There was a knock on the door while Sapphire was eating breakfast. Spike had just left to bring Twilight her breakfast, and Twilight herself was still incapacitated, so he went to answer the door. Derpy Hooves was on the other side.
"Oh, hello. You're that foreign visitor right? Sapphire Spell I think?" she said.
"Very funny, Derpy. We met at Pinkie Pie's party yesterday."
"No we didn't. I had to go to Canterlot on mailmare business yesterday. Anyway, Twilight has a letter from her brother."
"But... but..." Now Sapphire was really confused. He had definitely met her yesterday. Why didn't she remember it? He took the letter and closed the door. Something was off. He brought the letter upstairs to Twilight. She took it with her magic and read it.
"Shining Armor and Cadance are in Bridaly for their honeymoon. They send me pictures of the various places they go," Twilight explained. "This is them in front of the Coltosseum." She showed Sapphire the picture. The two made such a cute couple standing in a pose typical of newlyweds. She placed the letter's components into their piles. Sapphire took a look through the pictures.
We have so many places in common. The Colosseum, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the canals of Venice. Except theirs, Sapphire thought, all have really bad horse pun names... Sapphire listed off the common landmarks in his mind, knowing how Twilight would react.
"What are your plans for today?" Twilight asked.
"Applejack invited me to spend the day at her farm. What about you?"
"I have to stay off my hooves so I'm gonna spend the day reading. Fluttershy said she'd come by and check on me later, though. Do you know how to get to Sweet Apple Acres?"
"I think so. It's on the southeastern edge of town, right?"
"That's close enough. You'll see it if you head that way," Spike said.
"Well I guess I'll head out now. Bye Twilight. Feel better. Bye Spike."
Sapphire left the library and started across town. He'd learned enough about pony gait that he was able to perform a comfortable trot. As he crossed an empty street, he heard a buzzing behind him. He turned around, but there was nopony there. I must be hearing things. He continued on his way. He crossed the busy market humming to himself. He waved to Rarity who was doing some shopping. Eventually, the buildings started to thin out and Sapphire could see the barn of Sweet Apple Acres on the horizon. He entered the farm and looked around. He couldn't see Applejack anywhere, but he did see a large red stallion with an apple on his flank. He look big and bulky, just the kind that you would find on a farm, Sapphire reasoned. He walked up to him.
"Hello there. Is this Sweet Apple Acres?" Sapphire asked.
"Eeyup," was the earth pony's response.
"Is Applejack here?" Sapphire continued.
"Eeyup." Sapphire waited for the earth pony to tell him where.
"Um, where is she?" All the stallion did was point to Sapphire's left without a word. He looked in that direction.
"Um, thanks," Sapphire headed off in that direction. Does he only know one word? It didn't take too long to spot Applejack in the midst of some trees. She kicked one and all of the apples fell off into baskets around its base.
"Hi Applejack!" Sapphire called in his approach.
"Well hey there, sugarcube. Glad you could make it,"
"You invited me and I've been trying to get to know Twilight's friends so here I am. So you're harvesting right now?"
"That's right. Big Mac and Ah buck the trees ta get apples from all of ‘em."
"Who's Big Mac?"
"Mah bad! Big Macintosh is mah older brother. You mighta seen 'im when you walked in. Applebloom is mah little sister, but she's in school right now. There’s also Granny Smith, she’s the oldest member of the Apple family. She's fixin’ up lunch now, so you can join us once it's ready."
What about her parents? "Okay. That sounds good. Can I help you with your chores?"
"Ah don't see why not! Try bucking that tree over there."
Sapphire walked over to the tree Applejack pointed at. He turned his back to it and lifted his hind legs to get ready to buck it, but the sudden change in weight caused him to lose his balance and fall on his face. Applejack walked over with a chuckle.
"You seem to do that a lot don't ya?"
"Apparently. At this point, it might just be easier to walk around like this instead."
Applejack helped him up and he got in position again. This time, he was expecting the shift in his center of balance and compensated for it. He gave the tree the hardest kick he could. Only a few apples fell off.
"That's okay. Ah have years of apple bucking experience. This was yer first time. I doubt you did it much in yer world." Applejack gave the tree a quick kick and the rest of the apples fell. One hit Sapphire in the head and he shook it off.
"Oh yeah! That's something I want to ask you about! Do you believe me about where I'm from? I was a bit confused after last night."
"Ah believe ya, sugarcube. Ah’m real good at tellin’ when ponies is lyin', an’ I think what you told us th’other day was the honest truth. After you went to sleep that day, Twilight got the six of us together to talk about it. She and Rainbow were adamant that you were lyin'. Fluttershy, Rarity, and Ah believed you though. Pinkie was on the fence until Twilight got through with 'er."
So some of them DID believe him! He wasn't alone in a corner with Spike. He was so happy!
"Speakin' a Pinkie, Ah wanna 'pologize for what she said to ya yesterday. She just says whatever comes ta mind, and sometimes it can be hurtful without 'er realizin' it. She didn't mean to offend ya, she just didn't realize what effect it woulda had on ya." Applejack bucked another tree and more apples fell. Sapphire watched her.
"That's okay. I figured out that she doesn't have a filter myself. I know she didn't want to hurt me. Besides, the intention wasn't there. She didn't say it to offend me, she said it because she's probably the type to not keep secrets, am I right? But she legitimately cares about her friends, so I'm okay. Besides, I know now that some ponies believe me."
"That's good ta hear. Why don't we get off this heavy topic and get into some heavy farm work? Since ya can't buck trees, how about ya put the baskets inta’tha wagon."
Sapphire nodded his head and got to work. The basket was heavy and it took awhile to drag to the wagon, and it was even harder to get it up into the wagon. He eventually managed to fill the wagon with baskets.
"What next, Applejack?" he called out.
"Can ya bring the wagon to the barn and put the baskets inside? Bring the wagon back when yer done," she responded. He walked to the front of the wagon and saw the harness. He got it on himself and tried to walk. It felt like the wagon weighed a ton! He struggled and struggled and managed to take the first step. He continued this way and was able to get the wagon to start. He pulled it all the way back to the barn. He stopped and put the baskets in his wagon next to the others. While he was working, Big Macintosh showed up with his wagon. It was larger and held more and he moved it effortlessly it seemed. Sapphire was still unloading his while Big Mac had emptied his and left without saying a word.
Sapphire was only able to do two more trips before he collapsed in exhaustion. "I... don't... think... I can... do this... anymore..." he gasped out.
"That's okay. You've never done farm work before right? It was probably a lot to handle for a newcomer. Why don't ya go see if Granny could use yer help with lunch?" Applejack suggested. Sapphire let out a heaving sigh and forced his exhausted body up. He walked back to the barn and entered the kitchen.Granny Smith was sitting on a rocking chair knitting.
"AHH! It's a robber! Somepony call the cops!"
"No! Granny Smith, I'm Sapphire Spell! Applejack's friend?"
"What was 'at? Applejack doesn't 'ave any stallion friends! 'Specially no alicorn royalties!"
Sapphire rolled his eyes. "Come on. She had to have mentioned me!" Granny leaned in for a closer look. She squinted at him and rubbed her chin. He felt uncomfortable with her penetrating glare scrutinizing him like that.
"Oh, I remember now! Yer that feller she mentioned a couple a days ago. What was yer name? Oh right! Safer Shell!"
Sapphire face-hoofed. Then he sighed. "Close enough. Do you need any help with lunch?"
"Nah, it's all in the oven right now. But if you could ring that there bell and let my grandchirrins know about it, it would save my hip lotsa pain."
Sapphire walked over to the bell and rang it. He heard a "Yeehaw!" from Applejack and an "Eeyup," from Big Mac. Then he walked to the oven and took the food out of it. He set the table and when he brought the food in, Applejack, Big Mac, and Granny were at the table.
"What? But? The entrance was behind me. And you were in the rocking chair when I left the room. How are? What? Huh?" Sapphire stammered. He shrugged it off and took his place at the table.
"Now who knew that havin' an extra set of hooves fer the day would be so nice!" Granny said, ruffling Sapphire's hair. He blushed.
"Now Granny, stop it! Yer embarrassin' him!" Applejack said.
"It's okay. I'm surprised I didn't freak out while helping you. I usually have such a problem in nature."
Applejack chuckled. "That sounds just like Rarity. Ah'm pretty sure she avoids comin' here as much as possible."
The conversation continued in this manner with Big Macintosh adding a little "Eeyup," or "Nnope." So he DOES know more than one word! Sapphire looked at the pictures. He saw what must be Applejack's parents. But later pictures didn't have them. In the first ones without them, the older members of the family looked sad. Applebloom was just a baby. Sapphire realized why he had yet to meet Applejack's parents.
When all was done, Sapphire helped Granny with the dishes while Applejack and Big Mac went back to farming.
"I think I'll go help Applejack some more," Sapphire said.
"You go do that. Ah'm gonna take mah afternoon nap anyway," Granny said.
Sapphire found Applejack bucking some trees. After three more trips with the wagon, he collapsed on the ground again.
"Applejack! Ah'm back from school! Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and I are gonna do some crusadin'!" a yellow filly ran up to Applejack.
"Now, Applebloom. We have a guest. Be polite," Applejack said. Applebloom then noticed Sapphire looking at them from his vantage point on the ground.
"Oh! Yer Sapphire Spell! Applejack's told me all about you! And Ah told Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo!" She said.
A white unicorn filly and an orange pegasus ran up. "There you are, Applebloom! We lost track of you," the pegasus said.
"Guys! This is Sapphire Spell! That traveller from another world Ah told you about!" Applebloom said.
"Wow! He has a horn!" the unicorn said.
"And a pair of wings!" the pegasus added.
"And a cutiemark!" Applebloom finished.
"Wow! That's so cool! How'd you get it?" the pegasus asked.
"When I came to Equestria and became a pony. It was just there. People in my world don't get a physical sign when we've discovered our talent," Sapphire answered.
"So how do you know you've found it?" the unicorn asked.
"We get a feeling deep inside us. Like, 'this is what I want to do with my life'. And from what I understand, ponies get that feeling too," Sapphire explained.
"Now girls, don't you think you should introduce yourselves to Sapphire?" Applejack suggested.
"Ah'm Applebloom!"
"I'm Sweetie Belle!"
"And I'm Scootaloo!"
"And we're the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" they said in unison.
"We're on a mission to discover our special talents and earn our cutie marks!" Scootaloo said.
"Come on, girls! Let's get started on today's crusadin'," Applebloom said. The trio of fillies ran off into a deeper part of the farm.
"That's how my lil' sis' and her friends are. You'll get used to ‘em. Sweetie Belle is also Rarity's younger sister if ya didn't know."
"They seem very energetic." Sapphire stood up. "Well, break time's over."
Sapphire brought the wagon to the barn again and was back with Applejack loading it up when the two of them heard a scream.
"Applejack! Help!" Applebloom shrieked.
"Applebloom!" Applejack yelled and ran in the direction of the shriek. Sapphire followed as close as he could. He arrived to see a bunch of.. sticks? circling a tree house. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were huddled inside, terrified.
"What are those things?” Sapphire asked.
"They're timberwolves! Lately they've been gitt'n more and more brazen when they attack the farm. We've never had a group this big!" Applejack responded. There were six timberwolves circling the tree. Applejack threw a rock at them.
"Over 'ere, ya varmints!" she called and then ran off. The timberwolves gave chase, heading straight for Sapphire.
"AHH!" he yelled and ran after Applejack.
He managed to catch up to her, but so did the timberwolves. Using her home turf knowledge she managed to knock two of them to pieces. A third one came up next to Sapphire and he knocked it into a tree, breaking it apart. The two eventually ran into the Everfree Forest.
"Ah I can't find anything else to use! And more are startin' to join!"
Sapphire turned around and saw a group of at least twenty timberwolves, including the three they had already destroyed.
"They can put themselves back together?!"
"Not if ya burn 'em, but that's not an option right now!"
The two skidded to a stop as a giant boulder blocked their path. The group of timberwolves were advancing.
"Is this really it? Is this how it ends?" Sapphire asked looking to the sky. "I just got here! I'm too young to die!"
A timberwolf roared and Applejack and Sapphire hugged each other with looks of terror on their face.
"Ah guess this is it," Applejack resigned herself. The two closed their eyes as tightly as they could. But Sapphire had a hard time keeping them closed. There was this strange light nearby. He opened his eyes and looked at Applejack.
"Applejack! You're glowing orange!" he said.
"What?" Applejack opened her eyes and checked herself. "Ah am!" She looked at Sapphire. "But so's yer ring and eyes!"
"Really?" He looked at his ring as best he could. It was definitely glowing orange. He felt a jolt run through him. He's felt the exact same thing before... The Elements of Harmony! But how? They were still stashed away in Canterlot. Then again, they were connected to these ponies and his magic was connected to the elements so it couldn't be too unbelievable.
Then there was another feeling inside him. He grinned. This one was also familiar. He reared up and when he stomped his hooves, he let loose a blast of magical, white hot flame from his horn. It incinerated the first several timberwolves and the others ran in terror. Applejack and Sapphire Spell stopped glowing.
"But that was magic! How did you do that? I thought you lost yer magic!" Applejack exclaimed in disbelief.
"I'll explain on the way back." The two of them started to leave the forest. "So I figured out early on that my magic was being held captive by the Elements of Harmony. I knew the only way to get it back was to learn to live without it and develop close relationships with you guys. I also knew magic had a dramatic flair, so there was most likely going to need to be a life or death situation as the final catalyst."
"Oh. So you KNEW your magic was going to come back, back there?!" Applejack snorted angrily.
"Of course not! That was all a hunch until a few minutes ago. I really thought we were gonna die back there!" Sapphire defended himself.
"Oh. So why are your gem and eyes still orange?" Applejack asked.
"They're WHAT?!" Sapphire shouted. He ran ahead to the barn and found a mirror and sure enough, his irises were orange and so was the gem in his ring. He checked his cutie mark. Still a blue sapphire.
Granny Smith was grateful about him saving her two granddaughters. He told her not to think anything of it. The crusaders wanted to make him an honorary member, but he turned it down. As he was leaving, Big Mac grabbed him into a silent hug and then let him go and turned to hide his tears. That had to have been the weirdest thank you of them all. He returned to the library.
"Hey, Twilight! Do I have a story for you!" he called. He entered her room and Fluttershy was there with some animals.
"What happened to your ring?" Twilight asked.
"That's part of the story I have," Sapphire stated. He retold the entire event while petting one of Fluttershy's cats.
"Wow. So you can use magic again?" Twilight asked.
"I think so." Sapphire focused on a nearby book. But when he tried to levitate it, nothing happened. He felt the same emptiness he had usually felt when using magic.
"That's not fair! I just got it back! Why is my magic gone again?" Sapphire was devastated.
"I'm sorry. But at least we know it's possible for you to get your magic back," Twilight consoled.
"That's true, I suppose." He took note of Fluttershy taking care of some animals.
"Hey Fluttershy?" Sapphire started, but Fluttershy's shriek scared him.
"I'm sorry! I was just gonna ask if I could go over to your cottage tomorrow. Your animals are very cute."
"Oh. Um. Sure. I guess..." Fluttershy mumbled. She left with a quiet goodbye.
"Is everything okay?" Sapphire asked,
"Don't mind her. You're probably exhausted from the day you've had. Why don't you go to bed."
"Okay. I guess I will."
In his bed, Sapphire thought the way Twilight was so eager to get rid of him was a little weird. Then again, so was the way Fluttershy was acting. He fell asleep with these thoughts in his mind.