//------------------------------//
// Chapter IV~The Farm~ 
// Story: The Machine 
// by ADRNEL 
//------------------------------//


Chapter IV:


The Farm





Day 12

It has been almost two weeks since Adam arrived to Ponyville in his time machine, fall is starting to take a hold in the land, luckily Adam managed to get Rarity to make him an overcoat as the nighttime temperatures slowly begin to drop. At the same time, Adam, with help from Twilight Sparkle's teleportation spell, managed to move the time machine to a new safe location in the library basement. 

It is now night, with Adam and Twilight are in the higest balcony of the library looking through her telescope.

“The constellations look so different than from my time.” said Adam in awe while using the telescope.

“Well, I read that the stars slowly change positions over time.” stated Twilight, laying on the wooden floor, desciphering Adam’s almanac. “So, this page deals with tides?” asked Twilight.

Adam then turns and goes up to her to see the page. “Yes it does.” confirmed Adam.

The human then changes the subject. “Look, I’ve been here for nearly two weeks already, and I was thinking about getting myself a job.” proposed Adam.

“Well, what job are you interested in?”, Twilight is immediatly intrigued. 

“Well, maybe I can help at the weather factory and see how the pegasi manipulate the weather.” proposed Adam, who always wanted to know how they do it.

“But you can’t walk on clouds or fly.” stated Twilight.

“Okay..." Adam then thinks about what else he can do. "...how about a teacher, I was a teacher in my time period.” he proposed.

“You need government approval and go through a lengthy certification process.” stated Twilight matter-of-factly, closing Adam’s almanac. “Why do you want a job so badly?” Twilight was very curious as to why he wants a job now.

“Because I fell like I’m overstaying your welcome, and I want to be self-sufficant for once while I’m here.” explained Adam, just looking out over Ponyville from the balcony.

“I can pay you for helping at the library.” offered Twilight.

“No, I want a job that’s separate from where I live, but if I can’t work at the weather factory or be a teacher, I don’t know.” said a defeated Adam who wanted to not feel useless for the amount of time he's planning on staying.

Twilight, feeling sorry for Adam, thinks long and hard, but finally gets an idea. “Didn’t you once told me that you worked in your father’s apple orchid when you were a colt?” asked the unicorn.

“Yes, what are you getting at?” said a confused Adam.

Twilight just stares at him, wanting him to figure it out. After a few seconds, Adam realizes that one of her friends works at an apple orchid: “Sweet Apple Acres”.

“Of course.” said Adam to himself, finally realizing what Twilight was saying.




The next day...

Adam is sitting in a study room, located inside the Apple family’s farmhouse, Adam is looking at all the items, especially family photos. Most of the photos have either Granny Smith, Applejack, Apple Bloom and Big McIntosh.

Applejack then enters room, causing Adam to quickly sit down in a chair in front of the desk.

“So, ah heard yo’ were interested in gettin’ a job as a farm hand at ‘Sweet Apple Acres’.” stated Applejack, taking her place behind the desk. “Enny expirence?”

“My father, Zachary Gray, owned a large apple orchid, and I was an only child so I had to work and help out whenever I can, although I left for college to study science the first chance I got, first in my family to do so, I may add.” explained Adam.

“Can yo’  do the books?” bluntly asked Applejack, looking unsure whether or not to hire him.

“Yes, I know how to handle finances, I was forced to work the books because my father was bad at math, and would get drunk during the weekends.” Adam just nervously laughs, but Applejack doesn't react.

Applejack just stares at him for a while, she then takes out her hoof, supposedly for a hoof shake. “You have th’ job!” Adam nervously takes his hand and shakes her hoof, not used to doing that, but glad to have gotten a job.

“When can I start?” asked Adam.

“Today.”





Applejack then leads Adam outside to meet the family and tour the farm.

“This here is mah brother, Big MacIntosh.” said Applejack introducing Big MacIntosh to Adam.

“Eeyup” was all Big McIntosh said.

"Yo' can call him 'Big Mac'." explained Applejack.

“An’ over thar is mah lil’ sister Apple Bloom.” said Applejack pointing at Apple Bloom, who is walking by with a tool box.

“Hi!” said Apple Bloom, waving at Adam.

“An’ finally, this here is mah Grandma, Granny Smith.” said Applejack pointing to her farmhouse porch, Granny Smith sitting in a rocking chair.

“What?” was all Granny Smith said, confused.

Adam realizes that Granny Smith is going to be or is senile, and also very old. But Adam does not say anything to Applejack so he won’t be rude.

“Now let me show yo’ th’ farm.” said Applejack, eagerly taking Adam for a tour.





After about an hour, Applejack finally finishes the tour and lecture on Apple family history, especially the part where Granny Smith helped found Ponyville, although the lecture was so long winded, that Adam tuned her out.

Soon, Adam is put to work, mostly involving hauling baskets of apples from the cart to the barn. Then he was tasked with fixing a fence.

While fixing the fence at the far end of the farm, he hears a quiet boom coming for the sky, he turns around to look at the sky to see a rainbow flash across the sky, what he assumes to be the "sonic rainboom" Dash was always bragging about.

“A sonic rainboom?” said Adam to himself in awe. “Facinating.”

“Beautiful ain’t it?” said a young girlish voice. Adam, startled, turns to see Apple Bloom standing behind him, stareing at him with awe and interest.

“So, you must be Applejack’s sister.” said Adam. “The name is Adam.” Adam then awkwardly waves at the small filly with the big pink bow in her mane.

“Hi.” answered Apple Bloom. “Is it true that you come from the past?” she excitedly asks, very interested in him.

“About a million years in the past to be precise.” answered Adam, continuing his task of fixing the fence.

“How was it like, what did you do?” continued Apple Bloom, curious.

“I was a scientist and teacher.” continued Adam, more focused on the task than on the filly.

“A scientist?” asked a confused Apple Bloom, not knowing much about the occupation.

“A scientist is a person who acquiers knowledge and answers through expirements.” explained Adam.

“Oh! Sounds fun!” said Apple Bloom, interested. “Do you have a cutie mark?” the filly bluntly states.

“A what?” said a confused Adam, caught off guard by that question.

“A cutie mark is the marks you see on the flanks of most ponies, ponies earn them if they do something unique, do you have any?” explained Apple Bloom.

“Sorry, but we humans don’t have cutie marks, never did.” stated Adam.

“You’re lucky, you can do whatever you want and explore all possibilies whenever you want!” said Apple Bloom in awe and excitement.

“You could say that.” said Adam, going along with what Apple Bloom said, not knowing that Apple Bloom is developing a precocious crush on the human.

After an hour of finishing the fence and lecturing a very interested Apple Bloom about what a scientist does, it is time for lunch, Adam was given an apple jam sandwich with apple cider to drink from Granny Smith. He decides to eat in front of the barn, sitting on a hay bale next to Big MacIntosh, quietly eating their lunch.

Then Granny Smith walks by on her walker, but stops to look at Adam.

“Hey!” said Granny Smith, looking at Adam. “You remind me ‘o a nice stallion I met many years ago.” she stated with a nostalgic smile on her face.

Adam is confused and too dumbfounded to answer. “I forget his name tho’.” continued the old mare.

“I’m not a stallion Mrs. Smith.” yelled Adam to her, to make sure she hears him.

“What?” was all Granny Smith said back, she then continues on her way as if nothing happened.

Adam, dumbfounded, then turns to Big MacIntosh and whispers to his hear. “Does she usually act this way?”

“Eeyup.” was all Big MacIntosh says without emotion.

Adam decides to get up and find a quiet place to have is lunch, feeling that Big MacIntosh was purpously saying nothing but that to annoy him.

While walking deep into the apple orchids, Adam comes across Applejack playing her harmonica, he never heard the style of music being played on the instrument, but the music takes him back to his childhood in Tennessee, the farmers markets, running around and helping out at the family apple orchid, and even his father, an avid harmonica player.

Adam decides to leave her alone, before Applejack notices him.

He then reaches a small creek, it was very quiet, only the sounds of nature can be heard, a stark difference to the sounds he has been used to hearing back home, everything in this spot is peacefull, while everything he remembered of his home was hectic. Then he comes across an idea, an idea to maybe give up his 19th century life and instead stay here in the relative tranquility, but then realizes that he can’t just uproot his life spur of the moment, for the first time since he got here, he is torn between either leaving for home or staying.

As the sun set, Adam starts getting ready to leave work and go back to the library. Just as he is about to leave the farm, Applejack catches up to him. 

“How was yer first day?” asked Applejack, hoping it went well.

“Interesting, to say the least.” answered Adam.

“Well, them hand’s of yours is a huge help, plus Apple Bloom couldn't stop talkin' about yo'.” explained Applejack.

“Thanks, I’ll see you tomorrow, bye!” stated Adam, saying goodbye and heading back to town.

“See yo’ tomorrow, sugarcube!” yelled Applejack back.

Adam was taken aback by that statement, but continued walking. “Don’t ask.” mumbled Adam to himself.





At Sweet Apple Acres,

"Okay Apple Bloom, time fo' bed." announced Applejack entering her little sister's room. Applejack then sees Apple Bloom drawing something. "Whut are yo' drawin' thar?" asked Applejack, curious.

Apple Bloom spits out the crayon she's using and shows the drawing to her older sister. "It's a picture of me and Adam doin' science together." she explains. Applejack takes the drawing and sees a crudely drawn picture of Adam and Apple Bloom holding hands (or hooves) surrounded by beakers and flasks. Applejack is touched by how much Apple Bloom has taken a liking to him. She then gets to the business at hoof.

"That's nice, but it's time fo' bed missy." ordered Applejack.

"Okay." agreed Apple Bloom, as she leaves the room to brush her teeth. Applejack then looks at the drawing again.

"An Apple becomin' a scientist, that'll be th' day!" mused the orange mare, she then places the drawing on top of her sister's bed and walks off.





Adam is in his room in the library basement looking out at the full moon through the small windows, he is reading his almanac, but not just any page, but a note that was written on the very last page.

“May you find happiness no matter where you go.

-Love, Mary, April 15, 1895”

Adam just closes the book, reminding himself the reason he came to the future, to figure out why he can’t save her, maybe magic, he assumes, may give an answer.

NEXT WEEK: The Griffin