Description :

When Applejack decides to clean the barn and finds a sulking red masked turtle hiding behind a pile of hay which doesn't make any sense at all of how he manages to hide his massive figure from the public view

TMNT 2014/2016

<>.<>.<>.<>.<>.<>.<>

Sometimes Applejack found it hard to live in a farm house in a city; well, not really in the middle of the New York city but it did count as she lived at the edge of the city landscape though, with apple farm as a living source. She liked to stay out of the busy Manhattans and just relaxed in her place but every morning she had to help her big brother sending buckets of apples to stores and markets.

Not that she complaints, but it annoyed her occasionally whenever some random city's girls threw judging looks at her. Applejack supposed it was because how often she got herself dirty with dust and sometimes with oil because of repairing her family's truck that kept getting itself broke down by the street. Then there was Applebloom, trying her best to adapt to the city's life in school she just moved in; only to come back home with tears in her eyes and whined of how often she was bullied at school.

Applejack really still can't believe she and her family moved there just to gain more balance living source. 'Course, she went back to Canterlot High sometimes but her schedules of working and schooling in the new school just getting busier and Pinkie had started complaining how rare she would see Applejack in the present. Applejack wished she could spend more times with her friends. But then again, Granny Smith had mentioned about moving back but only if they've enough money to keep going on with the old life and worked as usual in their old place. Applejack couldn't wait for that moment.

The sun was setting down, creating a mix of red, yellow and pink colour on the horizon that clearly had taken Applejack's breath away as the young cowgirl stared at the setting down sun until it all getting darker. She had just finished having dinner with her family when she took one look at the barn and froze at the low level of its hygiene, even from the outside.

" 'Alright, even if it's dark and everything, 'ah can't stand seeing how dirty our barn is!" Applejack said in her country accent as she took some cleaning equipments and readied to head out.

" Why can't you just do it tomorrow? We all wake before sun comes up!" Applebloom spoke, resting her head in her hands on the dining table.

" I'll just clean the horses' and chickens' place and clear off  the dusts in the barn, " the blond haired teenager said, putting the cleaning equipments in a cart and now pulling them to the door, " I'll be in my room in an hour, if I manage."

" You sounds like Rarity. Now I think she's rubbed some of her OCD ( Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ) thing on you, " Applebloom's comment made Applejack chuckled

" Guess she did."

Good think they had lights in the barn, making Applejack's work easier as she switched them on to reveal the messy condition in the barn. She clinched at the nasty smell and wondered when did the last time the barn was cleaned. She grabbed the broom and started working.

After cleaning the chicken's place, sweeping some needles of hays on the floor, prepared a new water supplies to the horses, gave a light pet on one of the horses they had, which went with the name Blackjack, Applejack sat on one of the squared hays and wiped the sweats off her forehead. Only a few quarters of the barn was cleaned but it looked neat enough and the nasty smell had gone.

She looked down to her appearance; totally smothered with dust and she had not idea where the black oil spot on her sleeve came from. She felt relieved to see the barn looked quite clean but something didn't feel right.

Applejack stood up, her ears and eyes were now became more sensitive to her surroundings to catch any movements or sounds. She just got the feeling of not being alone which sounded a little scary, since it was dark and she was sure her family had gone to bed.

" Who's there?" Applejack raised her voice slightly, her eyes darted everywhere.

The long silence almost made Applejack though she was just being paranoid when a bucket fell from its place and Blackjack started to whine in its loud voice, almost waking up the other sleeping horses.

" Woah there fella!" Applejack shushed the black horse, gently stroking its mane, " What's gotten into you?" she tried to calm it down but Blackjack kept making noises and tapped its hooves nervously on the ground. After a few seconds, it calmed down under Applejack's touches.

" Shush...It's all right, it's okay..." the girl looked frantically around, searching for the source of Blackjack's panic actions when her green eyes caught the faint line of something hiding in the shadow behind a pile of hay.

" Who goes there? A friend or foe?" she said, a threatening tone in her voice to show the intruder she was not scared. " Show yourself!"

Another long silence

" I prefer not to reveal myself, " A low, deep and husky voice grumbled from the shadow, slightly making Applejack jumped. " I'd just scare you. "

" Come out and we'll see about that, " Applejack replied, not taking any crap of the intruder with being hidden from the view.

" Suit yourself."

A 12 foot mutant turtle came out, revealing himself; masked in red, armed with weapons by his waist which Applejack recognized as Sais, and a pair of golden eyes glaring at the blonde hair girl. Applejack stood frozen on her spot, astonished by the humanoid turtle appearance as lots of feelings overwhelming in her but nevertheless, fear was not one of them but rather shock.

" You..." the sudden voice from the turtle brought the cowgirl back to the reality; he was tilting his head slightly and a total confusion expressed on his eyes, " ...you're not scared?"

Oh please, Applejack has seen a she-demon twice, counting the time when Sci-Twilight turned into one aside from Sunset, fought Sirens and he expected her to be scared of a 12 foot high mutant armed with weapons? Maybe she should, maybe she shouldn't.

" Not really, " as usual, Applejack said honestly, her country accent rolled off her tongue, " just surprised."

" The least I thought you'd do is to fall on your knees, trembling." the turtle continued.

Applejack raised an eyebrow, " And what? Begging 'ya to not hurt me? Sorry, I am not that type of girl, lad. If yer even charged at me, I'd slammed you down to the ground."

For a moment the mutant seemed taken back by Applejack's boldness and then a small smirk carved on his lips, " Well, aren't you a feisty one. "

Applejack smiled, " I didn't really catch your name."

" That's 'cause I didn't threw it."

The cowgirl chuckled, rolling her eyes playfully, " Right. I am Applejack. Call me AJ if you'd like."

" Raphael, just call me Raph."

" Okay, Raph, back to the original business, " Applejack said, " what on earth are you doing in my family's barn?"

Raphael grunted, an annoyed expression flashed on his face as he looked away and muttered, " Just hanging around."

" Is that all?"

" Do you expect me to tell anything about myself to a total stranger that could take advantage on me?"

Feeling a little annoyed, Applejack put up a fist, " Yer' sneaked into a stranger's barn, " she put up one finger, " probably watched me cleaning the place, " another finger, " scared a stranger's horse, " another one, " and already give the stranger, which is me, your name and now is chatting with her. " the total finger were 4, " Who's taking the advantage now?"

It took all Raph's might not to chuckle; he stubbornly avoided eye contact with Applejack and crossed his arms over his chest. Applejack shrugged slightly, heading towards the turtle, sat on a hay and pat the empty space on her seat, silently gesturing him to sit.

" What are you doing?" Raph asked, though he knew what she meant.

" You're my guest; intruder or not, so take a seat and tell me what's bothering you, mister." Simple and clear but fierce and demanding, Applejack's tone was, showing she won't take another accuses from the turtle.

Raph sighed slightly, letting his arms fell by his side and he took a seat next to Applejack.

" You're okay?" Applejack asked, now sounding concern as she noticed the signs of feeling troubled by the turtle's movements.

Raph said nothing, he let the question hovering in the air for a few minutes before finally gave in, " I just had a fight with my brother Leo."

" Sibling's quarrel? "

" Kinda -- he just annoyed me to the point I wanna kick him in the face." Raph grunted.

Applejack nodded, " I know how that feels -- I have a little sister that sometimes annoyed me too."

The understanding tone in her voice made Raph stared at Applejack in a moment and he found himself studying the appearance of the girl beside him; the blonde hair of hers was tied at its end, rested on her shoulder, the freckles on her cheeks were noticeable and looked fairly cute and her emerald green eyes reflected her concerns for the mutant in front of her. Raph wondered how she managed to feel like that though they just met.

" Raph?" Applejack's voice brought back the red masked mutant to reality. " Yer' feeling fine there?"

" I am okay, " he replied after a few seconds of silence.

The next thing he knew, he was telling everything about himself and his family to Applejack, even about saving New York with his brothers. Applejack listened, enjoying herself and occasionally gave some advices to the turtle. And truthfully, Raphael felt it was the most honest comfort he had ever received.