//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4 
// Story: A Word of Caution 
// by Eighth 
//------------------------------//

	The sun hangs above Sweet Apple Acres in a warm golden-orange glow that feels as inviting as a loving embrace. Its light cascades down onto the orchard below, reflecting off the ripened apples while your thoughts drift off to having a lazy nap under one of those trees until nightfall. Most of the trees are empty, the fruit has already been picked as apple cider season approaches.

You arrive at the door and knock, the sounds of the Apples telling each other to get the door soon follows. Then Anon opens the door, his head is out of view thanks to his height.

"Thank Twilight, in," he states as he steps aside.

You stifle a giggle at him as you enter. He's trying to learn so it wouldn't be fair. Applebloom then hastily scurries into the room.

"Oh, you got the door already. Did you greet her?"

Anon responds with a nod.

"Properly?"

Again, he nods.

"He was close enough," you whisper to the filly.

"I tried to help Anon today, just a little."

"A little? She's been following him around all day trying to get him to say the same thing. Over and over," Granny Smith calls out from the 
other room.

"Really? What was it?"

"Just a greeting, it doesn't matter. Applejack said you can borrow her room until dinner is ready."

"Thank you, come on Anon," you reply as you head upstairs with the big alien in tow.

"Thank Applebloom, in," says Anon.





The two of you have been at it for a few short hours, doing more revision than anything else. You're trying to make sure the knowledge he has so far is concreted, you don't want to overload the guy like you did yesterday. The more he speaks, the more comfortable he seems but in truth, he can barely speak at all.

It's only just now that he has finally begun to understand all the words in reference to the self like "I" and "you".

"So what do I say when I give you this," you ask as you hand him a book.

"Thank... Twi--You?"

"Yes! Very good."

Then you reach out for the book but Anon reels back.

"A-Ah... Anon, can I please have my book back?"

"My," he replies 

"No, it's mine. That was just an example."

"Example?"

You sigh then gesture for him to give back the book.

"Example," he repeats as he places the book in your hoof.

Then without warning, Applejack barges in with a loud, "Howdy," startling the two of you. 

"Hey Applejack."

"Dinner is ready once the two of you are ready to join us."

"Oh, no. I couldn't impose like that."

"Nonsense. Anon is practically a part of the family now and we can't have you helping one of us without some kind of thanks," she says as she starts leading you downstairs.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, it's only fair. From now on I'd say, Anon works the farm in the day, you teach him in the afternoon then we all enjoy dinner afterwards."

You smile warmly at her kindness, then you feel the urge to drool as the smell of dinner wafts past your nose. 

Eagerly you all sit at the table with various foods laid out for everyone to sort out their own helpings. On one side of you is Anon and Applejack is on the other. Everyone takes their seats and digs in. Passing around all the bowls and plates of food as they sort out what they do and don't want. You notice Anon's knees are practically digging into his own gut as he sits on a chair that far too short for him.

"Anon deary, can you pass the crumble?"

"Example," he says as he reaches over with the plate of crumble in hand.

"What?"

"No, Anon, that's not what I meant when I said that, the word is give."

He then tries to hand the crumble to you instead of Granny who grunts as she tries to reach for the bowl.

"No-no, I mean," you cut yourself with a deep sigh along with a giggle.

"Sort it out later, let's just eat," Applejack laughs.





You've finished tea and feeling fuller than those sacks of apples about to be turned into cider. Unfortunately, Spike is waiting at the treebrary so you can't stick around too long after it's over. So with a quick goodbye, you head home with plans to treat Spike to something nice for tea.