The cock crowed.
Applejack's eyes opened.
A soft, silver grayness permeated her bedroom. All was as still, simple, and stale as it always had been in that room for as long as she could remember.
And she smiled.
She got up from bed briskly... and tied up her mane even faster. With flouncing bangs, she trotted quickly down the stairs.
Winona could be heard barking outside the kitchen window. Big Mac was trotting in, carrying fresh jugs of milk balanced off his yoke.
Applejack stood at the oven, flipping the last of a fresh stack of pancakes. She hummed to herself, a rosiness clinging to her freckles.
The door opened as Big Mac entered. The kitchen filled briefly with the scent of hay and morning dew. With a slight nod, Big Macintosh acknowledged his sister before trotting off into the living room. He set the milk jugs down so he can pick them up again on his way to Ponyville for the first round of errands.
In the meantime, Applejack divided the stack of pancakes into four servings on four separate plates. She whistled as she dressed the kitchen table.
Big Mac shuffled back in. With an undeniable grumble to his stomach, he sat down at the table and rubbed his fetlocks in hungry anticipation of the breakfast that was newly prepared.
Applejack placed down a tub of butter... and a jar of syrup...
...and she leaned in to hug Big Macintosh from behind.
"... ... ...?" Big Macintosh blinked.
"Soooooo good to see ya, big brother." At last—after a gentle nuzzle—Applejack leaned away and continued setting up the rest of the table. "Such a blessin' to live in a home like this, ya reckon?"
"Errr... eeyup."
"Such bountiful harvests to be had." Applejack smiled as she worked. "Such healthy livestock." She smiled some more. "We could be livin' anywhere in Equestria. Anywhere at all! But here we are... livin' in Sweet Apple Acres. Heh... ain't that somethin' else?"
Big Mac looked curiously at his pancakes, then at Applejack. "You... uhhhhh..." The stallion raised an eyebrow. "...you meet anypony while in Canterlot?"
"Of course I did!" Applejack winked. "I hung out with my friends the entire time!"
Big Mac blinked. "Aaaaaaaand didja meet anypony else?"
Applejack scuffled to a stop. She turned to face him. "What do you mean by that?"
"Oh... uh... nothin'."
Applejack squinted. "... ... ...ya sure?"
"Eeeeeyup!" And Big Mac thrust his jaws into his breakfast. "Mmrmmmff... scrommmff!"
"... ... ..." Applejack shrugged. "Granny!!!" She hollered towards the ceiling as she trotted across the kitchen. "Apple Bloom! Come get yer vittles, y'all!"
After breakfast...
Applejack trotted upstairs to her bedroom.
She could hear the front screen door opening and slapping shut. Through the window, she spotted Big Mac trotting off towards Ponyville, carrying the milk jugs and drawing a wagon full of fresh hay.
She smiled... then went about to gather her things for the first of many, many chores.
Applejack fetched her saddlebag. Her rope. Extra horseshoes.
Her hat...
"... ... ..." Applejack lingered with her hoof outstretched, touching the brim of the article.
She didn't move. She didn't breathe.
A tail flick. A slight twitch to her fetlocks.
"Mmmmmmmm..."
Her freckled cheeks sunk in a bit. She tongued the inside of her muzzle.
Then, at last...
...Applejack turned the hat over, exposing the feather. Treating it like a dead spider, she lifted the thing in her bare fetlock and trotted briskly towards a waste basket.
Her second-to-last step was a glacial thing, performed in slow motion.
She shut her eyes and exhaled.
When her eyes reopened, time had resumed. With a lurch, Applejack moved past the waist basket...
...and approached her vanity. There, she found a drawer with a small velvet case inside. The mare opened the tiny box and slid the feather neatly in the center of a looped necklace of pearls. Her mother's.
Slap.
She flipped the case shut... then slid the drawer back into the vanity.
The feather couldn't be seen.
But it was there.
And it was safe.
Applejack exhaled with relief. Her next smile was a weak one... but relaxed. She reached over, grasped her hat, then slapped it onto her head.
Moments later, she trotted briskly out of the house...
...and out into very, very familiar fields.