Jake awoke two hours later in his room. The sunlight was coming through the windows, and the aroma of an apple based breakfast was filling his nostrils. He looked over to his clock and saw that it was nine thirty-eight. Mac had let him sleep in.
Down in the kitchen, Applejack was finishing setting the table. Her brother came in through the front door and sat down. His eyes had bags under them, and his mane was frayed. His sister looked at him with concern.
"Y'all right there Mac?"
He grumbled.
"Ahm fine, jes didn't get a good nights rest is all."
"What happened last night anyways? Ah heard you an' Jake up in the hall talkin' ta one o'nother."
Mac shifted nervously in his chair.
"Uh, nothin happened. Ah had forgotten ta lock up the barn b'fore ah came in, so ah went ta do it. Jake jes happened ta be up gettin' a glass o' water, an' we got ta talkin'."
Applejack gave her brother a skeptical look. Being the element of honesty, it wasn't hard for her to tell if someone was lying.
"Mac...the barn locks been broke since last month. You did it, 'member?"
They both looked over to the stairs to see Jake descending into the kitchen. He walked up to them and read the look on Applejack's face.
"Uh, what's wrong?"
She stared at him right in the eyes.
"Ah wanna know what was goin' on last night."
The pilot looked over to Mac for some help, but he just widened his eyes in a "what do you want" sort of way. Jake gulped.
"Look, I guess the truth is the best option. Is Applebloom gone right now? She shouldn't hear this."
"She's off at school...what in the hay happened?"
The two sat down at the table with Applejack and began explaining everything from the time Mac woke up until they went back to sleep. When they were done, she sighed and looked out to the truck.
"Is he still in there?"
"Nnope. Ah went an' got the sheriff this mornin'. Told him what happened, an' they took him down ta the station."
"Good. Lets jes keep this between us three ok? Ah don't want anypony else worryin' or nothin'."
Mac nodded and turned to Jake.
"What did you an' that Doctor talk about after ah went on up ta bed?"
For the first time since he was told, Jake remembered what Dr. Navorno had said. He looked down and sighed.
"I can never go back to Earth. I'm stuck here for the rest of my life."
Both siblings had a look of sympathy on their faces. Mac patted him on the back.
"It's gonna be ok partner. Y'all said ya wanted to make the best of it, right?"
The captain put his head in his hooves, and a single tear ran down his face.
"I...I can never go home...I can never see my family or friends again.
I'll never be able to see what I've wanted to see, or do what I wanted to do. It's all gone...all of it. Just because of one STUPID MISTAKE!"
He slammed his hooves down on the table. His heavy breathing calmed down as more tears fell.
Applejack tried to calm him down.
"Look sugarcube, ah can't say ah understand, 'cause ah don't. But lemme tell y'all somethin'. If you had ta pick a place ta wind up forever, anyplace from yer front door all the way to the edge of the universe, Equestria is the place you should pick. Even though y'all left yer old life behind ya, you can give yerself a fresh start. You can re-invent yerself, be who ya always wanted ta be. You can meet new faces an' see new places. You can get yer airplane runnin' again an' go out flyin' with the pegasi, or witness the power of magic from the unicorns. You can settle down, an' even start a new career. An' guess what the best part is. Y'all got us ta help ya, every step of the way. So Jake, get on up, walk yer flank right out that front door. A new world awaits ya, ready to be explored."
The captain dried his tears and stood up.
"You know what, you're right Applejack. I may have left my old life behind, but now I get a new one. If this isn't a chance from God himself, I don't know what is."
He started to walk to the door, only to be stopped by Macintosh.
"Now ah know what mah sister said an' all, but we got lots o' work that needs done. Such as movin' that boulder, or gettin' them crates picked up. So all that explorin' stuff is gonna have to wait until later."
Jake could only smile.
"Very well, lets get to work."