Immortal Wanderings 5

>So, apparently you need a new place to live.

>Turns out the ponies actually do use this barn for something. Apparently they use it to keep food and firewood dry during the winter.

>Kind of a shame too, after a month or two of living there, the place was kind of growing on you.

>Tala had said something about making a deal with one of the resident carpenters. At least you think she said carpenter, you hadn't exactly mastered the pony language yet.

>You really hoped you would have a place to stay come winter, freezing to death doesn't sound very appealing. You aren't really sure what time of the year it is now, but the nights are certainly getting colder.

>You sit up on your sleeping mat, throwing off your covers. You have shit to do today.

>You open the barn door and check outside, the sun is only just rising, you have a little while before you need to get to work.

>You have arrangement with Malus and Rosa, you would help them out on their farm, and in exchange they let you use the barn and gave you a small wage. A very small wage, but you cant really complain. You got free housing out of it after all.

>You put on one of the only articles of clothing you have. A large brown hooded robe that the seamstress made for you after Tala had mistakenly told her that the sun was killing you. You smirk at the thought. Still, it was well made and you had to admit you kinda liked the look.

>You sit down at your desk, opening the book Tala had lent you. It's a kind of Equestrian dictionary. Not nearly as specific or complete as the dictionaries you were used to, but it was pretty well done considering it was hand written. Or hoof written. Whatever.

>Turns out books were pretty rare, and valuable as all hell here. Tala's single bookcase collection was the biggest in town.

>You start reading, trying to memorize and practice each word in an complete sentence. You were far from fluent, but being completely immersed in the language for this long had you learning fast.

>You had surpassed the toddlers at Tala's school pretty quickly, and to your relief and hers, you moved on to schooling yourself most of the time once you were capable. You still met up with Tala twice every week to give her a report on your progress and to make sure you weren't making any mistakes though.

>Sometimes even Malus or Rosa would help you out while you were working.

>There is a knock at the door. "Anon! It's time to work!"

>It's Rosa.

Okay, one minute!

>You get up from the floor and put on your shoes. More like wooden sandals, but they work. Not super comfortable though.

>You open the door to find Rosa staring at you, looking annoyed.

>She was like that a lot. You liked Malus better, he was much more laid back, though surprisingly talkative when he was bored.

>You got the sense that Rosa was pretty smart. Usually you tend to like intelligent people, just on the basis of them not being a dumb-ass.

>But she could be such a bitch sometimes.

>"Hope I didn't wake you." She smirked.

>Sarcasm. Lovely.

You didn't

>She says something about apples and baskets, but you don't quite get it all, she's talking too fast.

>She begins walking off in the direction of the orchard.

>You shrug and follow her into the crisp morning, your robe protecting you from the majority of the wind chill at least.

>You pass Malus on the way, and he pauses to bid you a good morning with a smile. So much more agreeable than Rosa, you wonder how they ever got together.

>Rosa stops once you enter the apple orchard, she gives you a large basket from a pile of baskets that she had apparently put here earlier. She looks you straight in the eye, points to an apple tree, and says "Buck."

What?

>She rolls her eyes, walks up to a tree, and kicks it at hard as she can.

>Much to your surprise, several apples fall from the tree.

>Yeah, you don't think you can do that.

>How the hell doe SHE do that? She's tiny.

>She looks at you expectantly.

Uh.

>What the hell, never know until you try.

>You set the basket down, and decide to get a running start.

>You dash forward and leap into the air, pulling some kind of crazy double kick, driving both feet into the trees trunk.

>This does nothing, and you get the wind knocked out of you when your back slams into the ground when you fall. In hindsight, this was probably not a good idea.

>Rosa is laughing at you.

>You shoot her a glare while you wheeze, still trying to get down a gulp of air.

>She starts speaking, and you catch "That didn't work" somewhere in there.

>No shit lady.

>She manages to suppress the majority of her giggles and points to the apples on the ground, then at the basket pile.

>You get the idea, and get to your feet, relieved to have some air in your lungs again, and start picking up apples and tossing them into the basket.

>Rosa makes what sounds like a hissing noise as you do this.

>You give her a weird look. What now?

>"Gently." She says.

 

>You spend a few dull hours following Rosa around picking up apples, managing to fill up all six of the baskets.

>You set the last two baskets down at the edge of the orchard, wiping a bit of sweat from your brow.

>Rosa begins hooking two of the baskets onto her harness. She mentions having to take these apples to the square.

>Something square anyway, you assume she means the town square.

All of them?

>She just gives you a deadpan stare.

All of them.

>You look at the four remaining baskets. You can carry two at a time, which means somebody is going to have to make two trips. And by somebody you mean you. That idea doesn't appeal to you much.

>Maybe you could enlist Malus to help or something.

>You spot a fallen branch out of the corner of your eye, and an idea sprouts in your mind.

>Time to show some human ingenuity.

>You pick up the branch and bend it a bit, testing its strength.

>"What are you doing?" Rosa asks, sounding a bit impatient.

>You ignore her and slip either end of the branch under the handles of all four remaining baskets.

>With a grunt of effort, you lift the branch about your head and rest it on your shoulders, bringing all the apples with it. You struggle for a moment to get the thing properly balanced, but you keep it together.

>Lightweight baby.

>You catch Rosa staring at you, and briefly you wonder if she was actually impressed.

>She gives you a curt nod. "Lets go."

 

>The walk to the market was uneventful. The ponies are pretty much used to you by now, but far from accepting, they still tend to avoid you if they can. You also get the feeling the ones you barter with overcharge you. Usually the ponies of Derbyshire just ignore you though.

>Today however you get a few curious looks from the locals as you pass by with your apple carrying contraption.

>You finally reach the town square, and Rosa leads you to an open market stall, gesturing for you to set the apples down.

>You squat down and slip the branch over your head again, carefully setting the baskets down and untangling the branch from them.

>At Rosa's instruction, you begin unloading the apples onto the stall, setting up a tantalizing display of fresh fruit.

>As you work, you notice a small crowd gathering near the mayors house. Not much breaks the routine around here, you wonder whats up.

>You turn and ask if Rosa needs your help here.

>She waves you off, busying herself setting things up.

>You smile and pick up your branch, snagging an apple as you stand up. You figure she wont miss one.

>You wander over to the crowd of ponies in good spirits.

>As you get closer, you see what appears to be three dark furred ponies clad in armor talking heatedly with mayor Gaul, who you can see has acquired a new hat at last. Quite a nice one at that.

>You cant make out a word of what they are saying, not because you cant hear, but because the language they are speaking is one you've never heard before.

>You reach the edge of the crowd, taking a bite of your apple as you do, curiously watching the proceedings.

>The mayor turns his attention from his angry guests to you. You can see some surprise on his face, then the beginning of something else.

>Your shadow falls over the three armored ponies, and they stop speaking when they notice Gauls focus is elsewhere. They turn to see what he is looking at, and nearly jump when they notice you.

>You are abruptly aware of what you must look like to them, a mysterious cloaked giant creature wielding a large branch, and enjoying an apple.

>You realize everyone is staring at you, and you wave with your hand still grasping the apple.

>The mayor grins, and begins talking in that language again. You do hear him saying your name at one point though.

>Two of the armored ponies turn their attention back to the mayor, but one continues to watch you warily.

>The visitors tones seem much more guarded when they speak again.

>What just happened?

>"Germans" A voice says behind you.

>You turn to see Rosa standing there.

>You give her a questioning look, wondering what she's doing here.

>"Can't sell anything when all the buyers are over here." she says.

>Fair point.

Germans?

>She nods "They come by every few months or so to-" She starts using a few words you don't know.

What?

>She sighs and clarifies "They come here to take our money and bother us."

>And the mayor just used you to intimidate them. You really hope that doesn't have any negative long reaching effects on you.

Oh. Why?

>"They see us founding a town so close to their border as a threat."

>That's just great.

>"A lot of the settlers here came from Germaneigh too. They don't like that either."

>Suddenly Rosa begins glaring at the apple in your hand.

>Bugger.

>"That's coming out of your pay."

>Karma's a bitch.