Chapter 10

Dave and Spike both sat down on the floor and fell onto their backs exhausted for their little journey as the ponies surrounded them.

“Now where the hay have y’all been?” Applejack asked as her gaze was brought to the claw mark on Dave’s chest and wound on his arm

“Everfree forest… attacked by… um… oak wolves?” Dave panted

“Don’t you mean timber wolves?” Twilight giggled “oak wolves is just silly”

“Yeah wolves made of timber is perfectly normal but oak, haha how could I have been so ridiculous” Dave whispered to himself sarcastically

“Well how did you make it out?”

“A zebra… rhymed a lot” Dave sat up and cradled his injured arm

“Zecora? I suppose that makes sense” Twilight helped Dave and Spike sit up again “How did you get here?”

“Walked through town… how else?” Spike responded as he helped himself to his feet using the table

“So you were seen?”

“Well duh” Pinkie butted in “Didn’t you see the crowd on the street that Rarity yelled at?”

“Rarity yelled?” Twilight looked puzzled from Pinkie to Rarity

Rarity played with her mane as everyponies gaze turned to her “Well I was slightly annoyed at how they all were staring at Dave, I just wanted them to give the poor guy some space”

Dave had pushed himself to his feet and steadied himself against the wall “Well thanks, I guess” he looked at his bloodied shirt “Aww I liked this shirt” He pulled it over his head using his good arm and let it drop to the floor “I am not good with shirts recently”

“It appears I will have to make you some more when I get home” Rarity looked from the ruined shirt and then at Dave’s chest “But I still don’t see the point in you wearing clothes ALL the time”

“Yeah summer has jus’ come around, and it gets mighty warm” Applejack was also distracted from Dave’s injuries and over to his muscles “Yer don’t have to be ashamed of yer body”

“I would still prefer to keep my clothes on thanks” Dave ran his finger over the three long claw marks “And for your information I am not ashamed of my body”

“Well what’s the deal then?” Rainbow Dash flew slightly above his head

“I have to keep my privacy you know” Dave moved a hand slowly over to hold his trousers up just in case

“Fine if you want to roast in the sun that is your problem” Twilight sighed “Is anypony hungry?”

They all agreed and a few stomachs rumbled from the group, Twilight and Spike went into the kitchen to start on dinner while everypony else and Dave was left in the main room.

“Hang on, hang on” Dave waved his hand in the air “Were am I going to stay tonight?”

Rarity beamed at him “Well Sweetie Bell is still staying at my parent’s home for another day, so you can come round mine and stay with me” she said warmly flicking her eyelids gracefully at him

“I have already stayed at yours and I don’t want to impose” Dave knew what she meant by ‘stay with me’ and liked to avoid waking up with the unicorn on top of him again

“I umm…”

“Ya can sleep in mah barn if you want to” Applejack suggested

“Yes please thank you” He looked over at Rarity “Allows you more time to make even more stunning clothes for me” He suggested

“Hmm I suppose” She tapped her chin “and I could make something… unique for myself if I have time”

“Great, so I’m staying at Applejack’s” Dave said cheerfully ‘Finally some alone time, in a barn, at night… on Applejacks farm’ Dave realised what he had just agreed to ‘crap, I kissed AJ and now I will be staying in a barn while her family and everypony else will be asleep… why did I just arrange perfect alone time?’

Applejack smiled at him “Good to hear sugarcube, it’ll be fun” She gave him a cheeky wink as Dave gulped

“Heh… yeah… fun” Dave rubbed his wounded arm and flinched ‘wait… I have an excuse, I’m too injured’ He smiled as he had his backup plan, but his smile quickly faded and his plan was thrown strait out the window as a familiar pain shot through his body, the squelching noise returned

The ponies all watched as the cuts on Dave’s chest zipped up and the skin healed over, and as the bite in his arm slowly filled out until that healed as well. ‘Oh brilliant’ He thought as he was only left with dried blood on his arms.

Twilight walked in as Dave fully healed before her eyes “Wow you don’t waste time do you” She looked around the room at the ponies that all looked at where the injuries used to be “dinner is ready”

“Do you have a bathroom I could just wash my hands in?” Dave showed his arms to her

Rarity talked before Twilight had a chance to respond “Ah good hygiene means good health, I like that” She walked past Dave “I’ll show him to the bathroom Twilight, I need to wash my hooves too, you all go on ahead”

Dave reluctantly followed Rarity into a bathroom that had a large sink, bathtub, some shelves with various towels and shampoos and finally a toilet over in the corner. Every thing was in a clean white and looked completely different from the rest of the house.

Rarity closed the door behind her, Dave walked over to the sink and started to wash his arms clean under the large tap “You’re too kind, you know that?” Rarity sighed happily as she joined Dave in washing her front hooves

“How so?” Dave asked as he grabbed a towel and wiped his arms dry, Rarity started using it at the same time

“You staying at Applejack’s so I could relax” She allowed Dave to kneel down and place the damp towel on a small rack that sat below the sink “Don’t worry though I will make something for us for when you come over”

“Ok thank you… did you just say for US?” Dave looked at her bewildered, he was still on his knees so he was eye level with her “listen Rarity…” He was cut off as Rarity wrapped her hooves around his neck, giving him a deep kiss

Pulling away she kept her hooves around him and kept her head close “When you fell on that glass I thought I was going to lose you, and again when you didn’t appear with me here” She gazed into his eyes as she gave him a worried yet relived look “I don’t want to lose you and I want us to have something special before something like that happens again”

“Don‘t worry you aren’t going to lose me” Dave watched as she smiled and pulled her in for an intense kiss ‘WAIT DID I JUST SAY WHAT I THINK I SAID?!’ he yelled in his own head

Dave pulled away from her as she let her hooves fall to the floor “I’ll go out first, you just wait a moment” She walked over to the door but stopped and looked back a Dave “We are going to have such fun together you and I darling”

Dave watched as she departed before slapping himself “Dammit now all I need something else to come along and make things weirder” He grumbled to himself as he followed after the unicorn

As Dave walked into the kitchen he saw the ponies and Spike all sitting around a large round table each with a plate in front of them, Dave sat at the empty space between Fluttershy and Applejack

“Hey everypony what’s for… dinner?” he started off happy but then his voice quietened as he saw his food. Hay.

Rarity looked at Dave’s depressed face and then at his food “Oh my, Twilight I am so sorry to be a bother but I forgot to inform you that Dave doesn’t eat hay”

“Oh I’m sorry Dave but I’m afraid I haven’t got any other food in the house at the moment” Twilight explained as she levitated the food from Dave’s plate

“Nah its ok” Dave looked at the now empty plate “I’ll be fine for now” he sat back and watched them all eat their dinner, his gaze was brought to the shy yellow Pegasus beside him “We haven’t really talked much, have we Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy his behind her pink mane “no, we haven’t” she continued to eat

“So… what do you do?” Dave felt like he was the only one wanting to talk

“Oh I-I um… look after animals” she almost seemed to whisper

“That sounds nice” he watched her slightly shuffle away “are you ok?”

“I’m fine”

“You sure?” Dave wondered what could be wrong ‘she was more than fine around me when I first came here, maybe it was the incident with the guards’ Dave’s face showed his concern “are you… scared of me?”

Fluttershy didn’t answer and Rainbow Dash looked between them both “Fluttershy gets really sick sometimes when she gets teleported” she quickly said as she filled the awkward silence

“Oh ok” Dave looked at Dash then back to Fluttershy “Well I hope you feel better soon” he turned to look at Applejack on the other side of him “so who is up at the farm tonight?”

“Jus’ Granny Smith, Applebloom, Big Macintosh and I think Scootaloo is sleeping over tonight” Applejack stuffed some more hay into her mouth

“Scootaloo? Who’s that?”

“Jus’ a friend of Applebloom and Sweetie bell” She swallowed her mouthful “They have a club together”

“What kind of club? Are you in it?”

“No and I can’t because I have mah cutie mark” she tapped her cutie mark and chuckled as Dave’s eyes were brought down “Like what ya see?”

Dave stared at her flank “yeah…” he quickly grabbed a hold of himself “the cutie mark I mean”

Applejack gave him a wink before continuing “The club they have is called the Cutie Mark Crusaders”

“Three guesses for what they are after” Dave chuckled

“Oh I love guessing games!” Pinkie squealed in delight “Are they… trying to get their cutie marks?”

“Pinkie you already know what they do” Twilight rolled her eyes

“But did I get it right?”

“Well yes but…” Twilight was cut off by Pinkie jumping on the table

“YAY I WON!” She screamed happily as she did a little dance only to get placed back on her chair by Twilight’s magic

“Congratulations Pinkie, were are all very impressed” Dash said sarcastically as they all started to finish their dinner, Spike took the plates away, washed them and Dave quickly walked over and started to dry the plates

“Listen Spike, I’m going to be at Applejack’s tonight… Do you want to come?”

“Nah I will stay here tonight” Spike yawned obviously the day’s events tired him out “you have fun though”

‘Yeah WHOSE fun though mine or AJ’s?’ Dave thought to himself irritably as his second back up plan was ruined

The group all spent the next hour talking about their time in Canterlot, Dave stayed silent throughout the conversation and everypony started to say their goodbyes to each other as the sun began to descend, Applejack told Twilight where Dave was staying, much to Twilight’s disappointment.

“Don’t you fret none, I’ll keep an eye on him” Applejack assured her as she took Dave out the front door and onto an empty street “come on big fella lets get you home”

Dave walked beside Applejack and only noticed where Twilight lived “She lives in a giant tree that happens to be a library?”

“I thought you knew that” Applejack looked over before remembering that Dave spent his first few days in a cart “oh yeah ya only walked here today and I guess ya were in a hurry”

“Yeah something like that” Dave felt a cool breeze against his chest ‘crap my shirt… oh wait it’s ruined, guess I will have to wait until tomorrow’

Applejack noticed Dave shiver slightly when the wind picked up as they were leaving town “Listen sugarcube, it’s gonna be cold in the barn tonight” She looked up at his arms then his face “why don’t ya sleep in mah bed?”

Dave smiled at her “Thanks Applejack but the barn will be fine” He chuckled slightly “besides where would you sleep?”

“In mah bed of course”

“Ok… wait but didn’t you say…” Dave was cut off as Applejack continued to speak

“Well mah room gets chilly at night sometimes” She rubbed her head against his arm “we could keep each other warm”

Dave smiled at her but inside he was horrified ‘KEEP EACH OTHER WARM? She has fur and I am half naked! I have to shut her up some how before this gets worse’ Dave quickly kneeled down and picked Applejack up in his arms and continued to walk with the mare laying on her back with her face close to his.

“Ya sure know how ta sweep a girl off her hooves” instead of kissing him, Applejack decided to press her head against Dave’s exposed chest and enjoy the moment “ya too kind ya know”

“So I’ve been told” Dave wanted to facepalm but Applejack being in his arms prevented this ‘How did I think this was going to get her quiet?’

Applejack snuggled her face into Dave’s neck and gave him a small lick “I didn’t realize how comfy ya are” She said happily as she made herself more comfortable “so is this a part of the keeping warm?”

“I’m afraid not, just thought I would repay you for pulling me around town in one of your carts” Dave didn’t look at her but at Sweet Apple Acres in the distance “The barn will be more than fine”

“Aww are ya sure sugarcube? I don’t bite…”

‘Please don’t say what I think you are’

“…much” she whispered with a seductive grin

‘AH I KNEW IT!’ Dave looked down at her “What if Applebloom or her friend Scooby-do walk in?”

“It’s Scootaloo and I can put mah hat on the door” She took her hat off allowing her blond mane to flow better and placed it on top of Dave’s head “Everypony in mah family knows that when mah hat is on the door, I need alone time”

“Wait how many stallions have you been with?”

“There aren’t that many stallions around, its strange mah brother doesn’t get a lot more attention than the few others in town” She looked back to Dave “But the answer to yer original question is none… I haven’t actually done this before” she whispered nervously

“So why the hat on the door?” Dave saw Sweet Apple Acres drawing nearer and could just make out some ponies outside the front door, he couldn’t see for sure but they looked young

Applejack avoided looking at Dave “well I have been known to be quite stubborn, so I just sit in mah room when I’m feeling down”

“Do you feel down a lot?” Dave’s voice took on a tone of concern

“No hardly ever it’s just… noticeable” Applejack snuggled her head under Dave’s chin “At least I won’t be feeling down tonight” she whispered softly

“I still haven’t said no to the barn yet” Dave reminded her but felt his heart tighten as she gave him a sorrowful look and slowly looked away from him ‘ARRRRGGGHH’ “Fine I’ll stay in your room, but I will be staying dressed”

Applejack smiled at him “Won’t that make everything a bit harder?”

“How do you mean?”

“Well after we kissed last time I said, I would find us some alone time” Dave looked at her with a blank stare “to continue where we left off”

“Oh right… I didn’t say we were going to do that” Dave quickly responded in a nervous voice

“Ya haven’t done it either have you?” Applejack could tell he was nervous “And don’t bother trying to deny it”

“well… ok fine, no I haven‘t” He looked up as he turned onto the final path that lead strait to Applejack’s house, he could clearly see Applebloom and an orange Pegasus with a purple mane “can we talk more inside?” Dave let Applejack down gently and replaced her hat

“WOW WHAT’S THAT?” The pony Dave assumed was Scootaloo gasped in amazement

“Oh Scootaloo, that’s Dave, ya know I told ya he is the one who saved mah life” Applebloom bounced over to Dave and gave him a tight hug and Scootaloo quickly followed

“Thank you for saving my two best friends Dave” Scootaloo grinned at him

“Heh no problem really” Dave gave them both a quick hug before allowing them to continue their game

“I told her not to tell nopony about ya” Applejack mumbled irritably

“Well everypony is going to know about me in a day or two anyway” Dave followed Applejack into the house “Besides they’re children, they make mistakes”

Sitting in the main room was Granny Smith and Big Macintosh, Granny Smith was sleeping in a large rocking chair and Big Mac was sitting in another large chair, obviously to support his large body, reading a newspaper

“Hey Big Mac, You alright?” Dave asked happily

“Eeyup” the large red stallion replied looking up from his newspaper

“Have y’all had any problems since I been gone?” Applejack sat down on a long cream sofa that ran along beneath a large window

“Nnnope”

“That’s good to hear” she noticed Dave standing oddly in the middle of the room “you ok sugarcube?”

“Yeah I’m fine, actually I am a bit tired, do you mind if I went to bed early?”

“Not at all, go upstairs and last door on the left” Applejack pointed to some stairs at the end of the kitchen

“Thanks” Dave walked up the stairs and went into Applejacks room.

Her room was larger than Dave was expecting for a house that looked small outside, there was a double bed, desk, some shelves with various items and photos and finally a window that overlooked the long rows of apple trees.

Sitting down on the bed Dave looked at his room for the night “right if I get to sleep, hopefully she won’t wake me up” He looked out the window to see the sun had fully set and shuffled into the bed, staying as far from the door as possible and not taking up too much of the sheets, Dave shut his eyes and forced himself to try and sleep.

After a few minutes of laying motionless Dave was still awake and heard hoof steps coming his way, the door gently opened and Applejack quietly walked in

“Now don’t pretend to be asleep” she climbed into the bed, rolling Dave onto his back and then sitting on top of him “come on stop messin me around”

Dave reluctantly opened his eyes to look at Applejack, who sat on his stomach “Can I help you?”

Applejack took her hat off, threw it across the room and allowed her hair to flow loosely “well I can think of something” She leaned down and kissed Dave’s neck

“listen I’m tired” Dave heard some loud hoof steps coming towards Applejack’s bedroom door ‘must be Big Mac, heh this would look awkward if he walked in, at least Applejack said she would put her hat…. On…. The…. Door’ His head shot up and saw Applejack’s hat on the floor “Oh crap Applejack stop”

Applejack brought her face to Dave’s “Don‘t worry I‘ll make sure ya enjoy yourself” She slipped her tongue into Dave’s mouth as the door swung open.

Big Mac walked in with a small tray with two glasses of apple juice and saw his sister on top of Dave, both embracing each other in a kiss. His jaw dropped in disbelief and the tray dropped to the floor.

Applejack slowly pulled her head up and nervously looked at her brother “oh… hey Big Mac” she looked down at Dave before looking back at her brother “now this ain’t what it looks like” Macintosh’s face grew angry as he glared at Dave

Applejack climbed off Dave as he got off the bed and backed away from the angry stallion “What were ya doin to mah sister?” Big Mac took a couple of paces towards Dave

“Now listen Big Mac I make my own choices” Applejack tried to stand in-between the boys but Big Mac held out a large hoof stopping her “now what the hay do ya think ya gonna do?”

“I’m gonna hurt ‘im” Big Mac didn’t take his gaze from Dave

“No you are not!” She protested “you haven’t got it in ya”

Dave shut his eyes ‘not the best move’ he held his hands out in front of him as Big Mac started to get angrier “Ok Big Mac listen, I can explain, just calm dow…”

Dave was cut off by the large red stallion as he quickly turned around and put all his strength into a strong kick to Dave’s chest, which smashed him strait out the window.