The Family Feud SteelEagle/PM to join

[Dashman562]

The sound of the Rooster's caw awoke Boulder Dash in his bed at the family farm house.  Sighing, the large stallion got up and went to his bedroom window looking out at the snow covered farm his family had called home for Generations.  Sighing for a moment, he put a hoof through his mane as he looked over at the winter rows of Green peas, garlic, and kale near the family barn.  Though the family was known for tomatoes, unfortunately they couldn't grow in winter and the family had to make do selling what produce could be grown in the Cold season.  His thoughts were interrupted by the scent of eggs, biscuits, and grits cooking, causing him to grab his winter cap and head down stairs.

 

Entering the kitchen of the family homestead, he saw an older but still lovely looking mare with a green tomato cutie Mark, sea blue colored fur and a dark mane cooking breakfast and setting the table.  Smiling he went over the her and kissed her cheek in greeting, "Morning Ma" he said as she smiled at him.

 

"Morning son.  Cold one today Boulder.  You eat yer fill and stay warm out there" his mother said as she served his plate and pour him a cup of black hot coffee.  Boulder nodded and sat down to eat his breakfast and sipped his coffee.  He had missed his mother and her cooking while he was at sea, and she had welcomed him back with open hooves much to his happiness, unfortunately as Karma dictates not everything can be positive and that reminder came in the form of another pony entering the kitchen.

 

Boulder Dash was taking his last sip of coffee as he looked up at the teen Colt entering the kitchen and sitting at the table across from him.  Like his mother he was a sea blue colored pony with a black mane, a red tomato cutie Mark with a stalagmite in the center.  "Morning Rocky" Boulder Dash said as his mother set a plate for his little brother.  "Morning Boulder Dash" Rocky said in an irate manner while giving his brother an annoyed look.

 

The table was silent for awhile as everyone ate, and Mae Boulder was clearly saddened by the sight of her two sons not talking.  Boulder finished his meal as he looked up at Rocky and asked, "Can I trust you to pluck the fresh kale and sort the hay in the barn today?"

 

Rocky swallowed his bite of food curtly and said, "I've got it.  I know what to do today."  He then stood up and went out side with a scarf on his neck and shut the door with a rough push.  "He hates me doesn't he?" Boulder Dash asked Mae as she cleaned up.  "No he doesn't....losing his father was hard on us all.......we all just mourn differently" she said sadly.  Nodding his head Boulder Dash nodded to his mother and went outside to work.

 

As he watched his little brother head to the barn, Boulder Dash took in a fresh breath of cold air and walked over the pig pen where he proceeded to feed them their slops.  As he watched the pigs eat he took one last look at Rocky's retreating form in the barn.  "What would you do Pa?  Because I sure don't know what" he said silently as he went over to repair some fence posts.

[SteelEagle]

The map was often a subject of great excitement when Twilight saw it. She usually loved it. The way that it helped unite Equestria problem by problem was something that she was still marveled by. But that didn't mean it was perfect. While it always sent the right ponies to the right places and was functionally without flaw, it could do better with when it decided to inform them. A quality of life improvement, perhaps. Because the only time she didn't like the map was when it decided to wake her up at three-thirty in the morning during a storm and inform her that she needed to go, alone, almost immediately. She left some orders for Starlight and Spike and then packed up, leaving Spike behind because he was sick.

Along the way she did the best she could to understand where it was she was being sent. She read up on the area. Farming land, a great center of Equestrian agriculture. It was interesting to see how little of that land ad changed over the generations. One of the great and enduring things about Equestria was how when used well certain ideas and functions could survive decades, centuries, even longer. She was sure that whatever problem was in front of her and needed her alone that it had to deal with...traditions? Perhaps. She hoped it was something involving her reading, which was an activity she devoted herself to on the way. She chose to take her balloon- been a while!- there so she could rest a little and read. It was the only way she was going to be in working condition when she arrived, after all.

She arrived in the morning hours after dawn, looking at the place she had been assigned to by the map. Large rows of green peas, garlic, kale and assorted other hardy winter produce. It was a simple farm and the land was calm, calm enough to fool Twilight into thinking there was no problem and that she could simply stay in the balloon with her cocoa. Alas, she knew better. She eventually found her way off of the balloon and onto the ground, seeing an older colt walk out of a house not far off. He looked...angry. Maybe that was why she was here? After he passed by she walked up to the door and knocked.

[Dashman562]

Mae Boulder sighed as she cleaned the dishes in her kitchen as she occasionally peeked out of the window.  She watched her son's go their separate ways and felt a tug at her heart as they did.  She had hoped Boulder Dash's return would ease some of the tension on her farm, but that had not been the case.  Sighing sadly she was about to finish cleaning when she heard a knocking on the farm house door.  Going over she opened the door and gasped at the sight of Princess Twilight Sparkle.

 

"Oh my Stars!  Your Highness, how gracious of you to be with us this morning" she spoke in her country twang as she gave Twilight a small bow.  Like all Ponyville residents she was fully aware of the Princess of Friendship and all she had done so to see her here today was a great honor.

 

"Come in dear, you must be chilled to the bone.  Come in and warm up, can I get you anything?" Mae asked while playing the Country hostess.  Meanwhile Boulder Dash had just finished repairing the fence and had gone over to feed the chickens when he saw the balloon land on the farm, peeking his interest.

 

"Now where pre tell did that come from?" The large stallion wondered as he threw some feed to the chickens and chicks.

[SteelEagle]

 

The mother was very warm. Well, she was a mother after all. It was rare to find one who wasn't warm to some degree at least. The home didn't seem to suffer from any maternal strife at least. That was good. The strife and problems that parents could generate were often tricky subjects for the child to broach. Even though Twilight was of no direct relation to her, Twilight was pleased to see that whatever problems existed here weren't written on her face as plain as day. “It's a pleasure to be be here, actually. The weather isn't all that nippy. Not yet anyway! The wings provide me a few degrees more eat as well as basic weather endurance. I'll be more than fine,” she said as she entered, only realizing near the end that she was so tired that she was over-explaining things to a competent farm mare. Well, being tired made ponies operate in all sorts of strange ways.

“If its alright, maybe a glass of water?” She said, taking a seat. She took a look around. Pictures hung up- a family, a nice looking one. It was a fantastic way to look at the past. “You have a beautiful family,” she said. Then the dots connected in her head. She recognized a new friend there, Boulder. This was his family. This was his mother, that was his brother, and the older stallion was the father- the one who had recently passed away. She would have to approach it all carefully. “Is that Boulder Dash? I just met him during the Hearths Warming Eve celebration we had in the town square. He is a good stallion,” she said, hoping to ease into any discussion of family with a simple statement of fact. “Who is the younger stallion next to him?”

[Dashman562]

Mae nodded happily to the Princess of Friendship and went over to her counter fetching a clean glass and poured her a fresh glass of water.  Bringing it over to her she heard Twilight inquire about some family photos that were up.  Setting the glass down for Twilight, Mae saw she was referring to one of her favorite photos, causing a smile to appear as she reached up and took the photo off the wall and brought it over to show it to Twilight.

 

In the photo a younger Boulder Dash was standing proudly next to a strong and powerful looking Stallion with the same general features as him; a brown coat, blue eyes, and blonde mane/tail combo, with a large Tomato cutie Mark on his flank.  The large Stallion had the same farmers hat on his head that Boulder himself wore now, and had his hoof around Boulder Dash's shoulder with pride.  In the photo Boulder was wearing a red bandana tied around his head, and next to him was his younger brother Rocky who in the photo was minus his cutie Mark and still a Fillie but pushing himself up to his big brother happily.  Finally next to the Stallion was a younger Mae, like Boulder Dash a bandana on her head, except hers was green, pushing her muzzle lovingly into her husband's strong chest.

 

"Eyup, that's my oldest boy Boulder Dash in that photo.  He's so handsome....just like his daddy.  He's just as strong, hard working, loyal, and honorable as his daddy was, with a heart of gold as large as that thick skull of his.  I'm so happy you befriended him Twilight, being away in the Merchant Navy for so long saw him come home to a changed Ponyville.  Oh sure our old friends like the Apples, the Cakes, and even Mayor Mare opened their hooves to him again, but he still had to adjust being away so long.  I thanks ye kindly for that" she said as she motioned to the young filly in the photo next to Boulder Dash.

 

"My second son Rocky.  He takes after me in appearance but is just as strong, stubborn, and hard headed as his father and older brother.  Back then the two were like two peas in a pod, inseparable and always together, Rocky wanted nothing more then to be just like Boulder Dash.  Every winter when they went out to go do the chores, Boulder Dash would trudge through the snow with Rocky following behind him literally walking in his big brother's hoof prints never leaving any of his own.  I don't know if it was something he did without knowing it or if he was measuring his hoofs to his brother's but I was always amazed how close they were.  Now though.......that's just a memory.  They don't say more then three words a day to each other, anymore then that and I always fear they're gonna tangle with each other" Mae explained sadly.

 

Finally she brought her hoof over the large Stallion in the photo.  Tears welled up in her eyes as she fought maintain her composure, but manage to speak without cracking her voice.  "Finally this here is my late husband Boulder Gard.  He is Boulder Dash and Rocky's father and a Stallion who worked hard to maintain the Ranch that has been in the family for 5 Generations.  He could make any mare's heart melt like butter on a biscuit with a simple glance, and yet he wound up choosing me, the simple daughter of a country diner cook out from a small village west of here.  He gave me not only the best years of my life but also two beautiful boys.  Hard to believe it's been so long since we lost him in the accident.....oh just about three or two years before you came to Ponyville dear" Mae explained as she dabbed at her eyes with her apron.

 

Meanwhile Boulder Dash had collected some fresh eggs from the chicken coop and was bringing them up to the family homestead when he pressed his ear up to the door hearing voices inside.  One he recognized as his mother's, the other sounded like Twilight Sparkle's.  But she the Princess of Friendship would never come out to a tomato farm....would she?

[SteelEagle]

 

 

Mae spoke warmly of her family, not that Twilight would ave expected anything less. Mothers had a unique gift and ability to see their families with eyes full of past, present, and future. The knowledge they had of who you started as, were growing into, and would become, made them outrageously perceptive and aware of the most minute traits. All of a foal's life could be condensed into a neat three little summary of all the highs and lows, a filly or colt's ambitious spirit emblazoned with perfect clarity. Then it was their love that nearly forced them to gush about all of the positive qualities they associated with you. Blinding was a mother's love but for all the rose-tinted imagery a mother bought hook, line, and sinker, there were few things purer than a mother's love for their children. Twilight was blessed with a similar mother and could only hope she would pass on this same love to her own foals.

She spoke highly of Boulder Gard even before Twilight knew his name. It was evident in her descriptions of her sons, the qualities she found most similar to the late patriarch were those most acute in her mind when she looked at her sons. Boulder was as described and as Twilight understood him to be from the Celebration in town. It was always interesting to see the layers of Ponyville further exposed, a constant reminder that even in her adoptive hometown she remained at a loss to understand the full depth of the character of the town. But in a way it was good to hear that Boulder himself had some re-adjusting to do. Even those born and bred here knew the changes that were being made.

It became clear in short time what problem she had been called here to solve, however. The description of Rocky was rather classical of somepony who had lost a loved one and had been, somewhere or someway, caught in the spokes of the five stages of grief and unable to move on. She had learned much in her discussions with Applejack regarding the subject, understood to some degree what could be happening. Rocky was wounded and angry, and had been allowed to fester. The pieces started to fall into place and indeed it was Mae herself who allowed Twilight to further solidify her developing theory. The way she spoke of her late husband one would swear the accident had happened very recently. Yet she had been in Ponyville for more than a few years and the accident preceded even that. Indeed, it wasn't exactly too far off from when the Apples had met an unfortunate end.

A great deal of time had passed. Yet the family remained stuck in their grief, a rift developing because of it. What had prevented them from being able to move on?

Twilight took a gulp of water, allowing Mae to compose herself entirely. “I'm sorry to hear that Rocky and Boulder Dash are no longer as close as they were. Your husband sounds like a great stallion. I'm guessing that while everypony took it hard, Rocky seemed...changed by it? More than you or Boulder, at least?”

[Dashman562]

Sighing a moment as she fully recomposed herself, Mae looked at Twilight and nodded to her as she hit the nail on the head with her statement.  "We were all devastated in a way but it was especially hard on Boulder Dash and Rocky.  You see that year we had a bad harvest and we're desperate to make ends meet.  To try and support us, Boulder Gard got a loan from Filthy Rich....whose payment terms were more then a bit unfair" she explained a little angry.

 

Calming herself Mae set the photo on the table as pulled a chair up and sat next to Twilight.  "Times were tough for awhile and the day of the accident Boulder Dash and my husband had a big blow up over it.  Those words....were the last they said to each other.  I don't know.....maybe Boulder Dash blamed himself or maybe he felt ashamed, either way he enlisted in the Merchant Navy a few days later to work and pay back the loan.  He only came back recently after he paid back what we owed to Filthy Rich."

 

She then rubbed the back of her head as she said, "As for Rocky....I can't really say why he became mad and bitter.  It was just me and him these past few years until Boulder Dash returned and I guess maybe he's a bit annoyed that Boulder Dash is in charge now after being gone for so long.  It's possible that...Oh" she started to say only to be interrupted by the sound of the door opening.

 

There stood Boulder Dash and he looked at his mother with a look of disappointment as he set the eggs down on the table.  "Got the eggs for ya Ma" he said as he picked the photo up and hung it back on the wall. 

 

"You shouldn't be reliving these sad memories Ma, I worry about you when you do.  Princess Twilight, I am honored to have you here at our ranch.  Please make yourself at home, and I'll get some fresh produce for ya" he said as he adjusted his scarf and turned to head back outside.  As he did Mae looked at Twilight sadly as if to silently say, "This is what I was talking about."

[SteelEagle]

That seemed off. Filthy Rich wasn't a harsh stallion by any means. Like any businesspony who made it beyond the local economic zone he did have his eye rather set on profits. But in every dealing she knew of involving Filthy Rich and the residents of Ponyville he had been a fair dealer, and certainly had been kind to the Apples and others like them. So why were the terms considered unfair? If Twilight had to guess, the terms were fair. Perhaps even lenient to the extent he could ever be considered lenient. But the Boulders, in their post-death grief, were not able to get the job done. Filthy could only wait so long as businessponies had other businessponies to answer too. That seemed to be more logical and lined up better with what she knew of Filthy.

Regardless, this was when Boulder Dash left. The Merchant Marines weren't known for their good pay but she figured that with essentials paid it was a hefty profit for the young stallion. With a farm in disarray as the only other option she supposed that it was a somewhat efficient choice. After he came home he was a stallion constantly on the move, working and working and never enjoying himself. Changed from his time abroad as well as his responsibility, he focused too much on the well-being of the family and less on establishing his own merits as a stallion in Ponyville. Applejack was a similar case, though she had been able to strike a better balance quicker. Still, the idea and personality type was very familiar to Twilight and it was something that she had experience. Experience she would lean on in the talks to come.

Rocky's reaction was logical. Sad, but logical. Anger was one of the stages of grief and it was possible to be stuck in any one of them when you were young. Anger was one of the easiest, especially after somepony you clearly looked up to seemingly left. Alone, no real stallion role model, with your grieving mother- a wound in your heart, a sense of betrayal wounding your psyche even if it wasn't consciously spoken. She guessed that the real problem there would be getting him to see what his brother did and why, and get him to accept the future rather than focus on the past. Indeed, all three of them were living in the painful past. This isn't what the patriarch of their brood would have wanted. She needed to get them to understand that.

Part one was ensuring that they were here to be spoken to. Boulder Dash came in and started to work like a miniature tornado of activity, polite but constantly moving. She needed him to be alone. “Oh, that would be wonderful, Boulder Dash. Ma'am, if I may- Dash, may I accompany you?”

[Dashman562]

Boulder Dash didn't want his mother reliving any sad memories of his deceased father.  Though no where near as old as Granny Smith he worried about her health as she got older and wanted her to enjoy her life as much as possible.  However he was brought out of this thought by Twilight offering to accompany him on his work day.  "Of course Twilight Ma'am, I could use the company on this cold day" he said as he went outside the house and grabbed a produce basket.

 

Leading Twilight Sparkle down to the produce fields he motioned to the Balloon off to the side.  "Yer's I presume?  I admit I was surprised when I saw it, but I guess it's more subtle then Princess Luna's grand entrance at her first Nightmare Night.  I heard it was most dramatic" he said.

 

He soon brought her down to the fields and began to pluck kale and fresh garlic for her dropping it into the basket.  "May I ask Twilight the real reason you've come to visit us today? I don't think it's just for fresh kale and tea with my Ma" he asked.

[SteelEagle]

Twilight giggled at the memory of Luna's first Nightmare night. It seemed an age ago, eons having passed, but it was barely a blink of the eyes in any true telling. Her awkwardness that night was truly exceptional, as was her discomfort and disquiet with much of the modern world. Hard to imagine that anypony would be the same after a thousand years in exile and Luna certainly was proof positive that re-acclimation with society was a slow process. "Yeah, that is my balloon. Still the best mode of transport if you ask me! As for Luna- well, it certainly was a strange and wonderful Nightmare Night. She came in so confused, overbearing and honestly scared. The way it ended was beautiful, however. It goes to show that anypony can change and evolve when given the support they need, whatever that may be," she said pleasantly, trotting in step with Boulder Dash as they made their way over to the kale.

 

There he asked a more directly pertinent question. Why was she here? The truth had become plain to Twilight but that didn't make the foundation of why she had arrived here any less unusual. Following the dictates of a map that sent her to far-flung places or, in this case, close to home, in pursuit of problems she wasn't aware of and solutions that had evaded those stuck in the thick of the dilemma. She briefly considered obscuring this fact and going for a more royal lie- that she was about to conduct a farming census of the region and was starting with him. But that was both a bit too aggressive and a lie so she discarded that thought process quickly. You rarely solved problems with lies. Sometimes aggressiveness was called for but so far nothing told her such an approach was warranted. 

 

"I have a sixth sense regarding friendship problems. These includes...familial issues, to be frank. And I know something isn't right. I can see it in your mpther, your brother- you. So, Boulder, you're right that I'm not here for tea and kale though that sounds great. I'm here to help you and your family heal and repair, and I'm gonna need your help to do that."

[Dashman562]

Boulder Dash looked up at Twilight for a moment as she explained her reasons for coming to the ranch.  For her to offer her help did mean a great deal to him and he could see how she had become the Princess of Friendship.  Perhaps he was being brazen or maybe he just felt he had to get out the depression he had been dealing with since returning home, for whatever reason he reached out with one of his hooves and pulled Twilight into gentle yet firm hug.  "Thank ye kindly Twilight, my family could use any help you can give.  But it won't be easy" he said as he released her.

 

Sighing as he looked back at the barn where he knew Rocky should have been working.  "My brother Rocky and I used to be quite close, but after Pa died in the accident......he's hated me ever since.  I don't blame him of course.  It was my fault....if I hadn't argued with him.  If I had just kept my mouth shut, he wouldn't have died.  He has every right to hate me for it" Boulder Dash explained as he wiped some tears from his eyes.

[SteelEagle]

Twilight allowed herself to receive the hug warmly, though she had not really expected it. Nor had she honestly expected him to be so forward and thankful for her help she was offering. Normally ponies were far more resistant and under the illusion, a delusion, that they didn't need any help at all. At least he was aware that there was a broken cog in the machine of familial love and respect. The first big step in trying to mend the wounds caused by such strife was the acknowledgement that they existed. She reciprocated the hug and held him close for a few seconds, allowing her warmth to give him any strength he needed.

He would need it, because the next part was going to be hard. Everypony had spoken at length about the stallion and how tragic it was when he was taken from them, and blame seemed to rest unfairly at Boulder Dash's haunches. But nopony had told her exactly what had happened or why Boulder Dash felt responsible for it. And without knowing that, she couldn't help the youngest one learn to forgive. She needed to know, and she needed to hurt in order to know. “I'm here to help in any way I can, Boulder Dash. I know you say you blame yourself and I know that this cloud above you has weighed you down, but in order to help I need to know what happened and why. Certainly it wasn't your fault. I can help you see that. Most importantly, I can help Rocky see it. But first, I need to know.”

[Dashman562]

Boulder Dash sighed heavily and gave Twilight her produce basket.  He then motioned for Twilight to follow him as he began walking east of the ranch.  "Please follow me Twilight, there's something you should see" he requested.

 

Walking towards the back of the whole ranch Boulder Dash led Twilight to a hilltop that looked up lifted by a collapse and was warned off by wooden stakes with orange warning flags on them.  Boulder Dash motioned with his hoof and pointed at what looked like a white stone at the base like grave marker.

 

"That's where it happened.  After all these years it hasn't changed at all.....guess Mama doesn't know what to do with it" he said as he looked at it sadly.  He then turned to Twilight and stomped his hoofs a bit as if demonstrating the soil.  "As I'm positive a brilliant Princess like you knows Twilight, we Earth Ponies can till and shape the land due to our ability to detect and feel the soil beneath our hooves.  We can tell the difference between mud, fresh dirt, healthy soil, and weak granite just like a Pegasus can tell the difference between a rain cloud and a thunder cloud" he explained.

 

Boulder Dash reached up and removed his cap, holding it to his heart in respect as he said, "Daddy always prided himself on knowing where he was tilling and stomping the ground, but as he got older he needed to concentrate harder to know what he was doing.  That day.......he wasn't concentrating because of my foolish words and my anger at him."

 

Flashback 

 

"How could you take a deal from that Snake oil sales man?  We barely have enough to make the first payment!" Boulder Dash shouted at his father who glared at him in anger.

 

"I did what I had to provide fer you, your brother and fer your Mama!  I couldn't just let y'all starve and if that means taking a loan from Filthy Rich, then so be it.  I've told ya before I will make that first payment to him no matter what it takes" Boulder Gard yelled back.

 

"I would rather starve then see this land and ranch that's been in our family fer generations get torn down by that slick maned bit grubber and turned into another of his hoof salons or Celestia forbid one of his retail shops while we get kicked to the curb!" Boulder Dash retorted causing his father to get in his face.

 

"When yer running the ranch then you can do as ya please.  So long as I'm breathing and I'm in charge you will follow my lead wether you agree with it or not!" Boulder Gard shouted.

 

"I could run this place a thousand times better then you, ya stubborn old goat!" Boulder Dash snapped.

 

"The Tartarus ya say?  Over my dead body you will!  Now get out of my face before I whup yer plot like when you was a Fillie!  NOW!" Boulder Gard yelled.

 

Backing away from his father, Boulder Dash looked away from him and shouted, "Stubborn old goat!"  He then stomped off never looking back.

 

Flashback ends

 

"Those were the last words we ever said to each other.  Daddy went up there to till the soil for a new crop of tomaters and all I heard that day was the ground caving in under him and the rocks burying him.  If I hadn't said what I had, if he was able to concentrate......that's why it's my fault.  Rocky's hated me ever since, I don't blame him" Boulder Dash explained.

[SteelEagle]

The story was, as expected, sad. The last words were tense. The death was quick. The long-tail sorrow that sprung from it had roots deep in self-blame. And the self-blame was the root cause for the family's current situation. He had left because of it, was devoted too much to the work because of it. He had never healed because of it. He had left his family on the fringes because of it, and disjointed as they were, unable to come together, none of them could heal. The mother wallowed in grief, the youngest mired in anger, and Boulder Dash had volunteered himself for the saddest duty of all. Twilight had been called here today for an important reason, and she needed to get cracking on it now. She approached Boulder and gave him a hug, allowing him to cry on her shoulder if needs be before she eventually pulled back ever so lightly.

“I'm so sorry to hear that, Boulder, but thank you for feeling like you could share this with me. It is a testament to your courage, heart, and honesty that you would do so. It is always hard to deal with the past, especially one that is so heartbreaking, but it is important to do so. It will help you heal. And an important step to healing, in this instance,” she said, approaching him and holding a hoof on his shoulder to emphasize what she was about to say, “is forgiveness. Forgiving yourself for something you are not to blame for. What happened to your father was a tragedy, but you did not cause it. You don't know why it happened or if it could have been prevented. What you're upset about is that your last words were harsh, and you never got to tell him how much you loved him. But you know you did. You know he knew. And you know he loved you. And he wouldn't want you, your mother, or your brother wallowing in the miasma of his passing. For yourself, for your family, and for your dad, you must forgive yourself. And you must allow yourself to live again, not just get lost in your work. Your family needs you.”

[Dashman562]

Boulder Dash felt Twilight hold him, a bit awkward considering be was taller and more built then her, but strangely he felt assured with her wings around him and he felt free to let the tears he had been holding back for years.  Releasing them felt good and after a few moments he calmed himself and looked back at his father's grave marker.  "Huh?" he silently said as through his wet eyes he swore he saw something.

 

In his tear stained eyes he though he saw a spiritual visage of his father Boulder Gard smiling at him before motioning to the barn where he had sent Rocky to work earlier, just before vanishing.  "Forgive myself? I guess your right, when I went out to sea it was my intention to provide fer my Ma and brother.  But also maybe deep down I was running from my problems, thinking it would help.  I guess ya can't run from yer problems ya need to face them" he said.

 

Turning he faced Twilight Sparkle and motioned to the barn.  "Ya might have a hard time convincing Rocky of that, he's young and angry.  Ya have better luck taming a bull with a fly swatter" Boulder Dash explained.

[SteelEagle]

"Running from your problems is easier than confronting them, but they never go away until you do. Now you are older, stronger, wiser. Allow yourself to grieve and move forward. They need you," she said, allowing him his time to come to grips with it all. Luckily he seemed to do well with such news. He likely thought it himself, somewhere deep down where the mind rarely wanders and yet is often influenced by. This was good. He was not going to be the source of consternation and issue it appeared. Indeed, he could likely lead his mother back into the light. But she knew for a fact that youth brings fire and the youngest member of the family would be a hard nut to crack. It wouldn't be pretty. If they wanted it to work, to stick, it couldn't be pretty.

 

"I doubt your brother will take this as well. I will need your help with him. He has a lot of deep emotion built up and with nothing to spend it on he has kept it in. It is hurting him from within and until he lets it out, he is stuck as an eternally boiling pot of water on a relentless stove," she said, hovering off of the ground. "Do you know where he is right now?" She said, formulating a plan. She would come in first. Talk to him. Learn. When the time was right, Boulder Dash would come in. He'd probably be yelled at. Truth be told they would probably be on the receiving end of an angry torrent of emotion, and rightly so. But it had to be done as painful as it was and Twilight knew that sometimes the best way to do something was also the hardest.  "I think we are as close to ready as we can be...at least for the next part."

[Dashman562]

Nodding in agreement with Twilight, Boulder Dash sighed and motioned to the barn.  "I reckon at this time with his chore list Rocky is still in the family barn feeding the cattle.  Come with me Twilight and we will do this" he said as he led Twilight up the path to the large red Barn with a tomato crest on the front.

 

Bring her up to the barn entrance, Boulder Dash peeked in and sure enough young Rocky was shucking hay with a pitch fork and dumping it into the feed bins next to the cows holding pens. He was doing it rather roughly as if frustrated and nodding to Twilight again he motioned to her with his hoof.  "He's all yours darling, good luck. Your gonna need it" Boulder Dash said.

 

Inside the warm barn, Rocky dumped some hay into another feeding pen as he grumbles to himself, causing the cow to look at him weird.  Looking up, Rocky set the pitch fork down as he shook his head a bit and spoke to the cow.  "I'm not sore at you Bessie.  I'm just frustrated again.  You know how times have been girl, but don't ruin your breakfast over it" Rocky said in his country twang.

[SteelEagle]

She was escorted in due time to the barn where Rocky was working. Twilight allowed her mind to wander while she was being led there. She was lucky enough to still have both her parents, loving and upper-middle class ones at that. Her foalhood was worry free and nothing but full of support and love. She never had to deal with the pain of losing even one of them. She couldn't imagine the pain and sorrow with losing her father. And she certainly couldn't imagine losing both of them when she was a filly like Applejack had. It took a certain amount of strength to just continue on after such a trauma as a little one. She didn't know how or why so much of their life was the way it was or how they thought they were coping, but she did know what needed to be done. She had seen it before, heard about it before. And yes, she had read about it before.

She entered the barn, her hoofsteps soft but still more than noticeable. It wasn't as if she was trying to sneak up on him, after all. When he turned around he would catch the Princess of Friendship standing not too far away, looking at the scene with a smile. “Oh, Bessie? I suppose that is a nice name for a cow. Seems to fit her- oh, my apologies. I didn't mean to interrupt,” she said sheepishly, though she was still warm and friendly. “I'm Princess Twilight Sparkle. I've never been here before- this is a nice place, from what I've seen at least. I haven't had the chance to make your acquaintance. Rocky, if I have my names correct?” She said, offering her hoof for a shake. She wasn't being completely honest with him but the greater good had many qualifications and she wasn't expected to be the element of Honesty, after all.

[Dashman562]

Rocky turned when he heard the voice behind him.  Being caught talking to a cow was not how one made a good first impression, and hoped the visitor hadn't heard too much.  However as Twilight introduced herself and he saw the young Alicorn, Rocky gasped and bowed to her respectfully.

 

Like most Ponyville residents he knew full well who she was, and had admired the Princess of Friendship from afar like so many other ponies.  "Princess Twilight Ma'am!  I do apologise for my distraction.  Had I known you was visiting us I would have acted proper" he explained.  As he remained bowing to her however the cow Bessie sighed in annoyance as it leaned down and bit his tail.

 

Rocky yelped as he glared at the cow which motioned to the Princess with it's horns causing him to turn back with an embarrassed look on his face.  "What can I do fer ya Twilight Ma'am?" he asked with a red blush on his face.

[SteelEagle]

Twilight giggled. "You're fine, Rocky. I actually wish more ponies would act more natural around me!" she said with more than a hint of excitement as she trotted about. She looked around, trying to find the right avenue to get on with why she was here. She had the general ideas of which way to go with it, but her mind raced with the right tact to take. 'I'm here taking in the view and history of Ponyville farms. This is a nice one. Very well looked after, and what with little ponies like you doing the work it seems to have a very bright future," she said, approaching Bessie. Like most of her kind, Bessie was a sapient life form that had, by some ancient agreement, taken on such a role in society. She never fully understood it but Twilight did understand that it was a unique and strange, yet mutually beneficial, agreement.

"So, I've never worked with cows before. What do you do?" She lied through her teeth, having done so with Applejack a few times. Still, it would be a good way to make Rocky comfortable and help him feel like he was doing something great by teaching her. Once they were in she could start to move the conversation to history and family. From there, she was sure the emotions would run deep and hot but she would be here for Rocky. And she would be here for their family in the process.

[Dashman562]

Rocky blinked a bit from the question in confusion.  While as a young farmer he had gotten a few such questions in his youth from school ponies he had never heard it from an older pony, let alone a Princess of Equestria.  Shrugging his shoulders the teen Colt walked up to Princess Twilight and motioned to the family barn.

 

"Well not much to talk about really history wise.  My Grand Pappy  founded the family farm shortly after the Apples and Pears did.  We specialized in growing tomaters and became like kin folk with the Apples, guess cause Apples and Tomaters are similar I guess" he explained.

 

Rocky then walked over to Twilight and motioned to cow bell around Bessie's neck which held the Family crest on it.  "Pa and Ma took over the farm after Grandpa passed and ran it awhile.  Now after being away a few years, my big brother run the ranch" Rocky said as he grumbles a bit on the end.

 

However he quickly recomposed himself before motioning to the cow again.  "Bessie here is one of a few cattle we use for milk, which is always a necessity here on the farm" he said patting Bessie on the head.