Man Cannot Live On Coffee Alone

by PropMaster


6: Man Cannot Have One Friend Alone

As the train from Canterlot pulled away from the station, I felt an eerie sense of déjà vu. I shivered as I watched the locomotive disappear down the tracks, and turned to face Ponyville once more. I was back, and this time under no pretense. Sapphire and Dusky were both with me, today. I'd requested both of them from Celestia and Luna, as I wanted to have a little extra moral support. Dusky, for his part, was his usual professional self, but he had a pair of dark lenses attached to his guard helmet, presumably acting like sunglasses. Sapphire, however, was excited, looking around the station and smiling. "It's nice to get out of the castle!"

"Yeah," I muttered, looking towards Ponyville. "So, I've got four mares to meet today, and then Twilight wants me to check in with her at her crystal tree house thing."

"We're going to Friendship Castle?" Sapphire said, her wings fluttering at her sides.

"No, we're going to Crystal Tree House. I refuse to call it Friendship Castle, it's a silly name. But first, I need to meet up with all of Rarity and Twilight's friends and... apologize, I guess."

Dusky reached into a pouch on his belt and pulled free a scroll, clutching it between his wings. "It says here that you should be able to find Pinkie Pie at Sugar Cube Corner, a bakery establishment."

I snorted, remembering the pudgy little pink pony. "Yeah, that sounds about right. Well, she's the one that I wanted to apologize to anyway, so let's go."

Sapphire led the way, hopping up into the air and flying overhead. "I've been to Sugar Cube Corner before. Follow me!"

With Dusky at my side, we followed Sapphire into Ponyville. The three of us got a few odd looks as we walked down the avenues of the town, and the majority of ponies gave us a wide berth as they passed. A few even changed direction upon spotting me, disappearing down side streets. I shrugged mentally and kept focused on the task at hand. It'd been like that in Canterlot for a while, before the word got out that I was some kind of important creature working for the Diarchy, and then the cautious attitudes changed to curious ones. The ponies of Ponyville, for the most part, stuck to their business and ignored me, which was gratifying. Apparently they were used to odd happenings around here.

We turned a corner down a street and I immediately knew we'd arrived at Sugar Cube Corner. The building before us was decorated to look like a ginger bread house, complete with a cupcake-styled minaret at the top of the building. I whistled, appreciating the look even if it was the sort of saccharine nonsense that I'd come to expect out of ponies. There was a bustling business going on inside, and ponies flowed in and out at a quick pace. As we approached, I could smell the tantalizing scent of fresh bread, warm cookies, and various sugars and spices. We arrived at the double doors and pushed them open like a trio of gunfighters in an old-west saloon. We were hungry... for justice! And cookies.

Mostly cookies. My stomach rumbled.

The interior of the place was filled with displays of confectionery delight. Massive cakes, huge displays of cookies, pies, and all manner of other delicacies were piled high on counter tops. Inside, a few ponies ahead of us froze up, uncertain as to why the strange creature and two guards had entered the bakery. Behind the counter was a rotund older pony with a beehive-esque pink mane and cyan coat, and she smiled at me in a motherly way that immediately reminded me of the little grandmothers that would cook in tiny restaurants back on Earth. It put me at ease, and I waited patiently in line while the patrons ahead of me placed orders. When we arrived at the counter, the mare cast me a happy smile. "Well, hello there! Welcome to Sugar Cube Corner! What can I get ya, dearie?"

Her accent was vaguely reminiscent of the Great Lakes Region of the United States, which struck me as a bit strange, but it complemented her motherly appearance. "Hey there. I'm looking for Pinkie Pie, is she here today?" I asked, giving her a smile without any teeth. Ponies got twitchy when they spotted my canines, sometimes.

"Oh, she's in the back! You must be Jake. She said you'd be showing up around now. She told me to tell you to wait a few minutes, and she'll be out to chat!" the mare said.

I blinked. "How'd she know I was coming?"

"Oh! Hehee," she giggled, "that's our Pinkie Pie for you! She just knows!"

I nodded slowly. "Okay... so, find a seat?"

"Abso-tutely! Would you and your friends like something to drink? We've got tea, coffee, and pop!"

I smiled. "A coffee sounds great. Can you add in a little chocolate to it?"

She turned around, already prepping a cup. "Coming right up! How about you dears?"

"Coffee sounds good, with sugar." said Sapphire, her eyes locked on a display of frosted brownies that seems to have captivated her.

"Make it three," Dusky added, "but no sugar in mine."

I reached for my bit bag as the mare turned around with three mugs of steaming coffee, and she smiled. "Seven bits for the lot."

I whistled. Cheaper than Canterlot, that's for sure! I happily paid out the money and took our drinks over to a nearby table. We sat down, and I took a sip of the mocha I'd requested. The milky chocolate was heavenly with the dark roast, and I found myself grinning at nothing. Sapphire still stared at the brownies, sipping distractedly on her own drink, while Dusky watched his cool for a bit. We sat in amicable silence, content to watch the bakery operate around us. A lanky stallion with a yellow coat and orange mane bussed a few tables, smiling at us as he passed by. The door into the back of the bakery swung open a few minutes later, just as I was finishing my coffee, and a pink fluffy tail bobbed into view. There was a straining, heaving sound as Pinkie fell into the bakery proper, pulling a plate with a towering cake on top of it. Pinkie Pie drug the cake into the middle of the bakery and collapsed, panting for breath, before smiling up at me from her prone position. "Heya, Jakey! Who are your guard pony friends?"

"Hello, Pinkie. This is Corporal Sapphire Spirit and Specialist Dusky Roads." I said, gesturing to Sapphire and Dusky, respectively. My gaze shifted from her to the huge cake. "What's all this?"

"Welllllllll," she said, inhaling slowly. "I knew that you were coming today and I knew that you'd had a rough couple of days because of course you did because you had a fight with one of your bestest-besties in the whole wide world and I think that's super sad and so I baked you a great big cake because cake always makes things better," she said, all in one go, with nary a pause to be found. "Sooooo, this is your 'Sorry-You-Had-A-Crummy-Week-Welcome-To-Ponyville-Your-Apology-Is-Accepted' cake! One layer for every layer of plot you've had to wade through to get here!"

I stared at the huge cake, and then back down to Pinkie Pie. "... I haven't even talked to you about any of that, yet. You can't just forgive me."

Pinkie grinned, kipping up to her hooves and bouncing in place. "Too late! It's already forgiven! I found out all about why you were mean to me the other day, and it's all macaroni and cheese!"

"... Macaroni and cheese?" I asked.

"Yeah, y'know. Macaroni and cheese? Apple Pie and ice cream? Brie and red grapes? Brownies and ice cream? Cookies and milk? Ice cream and ice cream?" She giggled. "I mean it's all good."

"Oh," I said, barely following her logic. "Well... I don't feel like it's all good."

Pinkie stopped bouncing. "... You don't?"

I shook my head. "No, I don't. I think I need to do better, and so I'm here to offer you... whatever. Whatever I need to do to make it up to you. You name it, and I'll do it."

Pinkie Pie stared at me for a moment, her eyes narrowing and frowning slightly as the gears turned in her head. "Anything?"

"Pretty much," I confirmed, nodding.

Pinkie's smile redoubled, and she giggled. "Awesome! First, you're gonna have to give me a big 'ol hug!"

I blinked. "... A hug?"

"Yup! A big one! Not that that's very hard for you, mister!" Pinkie said, beaming up at me. She stood up on her hind hooves and raised her forelegs up. "Come on, get in here!"

I sighed, kneeling down, and was pulled into a tight hug by the little pink pony. She smelled like cinnamon and baking powder and strawberries. She giggled, her whole body practically vibrating as I joined the hug. "Okie dokie lokie, now you gotta pick me up!"

I rolled my eyes, but I stood up, with Pinkie Pie still clinging around my shoulders, and I carefully supported her behind her haunches, like picking up a dog. She grinned. "Okay, now, onto the shoulders!"

I squinted down at her. "... You want a piggy-back ride?"

"More like a Pinkie-back ride!" She laughed, and I maneuvered her around until she was riding on my shoulders. "Ha! I am tallest pony now!" she cried from atop my shoulders. Sapphire and Dusky stared at the two of us like we'd grown extra heads, and it was nearly true in my case. The pink pony giggled and pointed just at the edge of my vision. "Okay, Jake! You gotta give me a ride to Fluttershy's place, now! You do that, and we're all good!"

I stared at Dusky and Sapphire impassively, sending a silent plea for help. Sapphire had buried her face behind her hooves and was giggling uncontrollably, and Dusky remained his stoic self, small smirk of amusement notwithstanding. "Well, sir, she's on the list of ponies you need to apologize to," Dusky said evenly.

"What about the cake?" I asked Pinkie Pie, gesturing to the multi-layer monstrosity that still sat before us.

"Oh! Well, since there were so many holes in the layers—just like the plot—I just hollowed out the whole thing. Check it out!" Pinkie Pie reached out with one hoof, able to touch the top layer of the cake thanks to the added height from atop my shoulders. She slid a little tray from beneath the topmost layer, and that layer sunk into the next tier of the cake, which followed suit, all the way down to the last layer. The multi-tiered cake had become a single large layer by the end, with different colors and textures like a tree's rings. "See! Now it's travel size for your convenience! I'll have it delivered to your room at the castle!"

"Wow," Sapphire said, rubbing at her eyes as though she couldn't believe what she'd just witnessed.

I stared in wonder at the collapsed cake. "Yeah, wow," I agreed.

"I know, right?! I knew you'd be impressed!" Pinkie cheered. She wasn't wrong, it was quite the feat of engineering. Baking? Something between those two ideas, anyway. "So, are you ready to get this show on the road?"

"If it's all the same to you, Pinkie, don't you think Fluttershy would rather I apologize without your help?" I asked her.

Pinkie giggled. "Silly Jakey! Fluttershy probably won't even open the door if somepony she doesn't know comes a-knockin'!" Pinkie glanced around conspiratorially, and then whispered in my ear, "She's suuuuper shy."

"I gathered," I said, sighing. "All right, a piggy back ride to Fluttershy's house so you can introduce us. I get a little humiliation for my poor treatment of you, and we're all good."

Pinkie paused, peering down at me at a precarious angle, her position barely held atop my shoulders. "Humiliation?!" She practically leapt off of me, her blue eyes wide as she got up on her hind legs, balancing with one hoof on my chest to look up at me with an earnest expression. "Jakey, I don't wanna humiliate you! I just thought it'd be fun!"

I gauged her sincerity, but I couldn't see any guile in her bright eyes, and I smiled after a moment. "... Okay, I believe you. I appreciate it, but if you need me to do something silly to make things right, then I'm okay with it."

Pinkie shook her head emphatically. "Nuh-uh! We're gonna do fun things, not mean things... like, ummmm..." She glanced around, and then gasped as an idea struck her. "Oh, I know! I do test batches of all kinds of weird desserts and baked goods! You gotta come the next time I do it and help me taste-test! Some of 'em might be yucky, but I'll try them too, and so we can make funny faces and go 'bleah!' together!" She brushed a hoof against my chest in a plaintative gesture, her ears folding back. "Does that sound better?"

I squinted down at her. "You have a different way of thinking, Pinkie."

Pinkie winked at me. "Different good?"

"Yeah, different good," I agreed, patting the top of her poofy mane. She grinned a big grin and plopped back down onto her hooves.

"All right, now that that's settled, onward to Fluttershy! Up an' at 'em, guard ponies!" Pinkie said, marching in place while gesturing wildly at Sapphire and Dusky to get up. They both got to their hooves, chuckling, and followed Pinkie and I as we walked across Ponyville.

The trek across Ponyville was a far more interesting affair with Pinkie Pie in the lead. She smiled and chirped a happy greeting at every pony we passed, calling them by name, and often spouting little compliments about their appearance or demeanor. The ponies around us barely paid us any mind, such was the wake Pinkie left behind her, and I found myself smiling along with the happy ponies of Ponyville as we walked out past the edge of town and towards a dense forest. Before we hit the edge of the forest, we detoured, passing along the edge of the wood and heading towards an orchard. We skirted the edge of the orchard and found ourselves in a small hilly area with a brook running through it. At the top of one hill sat a cottage that could only be described as 'enchanting'.

It was as though the landscape had grown this little home, with its mellow earth toned walls and grassy roof. Bird feeders and houses covered the outside of the building, and along the winding path to the front door little warrens and burrows dotted the landscape. A small bridge allowed passage over the stream, which we crossed, and we arrived at the closed half-door of the home. All manner of birds and little creatures scurried about, almost fearless in their goings-on. I slowly inhaled the scent of fresh water and clean open spaces, and felt the magic of this little corner of the world. Sapphire had taken to the air once more, and was peering delightedly into a bird nest where a few fluffy balls of feathers cheeped at her. Dusky was examining a rabbit hutch that sat a bit away from the path leading up to the front door.

Pinkie seemed far less concerned with the beautiful pastoral scene and more interested in getting the attention of the occupant inside the cottage. She marched up to the front door and called, "Companyyyyy, halt!" She glanced over her shoulder. "That means stop."

"We know," Dusky murmured, smirking at Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie Pie didn't pick up on any sarcasm, because she grinned at Dusky and lifted a hoof to knock on the door. Her sharp rapping reverberated through the house, unsettling a few birds from their nests. "Fluttershy! It's Pinkie Pie!"

The top half of the door creaked open and a sunny yellow pegasus with a light pink mane peered out. "Oh, hello, Pinkie P—" Fluttershy froze up when she caught sight of me, her eyes going wide in surprise. I hunched my shoulders a bit in a probably-too-late attempt to look smaller, remembering that a lot of ponies got nervous because of my size alone. Then, Fluttershy surprised me by practically leaping out of her front door to stand before me. Her cheeks puffed up, and she flew up to my eye level. "You!"

I smiled uncertainly. "Uh... hello?" I glanced at Sapphire, who gave Fluttershy a concerned frown as she moved closer to me.

She reached out, I winced, and I found myself buried in a fluffy pony hug. "I was so worried about you!" Fluttershy squeaked, and when she pulled back her eyes were teary. "You ran out to help us with that grumpy hydra and almost got yourself eaten! If Pinkie Pie hadn't been there, I—" she hiccuped, and a tear ran down her cheek. Was she crying?!

"Uh... I'm sorry?" She clung tighter to me, and I reached out and gently patted her on the back. "I... won't do that again?" I said, not quite sure what she wanted to hear.

"You p-promise?" Fluttershy turned her big, blue eyes on me, tears threatening to spill. That was patently unfair! I can't deflect pouting ponies of that magnitude!

"Yeah, I promise," I said with a firm nod. I probably would break that promise the instant something threatened any of the ponies again, but I was willing to do whatever it took to make Fluttershy stop crying.

Fluttershy detached from me, blushing slightly as she wiped one hoof across her cheeks. "Okay... I'm sorry about everything that happened after that... it was a real mess."

I smiled at her. "I think we're all sorry about that," I said, pausing briefly before realizing that I had not ever properly introduced myself. "I'm Jake, by the way. These two are Corporal Sapphire," I gestured to Sapphire, who waved a hoof at Fluttershy, "and Specialist Dusky."

Fluttershy seemed a little more nervous as she realized that there were a lot more ponies present, and she swallowed hard before speaking up. "O-oh, um, hello. It's nice to meet you all, finally."

Sapphire smiled, "The pleasure is ours, Miss Fluttershy."

"Indeed," Dusky added, giving Fluttershy a deferential nod.

Pinkie Pie beamed at us as she trotted forward. "Well, introductions have been made, and I gotta get back to Sugar Cube Corner! Lots to do for the Eff-Oh-Eff! You guys enjoy that cake, okie dokie?"

I reached down and offered a fist to Pinkie Pie. "Thanks for everything, Pinkie."

Pinkie reached out and tapped my fist with her hoof. "Of course! What are friends for?" With a giggle, Pinkie pronked away, her mane flouncing happily as she headed down the road.

I shook my head as I watched her leave. "She's something else."

"She really is," Fluttershy said, shaking her head, before looking up at me. "Um, by the way, I'm sorry if I was too presumptuous, giving you a hug earlier."

I shrugged. "Eh. Not the worst greeting I've ever gotten. I thought you were going to slap me, honestly."

"O-oh, no, I'd never do something like that!" Fluttershy said, blushing and taking a step away from me.

"Well, good to know. I honestly probably have it coming at some point. I'm sure one of your friends is probably pissed enough at me to put a hoof upside my head," I said, smirking.

"Oh, I hope not. That'd be too much... even if they happened to be very upset about how you treated Spike. But I've been told that you and Spike had a discussion, and that you settled things and apologized," Fluttershy said, peering up at me from behind a pink lock of hair.

I frowned. "Twilight more-or-less made me apologize. I told Spike that I wanted to make things right, though, and that's all that matters."

Fluttershy blinked, a small frown slowly spreading across her face. "You didn't want to apologize?"

I shrugged. "I don't believe apologies fix things. I think that the only way to solve problems like that is to prove you can be better."

"Oh. Well, that makes sense," Fluttershy said, visibly relaxing as she gave a nod. "That sounds like a good way to approach solving problems between friends. You don't just say it, you show it."

I smiled at her, surprised that she'd accepted my explanation so easily. "Wow. Twilight seemed insistent that you ponies really wanted to hear the words."

Fluttershy sat back on her haunches, letting out a small sigh as she did so. "Twilight has a lot of ideas about how things are supposed to work, and she has problems accepting alternative viewpoints sometimes. That's why it's so important that we're close to her, so we can help her see the other sides of issues."

I chuckled. "I wish you'd been there, then. She got pretty mad that I wouldn't say 'sorry' to Spike."

Fluttershy shook her head, scuffing the dirt with one hoof as her gaze wandered. "She's protective of Spike. I suppose you could say that, for Twilight, hearing you apologize was part of what you needed to do to start making things right."

"Sure. I suppose," I said, shrugging noncommittally, even though what she said made a bit of sense. "So, what do you do out here, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy brightened up, smiling, and her wings fluttered excitedly at her sides. "Oh! I'm an animal caretaker. I love helping little critters whenever they need it, and so I work to feed and tend to local wildlife, and give them a safe place to stay at my home and at the animal sanctuary I built nearby." I glanced around the house, taking in all the dens and burrows scattered about, not to mention the plethora of bird houses and nests. It was pretty obvious, now that I was really paying attention. Fluttershy had kept talking as I took in the place: "Ponyville pays me to collect data on animal populations and I provide them with a lot of knowledge about the disposition of the local wildlife. I also help look after pets, and provide a lot of the town with services caring for sick animals." Fluttershy spoke with none of her typical stuttering or hesitation, and her eyes were bright and ears forward as she spoke to me. Her passion was palpable, and it was extremely cool.

"Wow. So, you're sort of like... a forest ranger, then?" I asked.

"I guess part of the money I get for keeping the census on the animals comes from the Ponyville Parks and Recreation department's budget, so... I suppose I am! I don't really think of it that way, though. I'm just happy to help," Fluttershy said, her wings fluttering a bit as she said so.

I smiled. "You sure are."

Fluttershy blushed, retreating inward and peering at me from behind the long forelock of her mane. It was extremely adorable. "S-sorry, I just really like what I do."

"I'm glad. It's good to do things you love," I said with sincerity.

Fluttershy peeked back up at me. "What about you? What do you love to do, Jake?"

I paused, considering the question for a few moments before replying. "I... don't really know. I like helping people with problems, I guess? I'm also pretty good with numbers and writing. I used to help... uh..." How to explain to this precious tiny pony that I used to help criminals keep their books and payroll in order, and that much of my 'problem solving' involved the application of guns to faces? "... people with their money. Like, records and stuff." It was way more lame sounding than it actually was, but when you're leaving out guns, drugs, and murder, everything is much less sexy—if more wholesome.

Fluttershy nodded. "Oh, I see. Like an accountant."

An accountant who killed people. "Yeah, sure. That's me: Action Accountant Jake."

"That's dumb," Sapphire said, laughing.

"You're dumb," I immediately retorted, sticking my tongue out at her. Sapphire stuck her tongue out at me in retaliation.

Dusky rolled his eyes. "I'm surrounded by foals."

Fluttershy laughed, beaming at the three of us. "I'm glad you're all good friends."

I glanced down at her. "Oh, you picked up on that?"

"It's a little obvious. That makes me happy, though! I was worried that you'd spent the last few days all alone and upset."

"Well, these two would barely leave me alone. Sapphire even made me clean her wings," I said, laughing. At this declaration, Dusky practically choked and was overcome by a coughing fit, his eyes widening behind his sunglasses as he pounded his chest armor. Fluttershy gasped and blushed, her eyes darting between Sapphire and I, and Sapphire froze on the spot, her face totally impassive. I noticed the extreme reactions, and frowned. "What?"

"N-nothing!" Fluttershy said, her face turning an even deeper shade of red. "I'm sure it was... nice!"

"Well, yeah. It was, I guess? It helped me calm down after a rough day," I said slowly, trying to figure out why Dusty and Fluttershy were freaking out a bit.

"New subject, Jake, if you please," Sapphire said, her ears flattening back a bit.

I shrugged, reaching out and tweaking the tip of one of her ears. "Sure. What's up with the stiff wings?"

Sapphire's head snapped around, staring at her extended wings with wide eyes. "Damn it!" she cried, flopping onto her back and practically mushing them beneath herself. "It's stuffy in this armor! The breeze over my feathers helps! I'm just feeling hot!" she said, her legs flailing as she rolled on her wings.

"Corporal, please, get ahold of yourself. What you do with Jake is your own business. Nopony is judging you." Dusky said, his coughing fit apparently cleared up. He looked his typical stoic self once more, his dark tail lashing slightly behind him.

"You're totally judging me~!" Sapphire cried, covering her face with her hooves.

"Yes," Dusky said, smirking slightly as Sapphire gasped at him, looking betrayed. "But only because you are presently making a fool of yourself. Stand up and be calm, Corporal."

"I-I'm not judging you. I promise," Fluttershy said softly, though she was still blushing.

Sapphire let out a groan of frustration and got to her hooves, shaking out her wings before pointedly snapping them shut at her sides. She took in a deep breath, and as she exhaled, she returned to her proper on-duty-guard posture. Only a slight redness to her cheeks revealed that anything had happened. I chuckled to myself. "Silly ponies."

"Stupid man," Sapphire sniped back.

I shrugged, and returned my attention to Fluttershy. "So, yeah. It has been a rough few days, but with these guys around, I've been managing."

Fluttershy composed herself, though she was still blushing. "O-oh. That's good. I'm glad that you're so close to your guards. I've always told Twilight that she should consider getting a few for her castle, but she told me she'd feel awkward ordering them around. She's still adjusting to her role as Princess, and she's not quite as comfortable as she maybe should be."

"Yeah. They're pretty okay," I said with a smirk, getting a another pointed look from Sapphire.

Fluttershy smiled, "So, what are you doing in Ponyville?"

"I came here to talk to all of you. I'd like to make up for the stupid stuff I did, and so I'm here to offer to do... well, whatever you need. It can be today, or another time, or whatever you'd like," I said, finally getting to the root of my visit.

"Oh! That's very kind of you, but I don't feel like you need to do anything for me. You upset Spike, and you were mean to Pinkie Pie, but you didn't do anything to me, so I think it's enough that you came and visited," Fluttershy said, standing up. "But, if you really are looking to do something to help me, I could use a little help feeding the birds, today." Fluttershy gestured to a little shed off to one side of her house, and began trotting towards it. "I keep the bird feed in there, and I need my songbirds to be extra-happy today. We've got a big event coming up that we need to help Twilight with."

I raised my eyebrows. "A big event?"

"Oh, yes. You haven't heard?" Fluttershy said, looking over her shoulder in surprise.

"No. I've been feeling anti-social for the last few days, and I work in Princess Luna's night court, so I haven't heard much news."

"Oh! Well, it's very exciting. Twilight has been planning it for a few weeks, now, and it's finally coming up on the day. It's called the Festival of Friendship!" Fluttershy smiled, her wings fluffing up at her sides, "She wants my birds to help provide a friendly atmosphere for the guests and attendees, so I'm getting my birds together to practice some songs."

I chuckled. "You train birds to sing?"

"Oh, yes! It's a lot of work, but it makes them very happy to feel appreciated," Fluttershy said.

I shook my head. "That's about the cutest thing I've heard in a few days. You ponies sure are something."

Fluttershy giggled. "Well, we believe very strongly in harmony, and part of that is feeling in harmony with the land and the animals." We arrived at the shed, and Fluttershy opened it up, pushing open the door. The inside was a small space, with two shelves on either wall and the back wall holding a rack of gardening tools. The shelves were stocked with animal feed in several varieties. I stepped inside, peering at the labels on the bags of bird seed. One was prominently labeled 'songbird mix'.

I pointed to the bag. "That one?"

"Please!" Fluttershy said with a nod, and I hefted the bag up onto my shoulder. Fluttershy lead the way, going back across the bridge and out to the front of the house. There were tall standing feeders set up around the front yard, and she gestured. "We need to fill all of those, please."

"Sure," I said. Fluttershy leapt into the air, hovering next to my shoulder, and she retrieved a scoop from inside the bag I was holding. She got a scoop of the bird seed and flew towards one of the furthest feeders. I got the hint and walked to the closest feeder, and poured some seed into the bowl-shaped stand. Together, Fluttershy and I worked our way through the feeders. As we filled them, birds flocked in from their houses and nests, and soon the whole of the front yard was full of feathered critters, chirping and singing. It was idyllic, and as Fluttershy and I met at the final feeder, I let out a sigh and set the bag down. "Quite the menagerie you've got here, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy giggled. "Thank you. Though, really, it's more of an aviary right now."

"It's very peaceful here, Fluttershy. You must work hard to keep things in order," Sapphire commented, looking around at the birds. A single sparrow had landed on top of her helmet and was attempting to steal some of the blue hair from the top of it. Sapphire scowled at the little bird, but didn't stop it from taking a few blue strands and flying off to line its nest with the bright material.

"Oh, I don't really do much. I just make sure every animal feels safe while they're here," Fluttershy said with a small shrug, hovering up to a nest to peek in on a few baby birds.

"So, how are you going to get all these birds to Canterlot? Do you have cages for them?" I asked.

Fluttershy giggled. "Oh, no, nothing like that! Here, let me show you." Fluttershy cleared her throat, approaching a group of birds clustered around a feeder. "Excuse me, everybirdy, but I have a friend who would love to hear you sing. Would you mind doing one of the harmonies we practiced together?"

The birds stopped pecking at their food, watching Fluttershy with interest, and once she was done speaking, the five of them clustered together and began to sing. The birds sang the notes at the same time, their different tonalities and voices merging into a harmony. I stared, open-mouthed. Once they were done, I clapped. "Wow. They... they listen to you?"

"Well, yes. It's part of my special talent," Fluttershy said, gesturing to the butterflies on her flank. "I can communicate with animals, and they understand me well enough to help me when I ask them for things. They'll follow me to Canterlot, so I don't need to use cages."

I shook my head, laughing in wonder. "You sure are something."

Fluttershy blushed. "O-oh, it's just... what I do! And the bids love to sing," Fluttershy said, turning to the birds and smiling at them. "Don't you?" The birds all chirped happily at her, and then returned to their meal. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face as I watched Fluttershy interact with the birds, and after a few moments, she spoke up. "I still have a rehearsal with my feathered friends to finish up for the day, but I won't need help with that. Do you have anypony else you need to visit today, Jake?"

I looked over at Dusky and Sapphire, and Dusky nodded in the affirmative. "We still need to visit Applejack and Rainbow Dash," Dusky said.

"Oh! Well, Applejack is easy. If you follow the road past my cottage a little ways, you'll hit the edge of the apple orchards. Turn onto the road that leads into the orchards, and you'll get to the farm house in the middle. That's where Applejack lives." Fluttershy smiled, "But you'll probably be more likely to find her out in the field than at the house at this time of day."

I knelt down, extending a hand to her. "Thank you, Fluttershy. I'm happy to have met you."

Fluttershy reached out and gently took my hand in two hooves, giving it a comforting squeeze. "I'm very glad that you didn't get hurt the other day. It was very nice to meet you, too. You're welcome back any time... but let me know you're coming, first, okay?"

I smiled. "Thanks." I stood up, taking one last look around the idyllic little space that Fluttershy had built around her home. This was probably the best that I'd felt in a week. "I'll catch you later."

"It was nice to meet you, Fluttershy," Sapphire said, trotting to my side.

"Indeed, it was an honor," Dusky added, nodding politely at Fluttershy.

"Oh, thank you. I'm glad that you both can be there for Jake," Fluttershy said, smiling serenely at them. "Take care, now!"

I gave Fluttershy a wave over my shoulder as I followed the road down past her cottage. Just as Fluttershy had said, the road ran into the edge of an apple orchard very swiftly, but it was almost a half mile of walking before I reached a road that actually led into the orchards themselves. Sapphire brushed her shoulder against my leg as we walked, getting my attention. "So, two down, two to go!" she said with a little laugh. "I'm surprised that Fluttershy was so relaxed with you around. From what I've heard, she's typically very reserved."

I shrugged. "I guess she was more concerned with my well-being to remember to be shy?"

"I guess so," Sapphire said, looking over her shoulder and back towards the way we'd come. After a moment, she smiled up at me. "She's really beautiful, isn't she?"

I blinked. "Who?"

"Fluttershy!" Sapphire said, grinning at me. "You know, she used to be a supermodel?"

I nearly tripped in my surprise. "Wait, what?"

Sapphire giggled. "Yeah. It was a short career, because she hated the industry, but for a while there, she was one of the most desirable pegasus ponies in Equestria!"

I shrugged. "Huh. Well, that's interesting."

Sapphire smirked at me. "Come on, Jake. You're allowed to admit that she's attractive."

"Hmm. Nope," I said, and poked her on the nose.

Sapphire's eyes crossed, her nose wiggled, and then she sneezed.

Dusky chuckled, "Jake has different tastes in his mares. Are you really so surprised?"

Sapphire snorted. "I guess he prefers horns over wings."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't know what I like. I think the most attractive thing about Fluttershy was how passionate she was about her job." I pondered that statement for a moment. "Though, honestly, a lot of the mares I spend time with are really passionate about things they think are important. Celestia, Luna... Rarity."

Sapphire smiled, her ears going flat. "Aw. You think Celestia and Luna are attractive?"

I squinted down at her. "Doesn't everybody?"

Sapphire and Dusky shared a look, and they both nodded. "Well... yeah, but that's like..." Sapphire stammered.

I shrugged. "Besides, just because they're attractive doesn't mean I'd be interested in them. They just are... well, they're friggin' goddesses, right? Sort of expressions of an ideal? Thinking that they're attractive is like thinking that a perfect sculpture or work of art is attractive. It's not the same as finding a real woman attractive." I shook my head. "Does that even make sense?"

"I understand. They're unapproachable, because of their perceived lack of flaws... but our princesses have flaws, Jake. They're mares, beneath the regal demeanor," Dusky said.

Sapphire's tail flicked behind her. "Yeah. Since we're guards, we get to see more of their 'normal' side than most ponies. They don't like being put on a pedestal, but they tolerate it because they know that they can't do anything about it."

I nodded. "I understand. But, like I said, calling them attractive isn't quite the same as calling somepony like Fluttershy attractive. I think they're attractive, but I'm not attracted to them, if that makes sense?"

"You appreciate the aesthetics, but they aren't your type?" Dusky asked.

"I suppose," I said, frowning slightly. This was a tricky topic, and frankly, it was still a little strange to be able to talk about mares as attractive. It carried with it the implications of romance and other things that I was still trying to wrap my head around when it came to the ponies.

Sapphire nudged me with her hip. "Hey, you're slowing down. Too hard to walk and think?"

I chuckled, "I guess so. Wanna give me a ride?"

Sapphire's ears tilted flat and she blushed, "N-no! Jake!"

Dusky chuckled. "You know that asking a mare for a ride carries a very different connotation if she isn't pulling a taxi or a cart, don't you?"

God damn pony etiquette. I rolled my eyes. "Welp, chalk up another social faux pas for me. Sorry, Sapphire."

Sapphire puffed out her cheeks, glaring at me, but then she sighed and shook her head. "Don't worry about it. You didn't know."

"Yeah. And, uh, sorry if bringing up the fact that I helped you—" I started to say, but Sapphire leapt in and interrupted me quickly.

"It's fine! Fine! Just don't bring it up again!" She said, hopping into the air and hovering next to my face, one wing practically slapping me upside the head.

I winced, rubbing the back of my head. "Ow, okay, sorry."

Dusky shook his head, laughing to himself, and gestured forward. "I do believe we have reached our destination."

We reached the center of the apple orchards, and in the middle of all the farmland was an open space containing a group of structures. A farmhouse and a large barn, a silo, and a few other outbuildings stood in a large cluster. The buildings all sported fresh coats of red and white paint. The farmhouse at the center of it all was a two-story affair with a porch that ran the length of the front face of the house. A green pony sat in a rocking chair on the porch, knitting some garment. Her mane was white, and done up in a bun, and she seemed to creak as much as the rocking chair did as she looked up at us as we approached the front step. When her gaze leveled on me, I felt the inexplicable urge to take off my hat, wipe my shoes, and straighten my posture. I wasn't even wearing a hat! I did straighten up a bit, as did Sapphire and Dusky, and we stopped short of the front step as the elderly pony worked her way to her hooves and ambled over to greet us. "Howdy, strangers. You ponies lost?"

"No, ma'am," I said, smiling at her. "We're looking for Applejack. Is she in?"

The green pony squinted at me and leaned forward a bit. "Never seen the likes o' you before. You some kinda monkey?"

I shrugged. Close enough. "I suppose. Is Applejack inside? I was hoping to speak with her."

The old mare shook her head. "Nah, Ay-Jay is out workin' the south orchard. You're welcome to wait here if'n ya want. I'm Granny Smith, by the by, Applejack's grandma."

I chuckled, "Nice to meet you. I'm Jake, and these two are Sapphire and Dusky. As nice as it would be to enjoy your hospitality for a bit, I'd really like to speak with her sooner rather than later. Would you mind if we went looking for her out in the orchards?"

"Eh, I don't mind none. Feel free t' go huntin' for her. Follow the sound of applebuckin'!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Applebucking?"

Granny Smith's eyes widened a bit, and her ears perked forward. "You don't know what applebuckin' is? Well, you're in for a show, then, sonny. You head on out, and listen fer big ol' thwackin' sounds, like somebody's takin' an axe to our trees!"

I glanced at Sapphire and Dusky, and they both offered up shrugs. I smiled at Granny Smith. "Great, thank you." I headed in the indicated direction, walking around the farm house and towards the southern fields. The trees rapidly closed in on us, and until we were lost in the foliage of the orchard. We could peer down long rows that stretched for hundreds of yards in every direction. The quietude of the orchard was broken by the occasional loud sound of something solid hitting wood, almost reminiscent of heavy hammer blows. We followed the noise, walking through the trees. I paused, reaching up to the branches of one and pulling a low-hanging apple down to look at it. I couldn't identify the type of apple, but I could smell the sweetness of the fruit, and it made my mouth water. I reminded myself to buy a few apples before I left the farm. I let the branch go and carried on towards the ever-louder sound of applebucking, my curiosity piqued.

Reaching the end of a row, we came across a trail that skirted the edge of the orchard. A cart was there, laden with bushels of apples. Nearby was the orange farm pony, Applejack. She wore her stetson hat, and had her back turned to an apple tree. Applejack peered over her shoulder, lining up with the tree, and suddenly her back legs gave a little hop and she shifted her weight forward onto only her front hooves. Her rear hooves curled back, and I could see the taught, corded muscles in her back and haunches coil like a spring. With a exhalation, Applejack's rear hooves shot out, striking the tree with a thunderous retort that shook the entire trunk. I could feel the earth beneath my feet jump a bit at the sheer force of the strike, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as I watched the entire tree's worth of fruit tremble and fall. The apples tumbled down into waiting half-barrels that had been positioned around the tree, and not a single one remained on the branches. I whistled. "Holy crap." That was applebucking? It made a lot more sense, now.

Applejack looked up and spotted us approaching her, and she wiped the sweat from her brow before shooting us a quick grin. "Well, howdy. You must be Jake."

"Guilty as charged. You're Applejack?" I asked, feeling a bit silly for stating the obvious.

"That's me," she said, tipping her hat politely. "It's good to finally meet y'all proper-like. And ya got good timing, too. I just finished up this row, here, and I'm ready for a bit of a break."

"Great. Do you mind talking for a bit?" I asked.

"Sure thing, sugar, but first, why don't you introduce your friends?" she asked, trotting over to the cart and reaching into the back for a decanter of water.

"Oh, right," I said, gesturing to the two ponies with me. "These two are Sapphire and Dusky. They're here to make sure I don't do any more stupid stuff."

"Like hollerin' at hydras?" She said, smirking a bit as she took a drink of water. She wiped her mouth with the back of one fetlock, and her eyes narrowed a bit. "Or scarin' baby dragons?" All trace of humor left her voice.

I nodded. "Yeah. That's the idea. I've already spoken with Spike, and I promised to make good on my mistakes, if you were wondering."

"Yeah, I heard you'd said some things," Applejack said slowly, her eyes roaming over my face. "I'm just hopin' you plan on actually followin' through."

Sapphire stepped up beside me, her ears going flat as she spoke. "He's needed some time to follow through on other promises he made to Twilight. He's here for part of that."

Applejack raised an eyebrow at Sapphire. "Ya don't say? Well, all right then. If you've got something to say to me, then you go on ahead and say it."

I avoided glancing down at Sapphire, but I vowed to myself to do something really nice for her when we got home for sticking up for me. I frowned, picking up on the undertone of distrust in Applejack's voice. "I'm not here to apologize, if that's what you're thinking." Screw Twilight. I'd say sorry to Spike, but I'd handle the rest of these ponies on my own terms, and Applejack seemed to be the type to appreciate my way of apologizing.

Applejack's eyes widened in surprise, and she leaned forward a bit. "Say what now?"

"I don't believe in apologies. I think saying that you are sorry is a hollow gesture, and that showing you're sorry is more important. That's why I'm here: to make things right. And that means I'll do whatever it takes to prove I'm more than some idiot that runs after hydras and frightens children." I cleared my throat. "I didn't want to seem dishonest by saying sorry when I didn't really believe in it. I just want to do right by all of you, for putting you through the trouble of saving my ass."

Applejack had leaned forward so far that she nearly fell off the cart by the time I'd finished, and when I did, she sat back, staring at me with an unreadable expression. I held her gaze, standing firm. After a moment, she smiled, chucking softly. "Twilight didn't coach ya or nothin' on how to impress me, did she?"

"No, ma'am," I said, my eyes narrowing a bit at the implication.

She nodded, "I believe ya." With that, she hopped down from the cart and onto all fours, and trotted over to look up at me. "Here's the deal, pardner. You go on and do what you need to do to make things good for the rest of my friends, and then we'll figure out what you can do for me. Sound fair?"

"Sure. Pinkie's already satisfied, and Fluttershy made me promise not to do anything so stupid again, so that just leaves you and... Rainbow Dash?" I turned and looked at Dusky, and he nodded in the affirmative.

Applejack snorted, "Oh, you're gonna have a real hard time with Rainbow Dash. After she found out how you treated Spike, she was rarin' to fly up to Canterlot and give you a piece of her mind." She smirked at me, but the smile didn't quite meet her eyes. "T' be honest, sugar, I was fixin' to buck you across the orchard when you showed up, but you seem sincere, and Twilight told me that you're takin' steps to fix things... so I'm lookin' to reserve my judgement until you've had some time to do good by my friends."

Sapphire bristled a bit when Applejack admitted her anger, stepping closer to me. I nudged her side with my knee, encouraging her to calm down. "That's fair. Honestly, with how easy of a time the rest of your friends had given me, I was starting to feel like this whole exercise was pointless. Pinkie actually made me a cake?"

Applejack laughed, and it was a more genuine thing than I'd seen on her face. "Yeah, that sounds like Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy was awful upset when you almost got yourself killed. I'm sure that she gave you a sad face and made you feel like dirt."

I nodded, rubbing the back of my head. "Yeah, she did."

Applejack turned and headed for another tree, talking as she walked. "Well, you deserve a bit of that. I'm not upset at you for jumpin' in to fight that hydra for us, but you messed up real bad with Spike. He's like a sibling to us gals, and Rainbow Dash and I are the protective types, you understand? So, don't do somethin' so thoughtless again, y'hear? You make Spike happy, and we'll all be happy, Jake."

I let out a slow sigh. "All right. That was my plan, anyway. So... there isn't anything else?"

"Not yet there ain't, but I reckon you're the type of fella that might be nice to have owe me one. So, you owe me somethin', and I'll do the askin' when it pleases me," She said, tossing a smirk over her shoulder at me as she arrived at the beginning of a new row of apple trees.

"Fair enough." I looked down the row of trees, at all the fruit-laden branches that had yet to be harvested. "You're sure you don't want some help with the, uh, applebucking?"

Applejack stopped, turning to face me with her nose wrinkled up as she looked down at my legs. "Sugar, no offense, but unless you can kick hard enough to rattle the fruit off a tree, I think you'd best leave that to the professionals."

I laughed. "Yeah, I don't quite have that kind of strength."

"Ain't nothin' t' do with strength. It's just the earth pony way. A little magic, a little know-how, and a lot of perseverance," She punctuated this declaration with a light kick of one rear hoof against the trunk of a nearby tree. She stopped on the spot and held out her front hoof, and an apple fell right into the waiting limb. She hadn't even looked up. "Ya see?"

I whistled, impressed. "Yes, ma'am."

"Attaboy," Applejack said with a wink. "You run along now. Knowing Rainbow Dash, she's likely prowlin' about or asleep on a cloud. I've got a lot of work t' do, what with this Festival of Friendship comin' up. Twilight wants us Apples to help cater the whole shindig."

I nodded. "Yeah, Fluttershy mentioned that. I guess you're all pulling together to help?"

"Yep. Princess Celestia has been adamant that Twilight use her own abilities to get this whole thing put together, so that means no royal assistance. Twi's on her own with this one, and it's stressin' her out somethin' awful."

I considered the stress she'd displayed when we'd last spoken, and her harsh demeanor and unwillingness to budge on a few things suddenly made more sense. "Well, if it's her deal, then it's probably good that she does it on her own power. She shouldn't need to rely on the other Princesses to get things done, she's very capable." Months of therapy and cultural education flashed through my head. "Extremely capable. She should feel like she's got it."

Applejack smirked. "Well, don't you worry none, sugar cube. We've got this."

I knelt down and offered a fist to Applejack. "I trust you guys. Twilight was probably the first pony I considered a friend, beside Princess Celestia. If she is willing to rely on you, then I'm not worried."

Applejack reached her hoof out and gave my fist a bump. "All right. You take care of things on your end, then. The sooner you follow through, the sooner that bit of stress is off of Twilight and yourself."

I stood up and gave Applejack a little salute. "I'll handle it, and when I'm done, you can feel free to call in that favor."

"Thanks, Jake. Catch ya later!" Applejack gave me a wave, and a polite nod to Sapphire and Dusky. "Nice meetin' ya both." With that, she went back to work, setting out more half-barrels and bucking away. Sapphire and Dusky said their goodbyes and followed me down the rows of trees.