Sweetie Belle was working with Scootaloo to set out bedding in a basic cot of sort, even if it was on the ground. "I'm going to hazard a guess that Apple Bloom will be busy for a while. Applejack cares about her a lot. A lot lot."
"Wonder if she'll be a mummy by the time it's done." Scootaloo sniggered as she set a pillow in place. "There ya go. All nice and warm and cozy."
Dry considered the bedding. "Is it safe? That bear knows where we are. It could come back."
Scootaloo waved that idea away. "As if. With the beating we gave it, it's not coming back for a while."
Sweetie laughed nervously. "If Apple Bloom had her way and was allowed to have a sword, it might not ever come back. Still, we have protection for you."
Dry perked at this. "What sort of protection?"
Sweetie patted the blanket. "This isn't a normal blanket."
"It's not?" asked Scootaloo and Dry in sync.
"Nope" Sweetie nodded with confidence. "Anypony that slips under there and stays under there is shielded from detection. You won't be bothered in your sleep, promise."
Dry erupted in a grand smile. His new friends were full of amazing magic! He slipped right under that shielding blanket and all too soon, his faint little sleeping noises could be heard.
Scootaloo tip-toed out with Sweetie. "That blanket is not magic."
"It's enchanted with our friendship," countered Sweetie with a light giggle as she closed the door gently. "He's had a big day."
And so they headed back to their own homes. The club house was not bothered that night. Apple Bloom tripped over a great lump just inside the door. "What the?"
"Apple Bloom?" asked a small male voice from within that lump of fabric.
"Yeah?" She inclined her head at the lump. "Dry?"
"Yes." He poked his head out just barely. "They gave me a magical blanket of protection."
"Did they now?" Apple Bloom smiled a little, putting those pieces together. "It musta worked. Here you are, all safe."
"It is also warm." Dry nuzzled against his safe warm blanket of ultimate protection. "I am very grateful they gave it to me." It seemed to click. "Oh, lent. They will want it back, I imagine..."
"Yeah, belongs in the club house." She waved a hoof in a wide circle. "We use it to protect anypony that's staying overnight here."
"You are skilled." Dry emerged fully and began dutifully folding the things he had been nesting in slowly. "Are you guardians often? Those you protect must feel very safe."
Apple Bloom inclined her head faintly. "Not as often as yer thinkin'."
It was only then that he noticed something had changed. He abandoned the enchanted bedware to instead rise and rapidly approach Apple Bloom. "What is that?"
She sighed heavily. "Bandages. Sis went overboard." Her entire midsection was bound tight in one long roll that went around and around and around seemingly without end. "She cares about me 'lots, ya see. She's scared."
"Oh." Dry's estimation of Apple Jack increased. Surely a wise sister to understand fear. "My sister was just as worried for me, but she had to go, like I am doing now." He pointed at himself. "She's probably in Everglow. I still don't know how I ended up...not there... but I am not sad." He touched his nose to Apple Bloom's. "I have found wonderful friends here. I have found a purpose. I am learning and growing. This is... good, yes?"
"Yeah!" chimed Apple Bloom with a big ole grin. "That's the spirit!" She grabbed the ghost colt in a sudden hug. "Yer soundin' way less scared today."
Dry inclined his head left and right. "I had very good sleep." He pointed to the blanket. "Knowing nothing could find me, I slept better than I had in... forever." He returned to the blanket, trailing a hoof along it. "Is there a way... I could use it again?"
Apple Bloom's first urge was to give him the blanket, but it crashed on her where that would lead... The very first instant he was startled in the blanket, found by anycreature at all, he would be beyond upset, and he would lose faith in the crusaders. It was a short term fix for a long term problem. "That has to stay here," she answered at last. "But ah am glad ya had a nice night." She walked past him. "Let's head outside."
And so he trailed along after her into the bright light of the morning. He didn't have a magical blanket of nondetection, but he had the personal vanguard of an insanely brave alchemist. Almost as good! "I don't want to take your day from you."
Apple Bloom looked over her shoulder at Dry. "Aw, yer mighty nice. Don't worry 'bout it. 'Cause ah'm takin' ya with me." She started down the ramp to the ground. "Gotta help with the harvest. Now, funny thin', but alchemy ain't so good fer pluckin' apples."
Dry descended to the grassy earth. "What is?" He craned her head back to peer at the bright red apples that adorned many of the trees within sight. So many of them... "Can I help?"
"Yer welcome to try." Apple Bloom accelerated into a jogging trot, scampering along as fillies are known to do. "C'mon!"
They ran into Applejack and Big Mac, already at work moving entire barrels of apples around onto a cart.
"Mornin'," offered Big Mac with a nod.
For some reason, this was funny to Apple Bloom, giggling. "That makes two ponies what got good sleep if yer feelin' that chatty."
"Ayup."
Applejack smirked at the interaction. "G'morning Bloom. That yer friend?" Her eyes were on Dry Whisper. "Welcome to the orchard. Sorry ya got greeted by that big varmint like that. 'Least we done scared it off proper."
"You were all amazing warriors." Dry clopped his hooves in appreciation. "Weren't you scared you'd get hurt?"
Applejack frowned at that. "Poor little Apple Bloom did get hurt! If ah see that critter again, they're gettin' an extra kick!"
"Ayup." Big Mac shoved with his hooves, getting a barrel in position on the wagon they were working on.
"Ah'm fine." Apple Bloom pointed. "And that field of trees needs a buckin'! C'mon, Dry!" And off she scampered
Dry nodded to the two adults. "Thank you for having me." And off he went after her. They arrived at a tree, one of many like it.
Apple Bloom grabbed a bucket from nearby and set it under the tree, repeating this several times. Why? Dry wasn't sure. "Alright, ready."
"Ready for--" He didn't get to finish. Apple Bloom lashed out her legs, fore legs planted firmly against the ground. She collided with the tree, causing it to quiver and shake. Apples began to fall like a gentle spring rain, filling the buckets she had spread out beneath the tree. "Wow..."
He danced around under the brief rain, but then it was done, apples filling the barrels completely. "You said alchemy doesn't help with this."
"It don't." Apple Bloom got right to work nudging the baskets along. "Get one and follow me!" And soon the two were pushing the load of apple goodness back towards the waiting adults. "It took practice, an' watchin' mah sibs do it to get that right. Ain't no alchemy."
"Darn straight," agreed Apple Jack, grabbing the handle of the basket Apple Bloom was pushing in her mouth and easily lifting it up, turning it right over to spill the apples into a waiting barrel. "Fine work, Apple Bloom. Keep that up and we'll get this knocked right out."
When they arrived at the next tree and had baskets arranged under it, Dry moved up to the tree instead of moving for safety. "May I try?"
Apple Bloom considered a moment. "Ah gotta warn. The first... like... dozen times? Yer gonna fail. It happened to me." She pointed at herself. "It happened to both of them." She pointed back where her older siblings were. "Just a fact of life. Ain't nopony gets this right on the first try. But, if ya wanna try, well, ain't gonna stop ya." She backed away with a courteous gesture for Dry to advance.
Dry considered the great slab of living wood that was a tree. "But you can do it now."
"Sure can."
"Which means..." He turned away from the tree, trying to set his hooves as he saw her do. "Failing is a part of being great."
Apple Bloom smiled at that. "Now that's a big thought ya just spouted there."
He hadn't meant to make any great statements, but maybe it was? He smiled a little, her smile catching. "I will fail, but... learn? Like when I was taking the mirror images." And he kicked with all he had, bounced off the tree and instead propelled himself forward, going airborne a precious moment before crashing to the ground on his belly. Dazzled and scuffed, he let out a little pained noise.
Apple Bloom was at his side before he could even think to look for her. "Ya alright?" Her hoof was on his back, the other came in, offering something to his lips.
A bottle? A potion! He sealed his lips around the neck and drew it in. It tasted like a spicy apple juice, which somehow did not surprise him overly much. His aches began to fade quickly. "You are a good alchemist." He sat up, the potion cradled in his hooves awkwardly. "And an even better kicker of trees. How do you... not do what I just did?"
"It's all about bracin' yerself. Yer stance wasn't too bad, but..." She helped him up and they got right back to the tree. For such a fearful colt, Dry surprised her by wanting to try again. Applebucking isn't a trick any pony could master in a day, but as the sun grew heavy, he had something to show for it.
He lashed against the tree, a new tree, as hard and as well as he could. He didn't send himself flying, already a minor victory there. The tree trembled faintly.
A single apple fell, bouncing off the bottom of its basket and landing right next to it. "I did it!" he cried with joy. "Look!"
Apple Bloom went to grab the stem of the apple, sending it back into its basket where it belonged. "Ya done did. Yer an official applebucker now. Congratulations."
He began to clop with excitement, drumming his hooves together. "Maybe I will get even better tomorrow."
"And even better the day after, if we're still workin' then." She grabbed his ear suddenly in her teeth, half-dragging him away a few steps. "Let me finish this tree." With a practiced motion, she got the rest of the apples to follow their kin, filling all the baskets they had arranged for them to arrive in. "Let's get these moving!"
Together, they got their head behind a basket each and pushed them over to where the adults were working. Dry had not been a huge assistance that day, but Apple Bloom enjoyed having him around, and she worked extra hard to make up for it.
Which meant a lot of apples got gathered. They were on time and on schedule. There'd be plenty of apples to offer the ponies of Ponyville, and beyond.
"Where ya goin'?" Applejack hooked a hoof around Dry, drawing him back from his attempt to leave. "Ya work hard with the family, ya done get to eat with the family." She gestured with her head at their home. "Come on in and fill up that belly of yers. Ya done earned it."
His day, apparently, was not quite over. He had an Apple family to meet properly, over dinner. Why did he feel so nervous?