//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: A Pillar to Lean 
// by Haliton 
//------------------------------//

	Even with the herculean effort expended, trying to get up any earlier than Applejack was an exercise in futility. Then again, I could hardly be blamed, considering the circumstances. First of all, I was in a bed far more comfortable than I was used to, fit for resting the tired, rugged muscles of those who spend their days working the land to feed their friends and family. Secondly, I had spent the night urging a tired pony to go to bed, somehow leaving enough time to actually work on cleaning her home as much as I could after resorting to forcing a blanket on her to keep her in bed. Thirdly, I was sharing a bed with Applejack, and I have yet to find anything more comforting than a situation like one here.

Having woken from a very pleasant dream, waking to Applejack hugging me, her muzzle over my mouth, it was difficult to tell if it was still night and I had a few more hours to enjoy the girl by my side. The strong apple-ish scent (difficult to put down, but her smell does have something to do with fruit of some sort), the warmth and perfect weight of her body, combined with that perfect texture of her muscles cultivated over years of dedication to her trade and family, created an experience that would last forever in an ideal world. Unfortunate it was that some demon decided that it would be good time to raise the Sun now, putting an end to these small joys. 

"Mornin', Sugarcube."

"Good morning, Applejack. Why don't you rest for a little more while I make your breakfast?"

Wait, wrong choice of words. To even suggest she take a break-

"I can't leave you alone now, can I? You don't worry about me, I'm just gonna warm up the trees..."

She began breaking off the hug so she could get out of bed, leaving in that place a chillingly hollow feeling. 

"Wasn't it you who told me to make sure I had a hearty breakfast every morning? I can go ahead and make it for us, hmm? In the meantime, you're staying in bed and getting the rest you need, alright?"

I pulled her back in close for one more second of hugging, then jumped out of bed, leaving her in my warmed spot. Before she could react, I pulled the covers back over her, then beamed as much as I could to stifle her grumbling. She turned away, looking rather unhappy, but she seemed to at least accept her fate for the next half-hour or so, even if she did it with a tight scrunch on her face.

That would do. Bless Applejack for sharing her schedule with me, as if not for that I would not have taken the week off to show up at her house just the night before, only to find her fatigued beyond anything I had seen. Under a semi-ruse of wanting to sleep with her, I eventually convinced her to get into bed while I finished off her housework, then collapsed into bed with an Applejack long left for slumber. I shifted to the rustic kitchen of the Apple family, now mostly away to attend to some errands, leaving just Applejack and myself as an uninvited assistant. I had been invited over enough times to know what we would usually have, and thought it took rather long, a decent apple pie was made.

Hoping to give her a pleasant surprise, seeing as she would not have had the time to bake herself a pie over the last two days, I carried the fresh pie up to her bedroom. But of course, she had long left the bed, and the spot she had been lying on was not even warm anymore.

Bah.

"Applejack? Where are you?"

Not anywhere nearby, it would appear, so there went all hope of ambushing her in the shower. Where else could she have gone? If the animals could feed themselves, there really was only one place. 

"Applejack!"

Of course, at the orchards, kicking away at a tree, though with a little less precision and force than normal. She turned to my voice, and, upon giving me the curtest of glances, returned to her work.

"Oh, hey. Just thought I'd get a head start on work, sugarcube. Breakfast going well?"

When I pointed out that I could not start her breakfast without her, she sighed, and reluctantly came into the house. I waited, and waited, until finally she trotted into the kitchen  and was greeted with an all too familiar smell.

"You must have missed this, Applejack. Eat up."

Her eyes widened, it was inconceivable they just a second ago they were fatigued and worn. I could feel my own smile growing to match hers.

"All this? Really? Aww, shucks. C'mere, you..."

She pulled me down to her and ruffled my hair with a hoof, and I returned the favour by stroking her mane with a free hand. There was a texture to it that could be found nowhere else, weathered by countless days working under the sun, around the pickings of her hard work. Of course, we both needed to eat sooner or later, and reluctantly we separated and seated ourselves. 

The Apple family loved their style of home. It felt... homely. It was not just the rustic decor, but little pieces here and there that made it what it was. Applejack, for one, was having a slice of pie on a plate not too ornately designed, yet not bland, with a simple floral pattern that went well with the others around it. The chairs we sat on followed the trend: simple, yet functional and pleasing, and together they looked even better than they would alone. It reflected a lot about Applejack herself, if watching her munch happily away on breakfast didn't. 

"Mmmm... this is good. You're pretty good at this, ain't ya?"

She wiped her mouth, which then wore a satisfied, happy smile. It was one I could not find within myself to not mirror, especially as I felt a bit of warmth flash through my cheeks, flattered by this unspoken compliment. I was helping Applejack! After everything she had done for me over our time together, it was nothing short of blissful that I could return the favour, even if I had to force it by showing up uninvited.

"That was good. You heading off now?"

She was now wiping her mouth with her favourite handkerchief, spilling a few crumbs on the floor. 

I explained to her how I had taken time off to stay and help her with the farm, since I didn't want her to be working so hard alone. I could help, yeah! 

"You WHAT? Darn it, you shouldn't have! It ain't a problem for me at all!"

Too late for that now. I would have nothing else to do for the next few days, having prepared everything possible so she would not have an excuse to send me away.

"I.. guess you're right. Alright then, just let me clean up and we can head out, you go on and rest a bit first."

Just as she turned away, there was a flash of red permeating those freckles of hers.

"And, um,well, thanks...  sugarcube."

My knees weakened a little as she finished that last word. The moment I recovered, I assisted her quietly, knowing better than to suggest she rest while I do all the work, instead deciding on a silent compromise. She wiped the table, I cleaned the floor under, admittedly hoping for a good view of her. She cleaned the oven, and I the countertops. There was a comfortable silence between us, as if we both knew trying to dissuade the other would be futile, no matter how much we wanted to. So, in that silence, we ignored personal pride and concern for the other, instead enjoying the company the best we could, on occasion brushing against one another teasingly, as if some form of acknowledgement of our mutual sentiments.

"Alright. We ready to head out now?"

Were we already done? Indeed,  our work had left the place spotless in what seemed like too short a time. With that out of the way, it was time for farm work.

Sweet Apple Acres.  Where the Apple family worked their labour of love, carrying on the legacy of their ancestors in sustaining the town of Ponyville. Like the Apple family and Applejack herself, little of its simple appearance could betray its true significance. Here at the orchard, the Apples were ripening, so harvest time was at hand.

"Alright, you just put the baskets under the tree, alright? Leave the rest to me, now!"

Applejack, with those beautiful, strong legs of hers, kicked at a tree. It shook,  felling a few of the fruit right into a few baskets positioned perfectly. Or was it the tree dropping the apples perfectly into the baskets? Earth Ponies had some binding to the land, that much I knew, but seeing it put into action was something else, especially if it was Applejack. There was weakening of the knees and chest yet again as I watched Applejack give the tree a few more mighty bucks, shaking down more of her fruit every time till the tree had given up everything it had to offer.

"You gonna stop swooning like a schoolfilly or are you going to help me with work, sugarcube?"

That last word didn't help very much if she wanted to stop my heart from becoming any more faint, but work needed to be done. Applejack's burden had to be lightened however I could manage, there was no way around it. Moving about the trees, I put down the baskets wherever I felt was right, stealing glances at Applejack every now and then. Her legs were only a part of the masterpiece that was her whole body, every part moving in some way to ultimately let her do her work, all while looking all too beautiful in the strength she had cultivated in her dedication.

Till noon, there was little to distract me other than Applejack, though there was a small twinge of irritation as I listened to her coo to a sapling that had yet to bear any fruit. 

"Aww, you cute little thing, you. Grow up nice and strong now, alright? I'll be waiting, sugarcube!" 

Hmmph. I had never thought I would ever consider taking the place of a tree before. Applejack had become coated with a fine layer of sweat, making her glisten and shine in the noon sun, a proof of her efforts in the morning. Either way, it was now time to rest, since the sun would not let us get much done, or so I thought.   This should be good time for a call to lunch.

"Applejack! Want to take a break for a while? With me?"

She looked rather reluctant, but by making it a personal request...

"Right, I'm kind of beat, too. You want some lunch?"

It was hard to argue that she shouldn't prepare lunch for us since I did breakfast, so all I could do was admit defeat and watch Applejack work some more of her magic. It was hard to say what her cooking was, it wasn't grand, not the best thing you would ever taste, but it was.. something familiar that you could count on for a full belly, content to go to sleep after a hard day's work. Did she have a talent for that too? She had a lot of talents, but this one I appreciated a lot. It was always good to feel one's love through how they fed their beloved.

"All ready, sugarcube. Eat up."

More apple dishes, salad and baked. She did seem to have quite the liking for apple dishes too.  As always, it wasn't merely eating with her that gave the most comforting sense of warmth, but much was expressed in her food that Applejack, bless her, could not express in words. So we ate, I with a little more rigour than she, taking care to savour it. At the end, I had to express my gratitude.

"Aww, don't mention it. I'm just helping you out! Just like you're helping me out, is all."

Just helping me out. Oh, Applejack.

With that out of the way, it was time to return to work. Though the sunlight has subsided a little, the heat had not. It wasn't the usual warm comfort of a sunny day, but more like a harsh drought, spanning an afternoon. Still, nothing like that could stop Applejack, and I could not allow it to stop me, either. We marched out, her before me, and set out with our new task: carrying the apples we had harvested into storage. 

Applejack lifted the full baskets almost effortlessly with her saddle, then trotted off to the barn, flicking her tail to me in a sign that I needed to hurry up. It seemed simple, an easy way to help her out merely by moving the baskets, but as it turned out they were heavy beyond what they appeared. It took a great effort to lift one, yet she was doing so unaided and without any strain. Any admiration for her strength was quickly eroded by an odd sense of guilt, because, well, I had come to help her! If I failed at it, what would I do?

Nothing to do about it. I would have to push myself, and that was that. I came here to be useful to Applejack, after all. Even if I cooked in the heat, I'd have to do it one way or another. With great strain, I managed to lift the basket, then somehow carry it to the barn and drop off the load. In that same time, Applejack had carried five, and she wasn't panting like a madman either.

"You look tired there, sugarcube. Why don't ya just rest for today?"

Now? Definitely not now. I couldn't, not with Applejack depending on me. I was fine, I insisted. I'd just work a little more slowly since I was full. Never mind the blurring of vision or stumbling of arms as I carried the baskets over, far too much was at stake. And then, too few baskets later, there was a collapse of the legs before the soil appeared to rise to my face, turning the world black.



"You sure did good, sugarcube. Thanks for helping me out with all the work! You're real reliable, you know that?"

Oh, Applejack. Anything for you. Now that all the chores were finished, we could rest at last. 

Her head laid on my lap, using it as a pillow, while I was the support to her while she allowed herself to falter. How nice that would be, had not I felt her disproportionately soft and light, while the farmhouse seemed to shift in and out of focus. Focusing more only yielded an opening of the eyes,  revealing the farmhouse now lit for evening. 

"You, um, you alright there?"

Yes, yes I was. I'm fine, just felt a little tired. Yes, I'm sure. I could continue, she didn't need to do it alone. Applejack held a hoof to my mouth, then over my face, checking me for any more signs of fatigue. I could continue, she didn't need to do it alone. Then she spoke, warm green eyes capturing me, full of that sincere honesty she embodied.

"Look, I know you're worried and want to be helpful, but, you gotta take care of yourself too, alright? I learned that a long time ago, and I ain't getting you into any trouble just because you want to help me. I mean, I understand, but you gotta understand too. Don't overdo it alright? The best thing you could do for me would be to stay healthy, so I never have to worry about you, alright?"

Had I really made her worry so much over some misguided effort? No, why- it was hard to repress anything at all with eyes that gazed into mine all too pervasively, and there was nowhere to turn to hide whatever reaction came. At least, there was the comforting weight of her forelegs around me, as she put me in a precious hug to cheer me up.

"There, there. Look, I even got something for ya. Wanted to give it to you later, but I think you've did your best to earn it."

She let go and again left that chilling hollow in her place, then pushed a neatly-wrapped box into my lap. Carefully pulling away the wrapping paper, I opened it, and just like this all my doubts were clear.

"Just for you, sugarcube."

A hat. A cowboy hat, just like hers, but fitted for myself. A few variations in colour to distinguish it, yet...

"You're one of us now, so we'll take care of you too. Just make sure you stay well enough to care for us too, alright?" 

There was no more to be said, as I locked my lips with hers and lost ourselves in the evening. Perhaps work really could wait for now, for we had far, far more important matters to attend to in each other.