Brad slid down from Bella's back and pet along her cheek. "Can you show us?"
She nodded, a little reluctant to have him off her back, but happy to perform for them. Her ears pricked as she eyed the area, bouncing once as if to stretch, and she charged forward, hitting that little dip, and rising high above, but there was nothing there.
She came down for a smooth, if mildly surprised, landing and wheeled about to return to Twilight and Brad with a little whicker.
"Fascinating." Twilight scribbled with her floating quill. "To be thorough, Brad, can you attempt to make the bridge on your own?"
Brad laughed at the very idea. "I never tried before, but I doubt it?" He waved at the bump Bella had been using. "We know that works." He jogged in place to get things moving, than sprinted down the dirt road. He hopped up onto the bump and right back off of it with a disappointed noise.
"Interesting. And expected, given how I can't touch it. You are the source, then?" Twilight scrawled more notes. "Or, rather, your mare, Bella, is the source?"
Bella nickered, shaking her head. Brad was in agreement without any words between them. "We are the source, together. Either one of us alone, no rainbow."
Twilight charged without warning, launching herself up and off the bump with no rainbows appearing. "Hm. The rainbow has all the trademarks of being Harmony related." She curled a hoof to her chin. "I really should be able to manifest it."
She stared at the spot where the rainbow bridge had been and tried, eyes unfocused and horn glowing. A rainbow slowly faded into view. It was muted, like it was fading or in reverse. The instant she stopped staring, the rainbow blinked away, eager to escape Twilight's attempt at forcing the issue. "Hm." She made a few fresh notes. "Thank you, both of you. You've given me a lot to think about. Would you mind if we conducted further study together? It's been ages since I had so many questions all at once!"
Bella let out a contented sigh at the idea and touched noses with Twilight in an offer of friendship. Twilight smiled at the larger equine. "You're right, I'm being inconsiderate. I live there." She pointed to the jutting crystal tower in the distance. "You can find me there at any time. Stop by when you have the time, kindly." She turned, preparing to race off. "I have so much I want to talk to you about. Well, goodbye."
"Bye, Twilight. Bella, what did she say to you?" He stroked along Bella's closer side. "How you seem to just 'talk' to ponies is a little odd, but less odd than if you started talking to me."
Bella nosed Brad on the cheek and the two curled on one another, the human hugging and the horse curling her powerful neck around Brad. There were no words, but the two seemed to understand well enough the gentle affection between them. Brad gave her broad torso a firm pat on the side. "Alright, well, we're here. Let's enjoy it. Want to visit the Apples again?" He hiked a thumb at the orchard ahead. "Or the town?" He turned his hand for the little town they could see in the other direction. "Wherever you want."
Bella took the reins, heading for the orchard and the homestead beyond it. Brad chuckled at that and followed easily. "Just the Apple family today." He noticed a flash of color in the orchard. "Let's see if we can't say hi."
As the two came to the orchard, a blur of rainbow colors whipped by. It curled around and came right at them, stopping abruptly. "Woah," spoke the new pony, with wings, hovering there. She had a rainbow for her mane and tail, and was looking over Bella and Brad curiously. "Ha, you're just as odd looking as AJ said you were! Welcome back, you two!"
Bella stamped one hoof, shifting a little to put Brad firmly at her side. "Don't worry, she's friendly." Brad gave Bella a reassuring pat on the cheek. "I think? Hey there."
The pony landed in front of them, curling her wings up behind her. "Hey yourself." Her eyes went to Bella. "I'm not a monster, sheesh. They call me Rainbow Dash, fastest pony this side of Equestria! And you are, hmm, what did AJ say?" She pointed up at Bella. "Bella, right?" She looked to Brad. "And you're Brad. Gotta remember the names, if there's a good story here."
"Yeah, we are." Brad reached down and offered his hand. "Nice to meet you, Rainbow Dash."
Rainbow perked her ears. "Huh. If you don't mind my asking, what are you exactly?" She reared up onto her hind legs and put a forehoof against Brad's offered hand. "Bella's an ancient pony, which is already kinda odd." She dropped down to all fours, eyes flicking to Bella. "And you look like a human or something? Are you an ancient human? Or a pet? Because, uh, I didn't think there were any humans in Equestria. Not even in legends!"
She smirked suddenly. "Unless you count the legends of Twilight Sparkle, which I do not."
Brad directed a thumb at herself. "You got it right. Human. Horse." He gestured to Bella with that second part. "Pony." He pointed at Rainbow with that last part. "With wings?"
Rainbow huffed at that. "Pony with wings, otherwise known as a pegasus. There are a lot of us." She pointed up to the sky, where other pegasi were pushing clouds around. "We're in charge of keeping the weather on track."
She flicked one wing as she studied him. "So, what brings you back here? Applejack told us how you first met, but she was all over the place. You gotta fill in the blanks, human."
"Well." Brad shrugged, thinking back on it. "We came the first time in the evening. She and her family invited us over for dinner. It was really nice. We were going to say hello to her, when you came along."
"Sounds like Applejack, alright." She nodded proudly. "We all do what we can. Anyhow, thanks for chatting with me, but I got stuff to do, places to be." Rainbow lifted into the air easily. "Tell AJ I saw you." With a snap, she took off, leaving that trail of rainbows behind her.
Brad reached out to feel the rainbow, but it was fading before he could really inspect it. It wasn't the same as the rainbow road they had come in on. "Hm. Well, Bella, let's go say hello to some nice ponies."
With an excited snort, Bella resumed the journey, the two reaching the Apple home shortly. Granny Apple was on the porch, rocking on a chair made for a pony. She brightened seeing them. "Well, lookie who's back!"
"Who?" A massive pony peeked out from around the corner of the building. He was proof that ponies could approach horse in size, though he didn't quite reach Bella's level. "Ayup." He nodded at Brad and Bella. "We meetin' guests at the door now, Granny?" He hustled over to help guide the duo in. "Welcome to Apple Acres, fella, mare."
Bella went around the home without prompting, nickering along the way.
The new pony perked an ear at her. "Oh, see you on the other side then." He focused on Brad. "Name's Big Macintosh, but Big Mac's more'n enough." He offered a large hoof towards Brad. "Pleased to meetcha."
Brad laughed as he shook it. "Pleased to meet you, Big Mac. I'm Brad. She's Bella." He nodded towards the mare as she circled around to the back of the house. "What's back there?"
Big Mac gave a shrug. "Barn an' stables, for the animals. Bella seems t' know it just fine." He motioned Brad forward with a nudge of his nose. "Yer a curious thin'."
"Toldja that much." Granny was watching the interaction with a wry smile. "Pleasant enough though. Welcome back. Couldn't say no to some Apple vittles, couldja?" She winked at him. "Makin' us look good."
Brad laughed, tugging his hoodie down. "Not any better than last time."
Granny clucked her tongue. "Apples growin' apples is in our blood. No surprise we can make somethin' nice for a guest. Mac, go ahead and see him in fer a spell."
"Ayup." He led the way inside, just to start in surprise. "Oh, there ya are." Bella was poking her head in the kitchen window, looking around curiously. "You okay there?" Bella replied in her equine way, and Big Mac seemed satisfied. He inclined an ear at Brad. "Ah'd be scared, comin' to someplace wit' all sorts ah strange creatures, and none ah my own. Ya don't seem worried none."
"Bella's smart. She'll be fine." Brad nodded to the table. "Think she's waiting for me?"
"Could be. One way t' find out." Big Mac paused as Bella whickered gently at him. "Oh. Um." He paced in place, looking suddenly bashful.
Brad looked between Bella and Big Mac. "What did she say?"
Big Mac chuckled awkwardly, rolling a hoof at the table. "Your lady friend ain't shy 'bout askin' fer thin's she wants, is all."
That just made Brad even more curious. "And what is it, exactly, she wants?"
"That'd be rude." Big Mac crossed his arms with a huff. "Ain't gonna go tellin' on her like that. That ain't what a good pony does. Ah'll fetch you a seat. Don't sit on no one!" He scampered off, making it look elegant on such large hooves. He returned with a plushy padded stool with a low back, setting it next to Bella.
He didn't succeed at getting away untouched, Bella nipping him on the tail as he tried to walk away. He squeaked in surprise, scampering away from the large mare's reach. "Nope!"
Brad slipped onto the seat and stroked a hand over Bella's neck. "You know what they say about getting attention from someone smaller than you. At least wait until the meal is ready." He didn't understand Bella's huff, but he did see Apple Bloom's eyes widen.
The filly hopped to the floor from where she had just parked herself. "See ya later!" She scurried out the front door in a scramble.
Brad shook his head as he watched her go. "I probably shouldn't have said anything." He turned his attention back to his companion. "And what has you so interested?" He grabbed an apple from the counter, holding it up near Bella. "Looking for a snack?"
She grabbed the fruit with her big teeth, practically biting it in half. She kept an eye on Big Mac the whole time as she chewed placidly.
"Seriously." Brad put his hands flat on the dining room table he sat at. "It's like there's a big conversation going on next to me in another language."
"Ayup." Big Mac rubbed at his cheek awkwardly a moment. "Look, um." He glanced at Bella and Brad. "She jus' wants to get to know me better, is all."
"Oh, okay." Brad put it down as easily as that. "It is nice to meet more of the Apple family. You are an Apple too, right?"
"Ayup!" Big Mac sat up proudly at that, the nervousness gone with that turn of the conversation. "Applejack and Apple Bloom's brother. Granny's grandson." He pulled up a similar stool and seated himself on the other side of the table. "What about you? Got a family?"
"A little one." Brad smiled fondly, thinking of Miguel and how often he could be a younger sibling, needing to be looked after, when they weren't just two fellas taking care of things on the ranch. "I have a roommate, Miguel. We live on a horse ranch. That's how I met Bella here." He nodded towards his mount. "And, well, we've been together for years."
"Huh." Big Mac looked between Brad and Bella. "Interestin'. Um, we don't have no fancy meals in the middle of the day, but we got some snacks if yer wantin'?"
"Please." Brad nodded, and Big Mac passed a platter over to him with slices of apple and small cubes of cheese. "I do need to get a taste of more ponies." He popped an apple slice in. "But I may be being rude, sorry for that. You don't owe me anything, but you're working to be a good neighbor. I appreciate that, really."
Bella whinnied from outside, making Big Mac jump. "Um, well, if yer jus' enjoyin' lookin' 'round, why don'tcha check out Ponyville? Plenty ah friendly ponies, ready t'say howdy." He shooed Brad off gently. "'Sides, we gotta get to work and all."
Brad nodded, collecting the items left on his plate. "I'm sure I'll find them. We were just considering that way before we got here, actually. Again, thanks for being great." They shared a parting shake of hand against hoof. "Take care of yourself."