One Week Later
Cooper walked down the main street of Ponyville with Twilight at his side and his two guards behind him. While the sun was brightly shinning down on them, and the air carried a gentle warmth to it, Cooper still appeared to have a damper on his mood, as his hands rested in his pockets and his gaze lingered on the ground. Several ponies waved to the group- mostly to Twilight- but he ignored them all the same. Sensing the obvious smog in the air around her friend, Twilight bumped his thigh with her flank.
"Something on your mind, Coop?" Twilight inquired, looking up to him curiously.
Cooper shrugged, "Nothing really. Just thinking." He muttered in response.
Twilight frowned slightly at his short response, "Are you still upset over the cake? Cooper, I told you, it's okay that it wasn't very good. You haven't baked in half a decade! Hay, I didn't think you ever baked before in the first place." She offered.
Cooper rolled his eyes, "I'm not pissed about the damn cake, Twilight. That was a week ago, anyway." He sighed.
Twilight pursed her lips, "Well then what's eating at you? I'd have thought that getting to go for a walk with me for the first time since we made it back would be a welcome distraction, but you've been kinda upset the whole time." She offered.
Cooper shook his head, "I'm not upset. I'm just thinking."
"Thinking about what?" Twilight asked, curiously.
"About why you keep asking so many damn questions." Cooper snarkily responded.
While both Sky and Midnight blanched at his crass response, Twilight laughed at the blatant disrespect, "Well duh? I'm trying to get you out of your funk. For a creature that hadn't seen the sun in four years, you haven't seemed to want to go outside much this past week."
Cooper shrugged, "Just... haven't been in the best of moods."
As the group reached the town square of Ponyville, the rest of the ponies around them quickly took notice of their local princess and human guest. A small following of chattering and whispering voices filled the air around them as the town's denizens observed them. While he didn't notice their quiet conversations about him right away, Cooper most certainly felt the eyes of dozens of ponies on him as he walked beside his closest friend.
"-could help out if you want. Just making a suggestion." Twilight finished.
Cooper did a double take, only just realizing that Twilight had been responding to him as his attention focused elsewhere. He found himself unconsciously clutching the pistol in his pocket as if his life depended on it, and slowly eased his hand off of the grip as he let out a sobering breath.
"Cooper?" Twilight pressed, stopping in her tracks to give him a worried glance.
"I-I'm fine. Just still adjusting, is all." Cooper responded.
Twilight opened her mouth to reply, but a friendly voice with a distinctly southern drawl called out to them before she could.
"Howdy, ya'll!" AppleJack called from her stand.
It was at that moment that Twilight realized that they were only a stone's throw away from the familiar famer pony, and she quickly broke from her worries about Cooper to greet her friend.
"AppleJack, good morning." She politely offered, trotting over to the apple stand.
Cooper followed suite, finding his gaze pulled to the rest of the ponies at the stand with AppleJack. A large, burly red stallion with a plowing yoke over his withers, stood just beside the orange earth pony mare. While ponies were small creatures compared to a human, the stallion absolutely towered over the rest of the town, his head coming up to Cooper's chest. Even with little time in the alien world, Cooper could tell that the stallion was absolutely massive by pony standards.
Beside him, on the complete opposite side of the spectrum, sat a bright yellow filly with crimson red hair making up her mane and tail. Most notable on her, was the giant, adorable bow fixed to the back of her mane, making her cute appearance somehow even more charming. He was instantly smitten with her before even speaking a word to the cute little filly.
Arriving at the stand not a moment later, Twilight greeted the apple clan with her usual friendly demeanor. However, despite her warm greeting, it was immediately clear that not all of the Apple family were happy to see her.
"You come to cuss out mah sister, too?" The little yellow filly questioned, no small amount of hostility in her voice.
Twilight's ears instantly splayed back against her skull while AppleJack quickly grabbed her sister.
"AppleBloom! What did Ah tell you!? Don't you go talkin' to Twilight like that!" AppleJack scolded, making AppleBloom's ears splay back as well.
"No, it's okay... I deserved that. I still haven't seen Pinkie since I lost my temper and I need to apologize." Twilight admitted, her eyes galling to the dirt.
"Eeyup." The massive red stallion nodded.
"Big Mac! Hush up! Both'a ya'll. Land's sake," AppleJack exasperatedly exclaimed, before turning to Twilight, "I'm real sorry about them, Twi. I know you've been through a lot so I know it wasn't just you tryin' to hurt her. Pinkie can just make ya want to scream sometimes."
Twilight quickly shook her head, "Thank you, AppleJack, but they're right. I've been meaning to talk to Pinkie and apologize for a few days now but I haven't seen her. I don't suppose you know where she is right now, do you?" She inquired.
AppleJack shook her head, "I'm afraid I don't. Haven't seen her the last few days. You can try Sugarcube corner and see if she's with the Cakes." She offered.
Twilight nodded, "Then that's where I'll go." She resolutely declared, turning on her hooves.
"You, uh... you go ahead. I've already talked to her and it sounds like this is something you two need to fix in private." Cooper replied, making Twilight freeze in her tracks.
"Wait, then what are you going to do? Knowing Pinkie, there'll probably be a lot of crying and making up so this could take the better part of the day." Twilight responded.
Cooper shrugged, "Uh, I don't really know... might just keep walking around for a bit."
"If ya' need something to do, we always need a helpin' hoof over at Sweet Apple Acres." AppleJack suggested.
Cooper raised an eyebrow at the suggestion, but was quickly cut off by Twilight as she gasped in excitement.
"Oh! That's it! Cooper, I think I know what'll help you get out of your funk. An actual paying job would be phenomenal for you!" Twilight exclaimed.
Cooper's eyebrow only raised even higher, "Are you saying I'm a financial burden?" He inquired.
Twilight blanched, "What!? No! It's just that you've been kind of upset the past week, and I remember reading that males tend to be more goal oriented while females are more emotionally oriented, so I figured a job would be an excellent way to give you a daily goal that could help boost your mood." She hastily explained.
Cooper snorted in mild amusement, "I know. I'm just messing with you." He relented.
Twilight's cheeks puffed in irritation at the teasing, but she shook the indignation off and looked over to AppleJack within a matter of seconds.
"So do you think you would be able to give Cooper a job for a little while? Nothing too strenuous or physically demanding, of course- his arm is still in a sling- but maybe something that could help him get his strength back up?" She asked, making the farmpony purse her lips in thought.
"Hay, Twi'... we've got work that even a filly can do," She replied, before turning to Cooper, "If ya' don't mind the sun, and walking around all day, we could really use the extra help loading the baskets with apples after we buck 'em off the trees." She offered.
Cooper's face was quickly washed with puzzlement, "Bucking... the apples off the trees?" He questioned.
AppleJack nodded, "Sure as cinnamon goes on Apple Pie, Sugarcube. It's how we've always harvested the apples from our farm for generations."
Cooper slowly nodded, "So... you buck the trees and the apples just... what, fall off all at once?"
AppleJack nodded, "I can tell yer a bit unsure, so what'doya say we pack up here and head on over to the farm. I can show ya' firsthoof."
Cooper glanced over to Twilight, finding her already giving him an encouraging smile, "Go ahead, Cooper. There's no mare I trust more than AppleJack to look after a friend."
"What about you guys?" Cooper asked, turning to his guards.
"We-" Sky began.
"You can both come with me. AppleJack is probably the only pony I'd trust to look after him." Twilight cut in.
"Princess, we're tasked with guarding Cooper." Midnight protested.
"And as the ranking princess here, I'm asking you to please come with me instead. You two have been Cooper's shadow for the past couple of days. You aren't in trouble over that incident with Pinkie, I promise. Also I'm sorry for yelling at you both." Twilight apologized, genuinely.
Sky and Midnight shared a look, before glancing up to Cooper. He gave them a shrug in response, prompting them both to turn back to Twilight.
"If... that is what you wish, Princess." Sky responded.
Twilight smiled, "It is. Thank you," She replied, prompting the two guards to form up at her sides, "Try not to work too hard, Cooper." She teased.
With a hesitant nod, Cooper glanced back over to AppleJack and the rest of her clan, "Alright, I guess I might as well do something instead of sitting around in the castle all day." He relented.
AppleJack smiled, "Glad ta' hear it, partner. We were just finishing packing the wagon so I could take it back to town. Big Mac here'll run the stall until sundown and then we'll come back to help him pack it up for tomorrow." She explained.
While the rest of the group seemed happy or at least accepting to the arrangement, one party in particular looked Cooper over with a scrutinous gaze. AppleBloom slowly circled the human, her eyes squinted as she took him in as if she were appraising him.
"I dunno... he's awfully skinny. How's he even standing without breaking a leg?" She asked, glancing up to her big sister.
"AppleBloom!" AppleJack barked, stepping toward her little sister with a frown, "Apologize to him right this second! You don't go off spouting nonsense like that right to somepony's face!" She scolded.
Despite the jab at his appearance stinging slightly, Cooper found that the way her tail instantly tucked between her legs, and her ears splayed flat against her skull, made it impossible to stay upset at the little filly. He quickly held a hand up to halt the advance of the outraged older sibling.
"Ah'm sorry..." AppleBloom muttered.
"It's okay. She does have a point... I'm not exactly apple bucking material... not quite strong enough to kick a tree hard enough to make the apples all fall off." He offered.
AppleJack let out a sigh, "I appreciate that. She's just a filly and blurts things out when she knows she shouldn't," AppleJack replied, giving a pointed look to her little sister, "Having said that, I didn't want you to be buckin' apples in the first place. Those hands of yer's are great for pickin' apples up off the ground. I would just have you pick them up and load the baskets with whichever apples miss them." She elaborated.
Cooper gave a nod of understanding, "Ah, gotcha. I can do that."
AppleJack gave an appreciative nod, "Alright then. Mac, you've got the stall. AppleBloom, go to the wagon and finish tying down the empty barrels. I'll come hitch myself to it in a minute." She instructed, making both her siblings salute before returning to their respective tasks.
"Care to join me, Cooper? I might actually need a hand with the harness on the wagon. It's old and a bit of a pain to tie up these days." AppleJack asked, looking up to Cooper.
"Sure thing," Cooper replied, before turning to Twilight, "I guess I'll see you later tonight."
Twilight smiled, "Looks that way. Hopefully Pinkie and I will be back on good terms by then," She joked, before a slightly more serious look appeared in her eyes, "Just try not to work yourself too hard, okay Cooper?
Cooper nodded, reaching down and tussling Twilight's mane, "Don't worry about me, kid. You go make up with your friend." He smirked.
Twilight bashfully batted his hand away with her wing, her mane already a mess of loose ends sticking up at every odd angle. She blew a raspberry at him before trotting off toward Sugarcube corner, waving goodbye over her wither with her other wing.
"She sure has healed up quick." AppleJack noted, nodding toward the retreating alicorn.
Cooper nodded, "Something about alicorns and magic making them heal faster. I'm sure she explained it, but I was never one of the smart types."
AppleJack chuckled, "Given what you've been through, I find it mighty hard to believe that you ain't at least street smart." She replied as she started strapping herself to the wagon.
"I was a bit of a survivalist before everything went to Hell... need a hand with that?" Cooper asked, noting the way AppleJack struggled to tighten the harness.
"If ya' wouldn't mind." She sheepishly replied.
Cooper kneeled down and helped tighten the straps as best as he could with only one good arm. With some minor finesse, he was able to get the orange earth pony mare strapped up and ready to go.
"Still not sure how much help I'll be with only one good arm but I can try to pick up my fair share of apples." Cooper stated as he stood beside her.
AppleJack shook her head, "Don'tcha worry, partner. We won't work ya' too hard," She replied, before looking over her wither, "AppleBloom! You ready to go?" She called.
The adorable little yellow filly popped up from her spot behind the wagon, "Ready!" She dutifully responded, before hopping up onto the back.
With that, the sister siblings waved goodbye to their brother and headed back toward Sweet Apple Acres, Cooper walking beside them. The journey progressed in a mostly awkward silence, both AppleJack and AppleBloom struggling to come up with any kind of conversation topics while Cooper simply gazed back and forth, as if he were searching for something. Soon enough they were out of town and slowly making their way down the dirt trail that led to the front gate of the farm, the hundreds of apple trees along the way proving to be a welcome sight.
"So, did you have apples back on yer' world, mister Cooper?" AppleBloom suddenly asked, prompting both Cooper and AppleJack to look at her.
While AppleJack opened her mouth to speak, Cooper beat her to the punch, "Yeah. It's been a long time since I had any, but from what I remember, yours taste better here." He replied.
AppleJack let out a quiet breath she didn't even realize she was holding, a small weight leaving her chest as conversation finally blossomed between their small group.
"Well we do make the best apples in Equestria, here. We've been sellin' them for generations, all the way back to the foundin' of Ponyville!" AppleBloom excitedly explained.
Cooper's eyebrows raised with interest, "Wow, that's really something. So you guys have been selling apples for a long time then, huh?" He inquired.
AppleBloom beamed, "Oh, absolutely! Granny Smith has taught us all everything there is to know about apples. You should try some zap apple jam when the season comes around. You'd love it."
Cooper tilted his head to the side, "Zap apple jam?"
"It's a long story, Cooper. Besides, we're here and I have a feelin' we can talk more about it later tonight." AppleJack suddenly announced, prompting both Cooper and Applebloom to look over to the white fence beside them.
Much to Cooper's surprise, they were standing at the end of a long dirt road leading to a quaint farmhouse and classic-style barn. Every inch of the structure oozed 'country', even down to the red paint used on the walls. The sight made a small flash of nostalgia flare up in Cooper's heart, and despite his good spirits the way there, he couldn't help the sad feeling forming in his chest.
"Whew, home sweet home." AppleJack noted, smiling at her property.
"Bet I can beat'cha back to the barn." AppleBloom declared, leaping from the back of the wagon.
"Now hold yer' horses there, AppleBloom. It's not a race..." AppleJack trailed off, before breaking into a gallop, bringing the wagon with her.
The elder earth pony mare left a literal dust trail in her wake, prompting a small coughing fit from her sister as she rushed back to the barn.
"Hey! No fair! You cheated!" AppleBloom cried after her, galloping as fast as her little legs could carry her.
Cooper snorted in amusement at the display, taking his time to walk after them and watch from a distance. By the time he reached the barn, AppleJack was unhooked from the harness and a panting AppleBloom was standing beside her, irritation clear on her little face.
"I told you, that's cheatin'!" AppleBloom pouted.
"I don't recall you givin' a countdown, missy." AppleJack teased, rustling up her little sister's mane.
Playful laughter and pleas to stop echoed from the duo as they shared a moment of sisterly bonding. Soon enough, Cooper walked up to them, just in time for AppleBloom to break free from her older sibling, laughing and giggling all the while.
"Alright, now that we've made it, we should get to buckin' those trees." AppleJack announced, upon noticing Cooper's arrival.
"On it!" AppleBloom saluted, rushing into the barn.
"Follow me, Coop'." AppleJack ordered, trotting toward the trees.
Cooper followed behind with a small shrug, and soon they arrived at the first of a whole orchard of trees, all of them rich with apples. Bright red and juicy, the sweet fruit hung just a few feet out of reach, but that was soon to change as AppleJack approached the trunk of the tree. AppleBloom arrived a few moments later, somehow balancing several stacked baskets on her back. She quickly deposited them all around the tree in seemingly random areas before backing up and giving her sister room to work.
"Alright, now this is how you do it." AppleJack stated, before turning around and bucking the tree.
All of the apples instantly fell from the branches, most of them landing in the baskets seemingly placed all over the ground, save for a few stragglers that rolled away.
"We just need you to pick up the ones we miss. Normally Big Mac carries the baskets back but I'll do that when we clear enough of this section." AppleJack explained, looking up to the man before her.
Cooper's jaw was still slightly dropped from what he'd just witnessed.