The second day of school started off largely like the first. Cogsworth and Flutterblossom being rushed out the door by their mother and the cart slowly making its way to gather up the students. The bus driver, who came to be known as Scruffy by the foals who couldn’t pronounce his real name, Scorroburg Doldesworth, would pull the cart around and stop for each foal to climb aboard. The class totaled twelve in all and by the time the cart had acquired the last foal it would grow pretty crowded. They would arrive at the schoolhouse and make their way to their assigned desks.
Today however, instead of the teacher greeting the class and beginning writing on the board, a small yellow colt was standing next to her. The other foals all eyed him with curiosity as they made their way inside the classroom. He returned their gazes with a happy optimism. He wore a dark brown stetson and a brown vest made of faux leather. His coat was a bright yellow and his mane was a golden orange. Surprisingly he already had his cutie mark, which was something none of his classmates had received yet. There on his flank was a bright red apple.
“Howdy!” He said to everypony once they had all taken their seats.
“This is Braeburn. He’s new to these parts so let’s all make him feel welcome. His family just settled in town and brought with them an entire orchard of apple trees.” She looked around the room with a gaze that told the students that told them she wanted them to be nice or else. She looked down at some unseen paperwork on her desk and then concluded “It looks like Braeburn here has some kinfolk among us. Cogsworth and Flutterblossom, you’re his second cousins. Looks like he’ll feel right at home here.” That last statement was less of a observation and more of a warning.
Braeburn took his seat in the empty desk next to Cogsworth. Cogsworth could have sworn somepony else had sat in that spot yesterday but couldn’t remember who. Braeburn looked over at Cogsworth and gave him a smile. Cogsworth smiled back and then looked back down at his desk, trying to decide how to respond to the news that he now had family in Appleloosa. On the one hoof it meant that maybe there would be someone else in Appleloosa that he would get along with better than any of the other foals. On the other hoof he could very much end up being like the rest of Cogsworth’s family in which case he only had arguments to look forward to. No sense looking a gift horse in the mouth Cogsworth thought to himself. I’d better hope for the best but prepare for the worst.
“Howdy there....Braeburn was it?” Cogsworth said towards the new face.
“Eeeyup, Braeburn indeed,” Braeburn replied, then he added “Y’er Cogsworth ain’t ye’?”
“I prefer to just be called Cogs if ya’ don’t mind. Pleased to meet ya’”
“I don’t mind one bit,” Braeburn said giving that same naive smile as before.
“If you two are finished getting reaquainted, I believe we have a class to start,” the teacher said, eyeing Cogsworth and Braeburn. “I’m not going to have to separate you two on the first day am I?”
“No ma’am,” they replied in unison.
At lunch time, Cogsworth decided he’d take this chance to get to know his cousin. He turned to him and said “So how’d yall end up in Appleloosa anyhow?”
“Well as you pro’lly know our family’s largely farmin’ folk. We moved in because we figured the town could use its own steady supply of apples rather than relying on trains from Ponyville to arrive with apples from Sweet Apple Acres, so we packed up and headed on out. That’s pretty much it. We planted a whole orchard out in the fertile towards the mountains. We should have all the apples we ever need soon enough when the seeds sprout,” Braeburn said confidently and with a hint of self-satisfaction.
“Ain’t that the buffalo stompin’ grounds though?” Cogsworth replied.
“Well I ain’t know nothin’ ‘bout no buffalo. All I know is that land there was abandoned when we planted it. So tell me about yerself pard’ner. I bet’cha got lots to say.”
“Well I’ve lived in Appleloosa all my life. My parents settled here before my sister and I were born. We live in a small brown house up yonder. My dad’s a construction pony. He probably had a hoof in building just ‘bout everythin’ around these parts if it’s made of wood. I ain’t got much to say about myself though, I’m pretty boring.”
“Now I know that ain’t true. There ain’t nothin’ boring ‘bout us Apples.”
“Well I ain’t actually part of the Apple family. My mother’s mother was an Apple. We’re technically part of the Hammernail family.”
“Well I ain’t know nothin’ ‘bout no technicality, but s’fur as I’m concerned, you’re my cousin and that makes you family.”
“I think I like that, cousin,” Cogsworth said, then added “I hope that means we can be friends.”
“Sure it does!” Braeburn replied happily. “Y’er right as rain!”
After school, Cogsworth found himself greeted by a much more civil scene than the previous day. His parents were cuddling on the couch listening to an old record when he walked in the door. There was no smell from the kitchen this time either and that could mean only one thing, they were making biscuit pizzas.
“What’s for dinner?” Cogsworth asked as he trotted up to his smiling mother. “I’m starved!”
“Well, I was thinkin’ since you didn’t much like my casserole last night that tonight we’d have biscuit pizzas”
“YAY!” Cogsworth and Flutterblossom said together. They both loved biscuit pizzas. There was nothing more fun that putting together all your favorite ingredients onto a small piece of dough and having precisely whatever kind of pizza suited you.
Cogsworth trotted into the kitchen to find a number of biscuits already rolled flat waiting for ingredients to be added and on the counter was a smorgasbord of ingredients there waiting. There was of course hay and marinara sauce, but there was also mushrooms, onions, peppers, olives, and of course vegan cheese and lots of it. Cogsworth carefully gathered bits of everything and slathered it onto two of the biscuits. By the time he had finished his mouth was already watering. This was one of his favorite meals.
Shortly after he finished making his biscuit pizzas, his sister trotted in and began making hers. She put far less ingredients on hers then he had his. She was a much pickier eater than he was overall. Once she had finished the two of them trotted in and began pestering their mother to put them into the oven.
“Well your father and I haven’t even made ours yet.” Lilly said to her children.
“Well hurry up I’m starving!” Cogsworth said.
“I’m hungry!” Flutterblossom added.
“Ok, ok we’re going.” Lilly retorted.
“Be patient!” Sawtooth added.
They then got up and made their way into the kitchen to make their pizzas. Cogsworth and Flutterblossom both looked at each other and giggled. There was nothing that could put them in a better, more cooperative mood than having one of their favorite dinners. They started walking in circles around the living room in anticipation and giggling.
“Y’all better stop that before you make yourselves dizzy!” Sawtooth shouted from the kitchen. It didn’t stop them. They kept spinning round in round until they fell over giggling.
“Dinner time!” Lilly called at them from the kitchen. “Pizzas are done!”
“Yay!” Cogsworth and Flutterbloosom cheered as they popped up and dashed for the dining table, nearly knocking over furniture along the way.
“Calm down, careful!” Sawtooth scolded.
The dinner was everything Cogsworth had imagined it to be and more. There was a reason this was one of his favorite dinners and this was it. Wonderful flavors engaged his tastebuds in a magical adventure. By the time he was finished he was full and couldn’t eat another bite, yet he still wanted to. He didn’t want this magical journey of flavor to end.
“That was great!” Cogswroth said to his partents. “I love biscuit pizzas.”
“I’m just glad I could finally get you to eat something that wasn’t burritos.” His mother replied. She always knew just what to say to take the fun out of everything. “So did anything interesting happen at school?”
“Not really,” Lilly said quite disinterested.
“Actually yes, I met a new friend. Turns out cousin Braeburn just moved into town and he sits next to me in class,” Cogsworth said over his sister’s statement.
“I forgot to tell you about that dear,” Cogsworth said. “Some of your kinfolk put an orchard up out toward the mountains.”
“Well isn’t that nice? I bet’cha you two are gun’na make good friends.” Lilly said smiling at Cogsworth.
“Looks like,” Cogsworth replied munching on what was left of an olive.”Can we have pizza for dinner every night?”
“No,” Sawtooth said back sternly.
“Awww” Lilly and Cogsworth cried.
That night, Cogsworth had another dream, one that woke him up in a cold sweat. It started off with him and Braeburn on a hill kicking a football back and fourth. Cogsworth wasn’t much for sports, but he didn’t mind playing a game every now and again. Suddenly Braeburn kicked the ball really hard towards the net. It flew passed Cogsworth’s head, brushing his mane as it did. It sailed over the net and began rolling down the side of a cliff. Cogsworth trotted up to the cliff and peered over. In the darkness he could see two bright yellow eyes. The darkness then grew and enveloped him, leaving him floating in space. The eyes came closer and closer and then the entity got close enough to see the entire being. It was an owl, with wings and talons formed of stars, like the coat of an Ursa Major. The piercing eyes stared into him and he could have swore it saw inside the fiber of his being. It screeched and flew at him, knocking him over and sending him falling into the darkness. He hit the bottom and found himself in a stone fissure with the night sky shining over him. Gazing up out of the hole he saw a new face, a kinder face. It was that of princess Luna. She gazed down at him and whispered “Seek 63.” In a puff of smoke she vanished. Then a pack of timberwolves emerged and rushed at him. He screamed.
“What’s wrong?” Lilly asked bursting into the room.
Cogsworth looked around, he was in his bed. His covers were thrown onto the floor and he was sweating and kicking. He looked at his mother who was looking down at him with a worried look on her face. “It’s nothing, I just had a bad dream is all.” he told her and she left the room. I wonder what that means, he thought to himself as he drifted back asleep.