//------------------------------//
// Earthbound 
// Story: One Colorful Mind 
// by Prince Solstice 
//------------------------------//

	I wasn't thinking straight, not really that unusual. Everything led to another, and somehow I ended up on the swing underneath a giant Oak tree. I wasn't swinging, I was just letting my feet dangle. Enjoying the cool summer night. Of course being accompanied by a pony. To my surprise it was Applejack. Not really sure what part of me she represents. Maybe hard work, probably why she hasn't shown up until now.

"Hey Sugarcube, why are ya out here all by your lonesome?" Her country accent thick as usual.

"Ah, just kind of living I guess, doing nothing but slowly swinging, well if you call this swinging." Applejack nodded her head, and suddenly she got a confused look on her face.

"You know it's the middle of the night right? Like, it's almost one o' clock honey."

I just kind of shrugged "Eh, nothing else to do but think." Applejack seemed to accept the answer as she sat in the grass next to me and stared up at the skies. Not a star in site, kind of the downside of living in a well lit up area. Being alone had it's benefits, at least then I could see stars.

"Ever get ta wonderin'... what it's like to be in space?" I was able to see a few stars, but I counted about three satellites as they slowly moved across the sky.

"Nope, I'm afraid of space, just too much of it. Although zero gravity might be cool."

She laughed "Yeah, I'm guess'n it's pretty fun to be up there." She still looked concerned about something, I couldn't help bu notice. I knew something was up, and I wasn't sure what it was. Maybe the vibe, maybe the way she looks, or maybe it was just me, expecting things to always be wrong with people.

"Hey A.J?"

"Eyeah?"

"Ya alright?"

She let out a sigh, and looked over at me. "Na, but sometimes it seems like it huh?" She then looked back up at the sky. "and I always get ta thinkin' that maybe out there somewhere, is someplace better to be, but then I have to come back to my mind, and get my head out of them stars." She kept looking in the sky. I hopped off the swing, giving a big stretch, about to say something else to A.J, only for her to disappear.

Unsure of what to make of the recent pony visit, I just shrugged it off as I walked around the Oak tree I had just sat in. Carved in the side, to my displeasure, was my name. I carved it there years ago, only for it to remain.