeling a bit tired. It was a slow day selling my fritters, and while most ponies would be lining up to at least buy one, there seemed to be a lack of them at this time, which just gave me time to think of things, such as...Drak.

Normally I would be fit as rain, but I didn't really get a lot of sleep last night cause my mind has been on him constantly, and in the most annoying way. Before it would have been a rather calming time, and I would be thinking about what I would do next at the farm, or even just something to keep me occupied, but the past couple of days my mind has only been on him. I just can't seem to get him, or the words that Granny told me, out of my darn head...

---

(FLASHBACK: TWO DAYS AGO)

"AJ, you there?"

I gave a small start, nearly dropping the pan in the process as I turn to look at the green pony. "Ah'm sorry, Granny Smith, I was just lost in thought." I tell her, turning to look at her. I was in the middle of making the newest batch of fritters when my grandma came in from outside, most likely making sure all the animals are doing ok.

She gives me a curious look before responding. "Now look here missy, I have raised you for your entire life here, and I know that look. Somethings on ya mind, and has been for the past several days." She says, causing me to look away sheepishly. "Now, spill the beans, what's up?"

I remain silent for a few moments before placing the pan on the table and turning to look at her. "Well...it has to do with the new pony. I mean, he's not really a pony, but-"

"Oh, you mean that hooman fella I've heard about?" She asks, rubbing her chin with a hoof. "Seems a bit strange, but if he saved some pony from a basilisk then he is ok in my books."

I give a small nod. "Yea...that one. Anyways, ah kind of...doubted that he was telling the truth about his current situation, but when the Princesses came over and explained that they know who he is and that Twilight told me his situation in more detail, ah kind of...realized that ah misjudged him."

Granny remains silent for a while, thinking over what I said, moving to the counter to help me with the last of the fritters. "So, ya didn't trust him before, and now you feel guilty about it and don't know what to do? I get that right?" She summarizes.

I nod. "Yea, that about sums it all up."

"Then just go and talk to him." She says with a smile.

"What? Granny, how can ah just walk up to him and say 'Hey there, sorry ah didn't trust you but ah trust you now and ah hope you forgive me?' to him?"

"Just like that." She says simply, causing me to raised an eyebrow at the older mare. "ah know, it sounds easier said than done, but they always do. Besides, we are only ponies, we all make mistakes and misjudge some pony at least once in our life." She pauses as she places the last fritter down into the basket to be taken outside before looking back at me. "Ah know your father would come clean if he made such a mistake."

This caught me by surprise as I look over at her. Granny rarely talked about my parents, so to hear her say that now..."He would?"

She nods slightly. "Sure would. Even showed me that your mum is some pony to be trusted. I...I admit, I didn't like her when we first met." She falls silent for a few minutes now, seeming to be thinking in her own thoughts. Before I could ask what she meant by that, she quickly shook her head and smiled back at me. "Now come on AJ, we need to get these fritters to the market. Plenty of ponies out there looking for something warm to eat, and if we got the means to provide, then ah say provide we shall!" She says, giving a small laugh as she motions me out with the basket.

Nodding, I give her a smile back, knowing that she wasn't going to answer anymore questions regarding my parents now. In fact, I'm just happy she told me that much about them, and it did get me to thinking as I left the house, cart in tow to the market...

---

"HEY, AJ!"

I blink as I quickly shake my head, looking around to see who was calling my name. To my surprise, it was both Drak and Rainbow, the latter having both fore hooves on my counter and giving me a quizzical look. "Rainbow? What are you doing here?" I ask.

"Duh, here to buy some of your fritters. You are open, right?" She says, tilting her head a bit. It takes me a few moments before I remember just what the hay I was doing, causing me to shake my head to wake myself up as I rub my eyes a bit with my hooves.

"Right, I'm open. Sorry for that Dash. Just been a bit...spaced out is all."

"You aren't trying to over do things again, are you?" She asks with a more serious look this time.

I quickly shake my head at this. "No I promise. I'm not doing anything like that. Just...have things on my mind."

Rainbow looks at me for a few moments, her eyes narrowing for a second before she gives me a smile. "Ok, if you say so. Anyways, two fritters please!" With that, she pulls out some bits and places them on the counter. With a nod, I pull out some paper plates and place a couple of fritters on them, then making sure to count out the bits and seeing that it's the right amount, I push the plates to them, to which Rainbow is quick to take both, giving one of them to Drak. The human nods his thanks as he starts eating the fritter, and it's at this moment that I realize he was breathing rather heavily, like he ran a marathon or something.

"Drak, you seem out of breath? Were you running or something?" I ask.

the human takes a moment to swallow the food and take a few more deep breaths before calming down. "Or something. I was...well...Dash was helping me to...get back in shape after...sitting around for so long." He says.

At this I raised my eyebrows in slight alarm as I look over to my speedy friend. "Land's sake Rainbow! He just got out of the hospital, you better not be giving him the same training that we've done!" I tell her, to which the cyan pony just waves a hoof, munching on her food.

"Relax AJ, I did a very small amount for him, made sure that he could do it. Plus I know what it's like to just get out of the hospital, and today was more to see what he can do than anything, just so I can get a better idea for our future sessions." She says, to which Drak nods in agreement before letting out a small sigh.

"I just hope I can keep up. I still feel sore, and I have a feeling I'm going to be sore for the next couple of days." He says, causing her to laugh a bit.

"Cheer up, the more you do this the better you will be. Plus, you may even be able to keep up with me...maybe." She says, giving his arm a friendly punch, to which he winces and rubs the spot. I glare at Rainbow, who just gives a sheepish grin before continuing on her meal.

They soon fall silent as they keep on eating, and while I would tell them to at least move to the side to make room for other customers, they are the only ones here, so it wouldn't have mattered anyways. Besides, it would give me a good moment to think things over. It's at this point that I was looking at Drak when I realized as he looks around, he still kept on avoiding eye contact. Not just with me, but with Rainbow as well, which again makes me suspicious of him...though not so much after I remember what Granny told me.

Letting out a small sigh, I finally decide to just get it over with, knowing that it wouldn't do any pony good the longer I held back. "Drak, ah...ah need to say something."

The human looks over at me with a curious look, having almost finished his fritter already. "Sure, what's up Applejack?"

I pause for a moment to collect my thoughts before finally speaking. "Ah just...ah want to say sorry."

He gives me a confused look, head tilted to the side. "Wait, sorry? What for?"

"Well, a few days ago when ah first met ya with Rainbow, ah thought you were lying. About the whole having amnesia. Ah even told Rainbow about it a while ago." I start.

Drak falls silent as he looks at me, then he turns to look at the rainbow mare. "Dash...is this true?"

She swallow the last of the fritter before giving a small nod. "AJ did say something about not fully trusting you or something." She says slowly, rubbing the back of her head as she hovers in place.

"Ah told her that I thought you were lying and cause of that ah found myself giving you a bit of a cold shoulder, and for that, ah'm sorry. Ah was just a bit cautious about you, seeing how you are new and all, and didn't want to take any chances." I continue, looking down at my hooves as I rubbed a small circle around on the wood. "ah've had a few hard times when ah was in the city during my filly days. Let's just say that ah...learned that not everypony can be trusted." I then look back up and finish my thought. "Ah do hope you can forgive me."

Drak remains silent for a good while, looking a bit at me but mostly at the stall, and I could tell that he was thinking over what I said. After a few minutes of silence, when I was about to ask if he is ok, he looks up and back at me, smiling. "I think I understand. Being new here and all, I'm a bit surprised that I was welcomed as I was in the first place, so to see that you needed more time to trust me...I don't know how to say this any better, but it...it makes me feel a bit more relaxed." He pauses, letting out a sigh and shaking his head. "Man that makes me sound so strange when I say that I was uncomfortable with people being too comfortable with me."

This causes both Dash and I to chuckle, which in turn gets a confused look from him. "Sorry Drak, but most ponies in Ponyville are actually very strange indeed. Just take a look at Pinkie for example." Rainbow explains.

"DID SOMEPONY SAY MY NAME!" Suddenly, the specific pink party pony comes rushing over, stopping right beside us as she looks at all of us eagerly.

"Nothing too important Pinkie, just...talking." Rainbow quickly says.

"Ok, talking is good. I love talking myself, cause otherwise how can you find out what the day is or who you are talking to or even the time and of course no pony would know what your favorite cake is which mine wait does the batter count cause if it-"

"Aren't ya supposed to be taking care of Sugarcube Corner right now?" I ask, causing her to go wide eyed.

"Oh crap! I totally forgot! Bye for now Rainbow, AJ, Drak! I'll be back around some other chapter!" She says before zooming off just as quickly as she came.

We all remain silent as we stare at the spot that she was just at before Drak finally breaks the silence. "What...what just happened?"

I could hear the confusion in his voice, but before I can say anything, Rainbow jumps in. "Like I said, we are all strange, especially Pinkie."

At this we all laugh, and as we calmed down, I could feel myself feeling very glad that I got all of that off of my chest. Looking back at Drak, he smiles back, but as always he keeps his gaze away from my own. While I know now it just seems to be something that he does, it still makes me ever so curious.

"Can ah ask you something?" I ask. With a nod from the human I continue. "Why do you keep avoiding eye contact? ah mean, ah know now that you aren't trying to hide anything, but it doesn't help to make you look too trusting...at least in my opinion."

At this the human falls silent as he thinks it over, rubbing a hand on his chin. "Honestly...I don't know. Rainbow mentioned that before as well right after the workout." He says, seeming to be deep in thought for a moment before looking back at us. "I'll be honest, it really is bothering me too."

This causes all of us to fall silent now as we think over what he said. As the minutes tick by, Drak gives a small sigh before looking around. "Anyway, is there a trash can to place the plate, or do I-"

"Wait, I have an idea!" Rainbow shouts, causing us to jump a bit. "What if you just forced yourself to look into somepony's eyes? Just stare at them and tell us how you feel?" She suggests.

I give a curious look at her then back at the human. "She's not wrong. If you can figure out just what you feel when looking at some pony else's eyes, it may help with figuring out why you don't do it in the first place."

Drak remains silent for a few moments, slowly placing the plate down on my stand before letting out a small sigh. "I suppose so, but I don't...I don't like it too much."

"It's either that or keep doing what you have been doing with Twilight." Rainbow jumps in. "Besides, while I know the bookworm always figures things out, I can't say I know WHEN she will figure it out."

After another moment of silence, Drak nods. "Ok, I'll do it, but...who will I look at for it? It's not like I want to just find a random pony and stare at their eyes for the next minute just to figure it out." He says, letting out a small sigh of frustration.

"Oh, do me!" The rainbow pony says, bouncing a bit in the air before landing on the ground. "I would be more than happy to volunteer for this."

Drak and I look at each other for a few moments before I give him a shrug. "Ah mean, if she is offering..."

Drak nods as he looks back at Dash. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, he slowly leans down a bit to let them meet at eye level, and that is when the human really opens his eyes to look at Dash, and I mean REALLY open them. Dash nearly stumbles back at how intense it is before collecting herself. "Whoa, careful Drak, no need to be so intense." She says, though she does keep her eyes locked on his.

"Sorry, kind of...just went with what felt right." He says before falling silent.

They continue to stare at each other, the minutes slowly ticking by, one gripping their staff a bit tighter while the other one did their best to not move too much other than their wings and tail. It seemed rather intense, and I was actually starting to get a bit worried when Drak finally spoke up.

"Can you calm down a bit Rainbow? It's a bit difficult to focus with you being so nervous, feels like it's making me nervous as well." He says.

Rainbow gives a confused look, eyes still locked onto him. "What, I'm not nervous, you're just seeing things." She says. However, I realize that Drak was speaking the truth. Looking closer at Dash, I can see that she is indeed a bit nervous, but I could only tell cause of how long we've been friends. How Drak figured it out...

I give a glance at them both once again, and this time I see Rainbow faltered a bit. She knew that he was right, and even as she tried to hide it by distracting herself with something, Drak spoke up yet again.

"You...are you blushing?"

Now this I was confused with, for Rainbow was indeed not blushing at all, the cyan pony giving a confused look now. "Wait what? No, I'm not blushing." She says, equally confused as I was.

"Yet you find me...are you attracted to me?" This time She does really blush a bit, but before either of us can say anything, Drak continues. "Wait, not that attraction, it's...it's my eyes. You find my eyes attractive, and you...you feel anxious to get up and move. You don't like standing in one place for long, and are eager to stretch your wings. And now you are confused...no, puzzled, you're thinking that I'm lying as well...wait, it's gone now. You...you are more curious now, and eager to see more of...of..." He starts to falter now, and I see him shaking a bit on his legs, almost like he is starting to get weak.

Dash and I say nothing, but I can tell just by looking at Dash that...Drak is right. At least from what I can see. I wasn't sure about the attraction part, but judging by her blush and nod, it seems that was right as well. It was almost like he was reading her mind in some way.

"Ok, this is getting creepy, but awesome at the same time." Rainbow says, eyes locked still. "It's like you're in my head!"

Drak shakes his head. "No, not in your head, I...I'm just...just looking at you...your e-emotions..." He takes a deep breath and slowly exhales...then finally, he starts to stumble.

That is when we spring into action, both of us on either side of him as he hold him up. "Whoa, careful there Drak! You almost fell over." I said, my hooves holding him up as one pats his shoulder lightly.

Rainbow is on the other side, doing the same thing except looking at him with more confusion than I. "Yea, that would have been a bad tumble in your condition." She says. This entire time, while she did move from her sport and isn't trying to make eye contact, it seems Drak's eyes are just locked onto hers. Rainbow looks back with a worried look, her own eyes showing worry. "Drak, you there?"

He slowly nods as he just reaches a hand up, gently cupping her cheek and causing her to blush a bit. "I...I'm fine. No need to be so...worried. You...'' He pauses as his eyes go a bit wider. "You look like...no...you...y-you're...Aryas..."

Before we can even find out what he was talking about or who this Aryas is, his eyes suddenly shut as his head falls back, his body going limp.

Rainbow and I have a hard time holding him up as he falls into our grasp, both of us giving a look of shock at each other. Before we could say anything, I was already taking him onto my back and galloping off to the hospital, Rainbow placing the closed sign on my stall before heading off with me, keeping a close eye on the human.

Next Chapter: Chapter 19: Clues in the Past Estimated time remaining: 7 Hours, 46 Minutes