//------------------------------// // REMASTERED - Chapter 7 - Down on the Farm // Story: The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds // by Kamahido //------------------------------// A week passes. Arc readies himself in his room as Twilight and Spike look on nervously. Twilight looks on nervously. “Arc, are you sure this is a good idea?” Arc nods. “Yes, Twilight. I’m feeling much stronger these days.” Spike frowns. “But you might hurt yourself out there.” “I’ll take it slow and rest if I need to.” “But…!” Twilight frowns as she continues. “…you could set back your recovery.” Arc rolls his eyes. “Both Doctor Horse and Lyra agree that I’m recovered enough to do this. Your own research into my physiology proves that.” Spike puts a claw on Twilight’s shoulder. “I trust your research. Do you?” “What if I made a mistake?! We don’t know everything about you yet!” Arc chuckles. “How about this. When I’m done with work I’ll head over to the hospital and get checked out. Would that make you feel better?” “A little.” “Then it’s settled.” Arc grabs his long sleeved overshirt and pulls it on as he leaves the bathroom. Twilight and Spike follow him down the stairs and toward the door where his shoes lie waiting. Sitting down to put them on Twilight finally relents. “Just be careful.” Arc nods. “I will.” With a wave he heads out the door as the first rays of light peek over the horizon. They watch him walk until he disappears into the early morning darkness. Spike turns to Twilight. “He’ll be okay.” Twilight sighs as she closes the front door. “I’m sure he will be, yes.” Spike raises an eyebrow. They why so dramatic?” “Because I… I can’t help but feel responsible for him.” “Arc looks like he’s an adult though.” Twilight nods as she slowly walks toward the kitchen. “Yes, he is. But even fully grown creatures can go too far.” Meanwhile, Arc makes his way down the now familiar paths. Arriving at Sweet Apple Acres he spots movement over by the farmhouse. Walking over he meets Applejack on the front porch. She smiles and waves a hoof at him. “Morning, sugarcube. Sleep well?” “Okay I guess.” Applejack gestures with a wave of her hoof toward the orchard. Arc notices that its trees are filled to bursting with red and green apples. “I'm sure glad to have some extra help this time of year. It's awful hard to keep this place up with just Big Mac, Apple Bloom and me working the land.” Arc turns to Applejack. “Well, I'm certainly no Earth Pony. But I’ll give it my best shot. What do you want me to do?” Applejack beckons him to follow her. “Come on, I’ll show you.” Making the short walk the pair arrive at the barn together. Applejack turns to Arc as she speaks. “Well, normally Big Mac and I buck the trees and Apple Bloom carries the filled baskets to the barn. Being just a filly she can't keep up with two fully grown ponies, so we have to stop an' help her every so often. If you can do your best to keep up with toting the apples to the barn it would save Big Mac and I quite a lot of time.” The sounds of small hooves approaching from around the corner of the barn can be heard. “Here comes Apple Bloom now.” Applejack puts her hoof to her mouth and calls out to her little sister. “Hey Apple Bloom! I hired ya a new partner! Come meet em!” The young filly trots around the side of the barn happily. “Commin' big sis! Granny wants to know if...” Apple Bloom skids to a stop as Arc comes into her field of vision. “AHHHHH!!! A MONSTER!!!” She promptly runs away screaming. Applejack calls out after her. “Apple Bloom! That's not a monster! He's...”. Applejack looks over to Arc apologetically. “I'm sorry about that. She's usually much politer to strangers.” Arc sighs. “It's alright. I suppose compared to the ponies in this land I really do look like a monster.” She looks to her older brother as he approaches them pulling a cart laden with numerous stacks of baskets. “Well, she'll just have to get used to being around ya. Big Mac, would you go fetch Apple Bloom? We got to get to work.” “Eyup!” Big Macintosh fetches Apple Bloom as Arc and Applejack take the cart into the orchard and get to work. Applejack sets a group of baskets all around the base of a tree before turning he back to it and hitting the trunk with her hind legs. Nearly every apple falls neatly into the baskets. Arc nods approvingly. “That was amazing!” “What was?” “How you caught almost everything in baskets!” Applejack chuckles. “They grow in clusters. You just have to look up and see where you’ll catch the most and put a basket there.” “Not sure how you see through all the leaves though.” “It’s kinda like intuition really. Years of experience applied to today.” She motions to the baskets as she continues. “Now then, all you have to do is pick up the few apples that didn’t make it into the baskets and carry them to the barn. Think you can handle that?” Arc nods. “I’ll give it my best shot.” Big Macintosh returns with Apple Bloom in his stead. Applejack frowns at her as she speaks. “What’s the big idea running off like that?!” Apple Bloom refuses to look up as she answers. “I’m sorry, big sis. But this thing is really scary!” “Well, you’d best get used to him. Arc’s going to be a regular farmhand around her if the work’s not too hard on his body.” Big Macintosh nods. “Eyup.” Applejack turns back to the trees. “Now that’s out of the way, let’s get to work.” The group gets underway with Applejack and Big Macintosh bucking trees to fill the baskets from the wagon. However, Arc notices that Apple Bloom is on edge all day. Whenever her and Arc would walk past each other on the way to the barn she would go out of her way to give him as wide a berth as possible. Applejack looks to Arc as they both sweat profusely. “Be sure to take a break if you need it.” Big Macintosh nods. “Eyup.” Arc grins. “I’m okay.” Applejack frowns. “Don’t be passing out now. Twilight’d have my hide if something happened to you.” “Yeah, I’ll try to pace myself.” As the sun begins to set the three ponies and their human coworker end their day's work. Applejack grins as she wipes the sweat from her brow. “Woo! Thank you kindly for all you hard work today! You helped us increase productivity by about fifty percent! Come work for us anytime!” Applejack hands Arc a decent sized bag of bits. Big Macintosh smiles as he glances in the barn at all the baskets of apples neatly stacked up. “Eyup!” Granny Smith comes out of the house and joins them. “Supper's ready yougin's.” The elderly mare looks over at Arc. “Care to join us?” Arc nods as he follows them into the farmhouse. “Thank you. I’d love to.” Apple Bloom winces and follows at a distance. Sometime later Arc joins the Apples at the super table. The sun hangs low in the sky as they begin to eat. Applejack does her best to strike up a conversation. “So, tell me Arc. Is it true that humans don't possess the faintest bit of magic?” “Indeed. No human has ever been able to wield magic as far as I know.” Apple Bloom can only scowl. “Bet they can't fly neither.” “Apple Bloom!” Applejack looks over at her sister sternly as Arc nods. “While we don't have wings like a pegasus, humans were successful at mastering flight about a hundred years ago.” Applejack and the rest of her family seems surprised at the statement. “Wha?! How?!” Smiling at their response Arc goes on to explain. “The same way we solved many of our other problems... with machines. We call them ‘airplanes’. I guess you could compare them to a steel covered wagon with wings. They make long distance travel MUCH faster. Trips that at one time used to take months can be made in hours.” Granny Smith looks on in awe of Arc’s words. “Fascinatin'! One might think it's just magic in a different form then.” Arc shakes his head as he picks up his cup of water and chuckles. “Nope. Just a bit of applied science.” Apple Bloom, unable to hold it in any longer, lashes out. “OH COME ON! Why are you all so interested in a world full of hairless… cutie mark-less… pony eating' MONSTERS?!” “Apple Bloom!” “But sis! Just look at his teeth!” “That is enough out of you, little missy! Now I want you to march right up to your room and go straight to bed! And believe you me, you and I are going to have a long talk about this tomorrow morning,!” Apple Bloom opens her mouth to speak, but Applejack angrily points a hoof at the stairs as she silently glares at her little sister. Apple Bloom grits her teeth but obeys. Grumbling all the way up the stairs to herself as Applejack turns to Arc nervously. “I'm sorry 'bout Apple Bloom. She’s normally quite sweet.” The eldest Apple looks over to Arc apologetically as he sighs and looks down at his empty plate. “Although I hate to admit it, Apple Bloom is correct. Humans have indeed done many monstrous things in the past.” Granny Smith looks over to Arc and narrows her eyes. “You responsible for committing any of those crimes, young fella?” “Me personally, no” “You don' have to take responsibility for your whole race's mistakes. Jes worry about your own actions and deeds.” Arc looks relieved. “Thank you. I’ll remember that.” A low rumble of thunder comes from outside. Applejack looks out the window. “Sounds like a storm is commin’ in.” “Eyup.” Granny Smith looks over to Arc again. “I'd hate to see you get caught in a storm there sonny. How's about you spend the night here?” Arc nods as he looks out the window himself. “I think I may just take you up on that.” Applejack points a hoof toward the Living Room. “Why don’t we all sit down and chat while we digest then?” “Eyup.” Arc nods. “Sounds good to me.” Following the brother and sister into the next room, the pair sit down on the couch as Arc takes a larger chair. Granny Smith calls out from the kitchen. “Does anypony want a slice of Apple Pie” “Sure, granny.” “Eyup.” Arc nods. “Yes please. But do you need a hand in there?” “No thanks. You youngins just rest and het to know one another better.” Applejack turns back. “Granny?” “Yes?” “Could you call Twilight and let her know that Arc’s staying here tonight? I don’t want her worrying about him being out in the rain.” “Alright.” As the elder Apple returns to the kitchen Applejack turns to Arc. “Tell me, do they farm a lot back on your homeworld?” Arc nods. “Oh, yes. Humans started working the land even before recorded history.” Applejack smiles. “Did they now?” “Well, they started out a long time ago as a hunter/gatherer society.” “What’s that?” “It’s where you search the woods and countryside for fruit, vegetables, nuts, berries, and… other sources of food.” “Like what?” “Fish and various… land animals.” “So… meat?” Arc nods. “Yes. I imagine that at some point they discovered that they could plant seeds and grow food themselves nearby in plots.” Applejack puts a hoof to her chin thoughtfully. “Did they stop hunting animals then?” Arc shakes his head. “No, but they did learn to domesticate them.” Granny Smith walks in with a tray of pie on her head. She passes them out saving Applejack for last. Looking at the young mare, she smiles. “I just got off the phone with your friend. She was just putting on her raincoat and goulashes to look for Arc.” “Good thing you caught her then.” Granny Smith nods as she sits down. “Yes, indeed. Now then, what were you youngins talking about?” “Arc was just telling us about early humans learning to farm. Then… what was that word again?” “Domestication. They would catch animals and put them in pens or cages to breed.” Applejack appears confused. “What for?” “Some animals produced food for them, such as chickens and cows. It helped them vary their diets.” Meanwhile, Apple Bloom listens from the top of the stairs. Slowly and quietly making her way back to her room she frowns and shuts the door behind her. “I’ve gotta get outta here!” Grabbing a small blanket, she lays it flat on the floor. Putting a few possessions into it, she opens the window and grabs a large stick from a tree just outside. Tying a knot, she picks the bundle up with a hoof and swings it over her shoulder before glancing back toward her bed. “Can’t leave it like that.” Setting down her bundle, Apple Bloom heads for her closet and pulls out a few blankets. Folding them, she sets them in the bed and covers them with the bedspread. Heading to her closet she pulls out a bow and puts it on the pillow before pulling the bedspread to slightly cover the pink ribbon. “There. That oughta do it.” Walking over to her desk, she picks up a pencil in her mouth and quickly writes a short note. Looking at the rain outside she grabs a small raincoat and puts it on. Picking up her bundle again she hops out onto a nearby limb. As carefully as she is able to, Apple Bloom makes her way down the tree and lands on the ground with a bump. “Gotta get to the barn without anypony seeing me.” Running through the darkness, led only by memory, she reaches the red barn. Entering, Apple Bloom spots a bag of seeds on a shelf. “That should do it!” Pushing a barrel over to the shelf, she hops up onto it and stands on her hinds legs. Grabbing the bag with her teeth she gives it a mighty pull. However as it falls it knocks her off the barrel. Catching a small nail head sticking out of the barrel, it cuts a small hole in the bag. Not noticing this Apple Bloom throws the bag onto her back and picks up her runaway’s sack. Looking out the barn door she glances back to the house and its warm lights shining weakly through the storm. Sighing she shakes her head and runs the opposite direction. “I’ll make the Apple family proud by starting my own orchard somewhere far, far away.” Meanwhile, Granny Smith nods approvingly as Arc finishes telling her what he knows about domestication. “Very interesting. That about what early ponies did for eggs and milk too.” Applejack nods. “I guess our two races might not be so different after all.” “Eyup.” Granny Smith nods. “Admittedly I was a bit nervous when you first talked about domesticating animals.” Applejack nods. “Yes, well… we ponies have been doing that as well for generations.” “That we have been.” Granny Smith turns to Arc as she speaks. “You ever plow a field though?” Arc shakes his head. “Can’t say that I have, no.” Applejack chuckles. What, have humans figured out a way to do that with a machine too?” “Actually yes.” “They… they have?!” Arc nods. “It’s called a ‘tractor’. Think of it like a really strong metal stallion to pull the plow up and down the field on wheels.” Granny Smith frowns. “Probably just as fast to do it the old fashioned way though.” “Not likely. I saw your plow in the barn earlier today. It appears to only be able to turn dirt with one blade.” Applejack nods. “Sure. But more blades would make it too hard to pull. How many blades does a tractor have?” “They do make single blade plows still. But larger farms have larger tractors. I’ve seen one pulling a six bladed plow before.” Big Macintosh gasps. “Wha…?!” “I imagine they have bigger one’s too. But I’m not really sure.” Applejack grins as she looks to her grandmother. “We should get Arc to show us a thing of two about how humans farm.” Granny Smith shrugs. “Seems like a waste of time to me. But you youngins are the ones whom work the land these days. “You mean…?” “I’ll leave it up to you and Big Macintosh.” Arc sighs. “Not really sure just how much I could teach. After all, I’m not a farmer.” Applejack laughs. “That may be. But you have the energy of one. Let us know if you see a way we could be more efficient.” “Okay.” He and the Apple family talk as the rain begins to fall. Low peals of thunder roll over the orchard as lightning flashes. But the ponies and human care little about that as they themselves are safe and dry. Eventually Granny Smith stands and yawns. “Well, it’s about time for bed.” Applejack gasps as she looks at the clock. “Past time, actually.” Arc stretches as he stands. “Didn’t realize just how tired I was getting until you said something, Applejack.” “You’re okay though right? I mean… your injuries.” Arc nods. “I’m okay. Just a bit tired.” Granny Smith gestures to the stairs as she looks to them. “Big Macintosh will lead you to the guest room, Arc.” “Okay.” Applejack nods as they ascend the stairs. “I’ll just check on Apple Bloom before turning in myself.” The stallion leads Arc into a small, but cozy room with a comfy looking bed. Arc gasps. “This is for me?” “Eyup.” “I’ll see you in the morning, big guy.” Big Mac nods and turns to leave the room. Arc looks to a small adjoining bathroom as a familiar odor hits him. “Guess I’d better take a bath before hitting the hay. Don’t want to stink up their bed and covers.” Meanwhile, Applejack quietly opens her sister’s bedroom door. Walking over to the bed she sighs and looks down. “Sorry about being so short with you earlier. Arc’s a nice human when you get to know him. I know you’ll like him, so just… give him a chance, okay?” She pats the bedspread before gently patting the bow on the pillow. “Good night, Apple Bloom. We’ll talk more tomorrow morning.”