Chapter 82 - Home on the Range
Whilst a part of me was glad that Discord was back to being himself, another part of me deeply regretted it. Namely, the part that was aware of all the work I’d have to do again insofar as checking the fence line was concerned. It was getting on for five o’clock when he dropped me back at the farmhouse anyway. Even on the longest day, there was no way I’d finish before nightfall. Applejack then suggested that it might be a good idea to camp out. Judging by the way she was looking at me, she meant just the two of us.
Now, the idea of just me and Applejack, alone in the orchards, well away from anypony else, I’ll admit was appealing. I was even about to say yes, regardless of what else might happen, when Apple Bloom came charging in, her two friends in tow. With school out for this short holiday, she’d taken the opportunity to go out crusading with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.
“Hey, a camp out!” she said excitedly. “Can we come, Bones? Huh? Can we? Can we? Can we?” The three fillies stood in front of Applejack and I and gave the two of us their best innocent faces. Try as we might, there was no resisting it. Thus, any hopes of a little getaway with AJ went up in smoke. Still, given my own attitude toward certain issues, and what AJ was hinting at, that may have been for the best. I’m still not sure how I’m going to broach that topic with her, when it invariably comes up.
“Alright, you three. Ah s’pose ya can come along. Applejack and Ah’ll keep an eye on ya. Just make sure your folks are okay with it, you two.” The latter part of that was addressed to Sweetie and Scoots. With that, the Cutie Mark Crusaders hurried off again to bother their respective guardians. I turned to Applejack.
“Well, Ah reckon this ought to be fun,” I said as we headed upstairs to pack. “Been a while since Ah went campin’ anyway.” Applejack nodded.
“Ah just hope those fillies behave themselves this time,” she replied. “Celestia knows they get into all sorts of trouble.” Leaning in, I nuzzled her reassuringly.
“We’ll be in the orchards, not the Everfree Forest, ‘Jack,” I answered. “We’ll head out as far as we can today, then get a fire goin’ and pitch the tents for the night. We ought to get back early tomorrow. ‘Sides, those fillies can look after themselves. Little AB is growin’ up faster than ya think.”
Balancing on our hind legs, the two of us carefully eased down the rolled up tents we had available from their spot on top of one of the cupboards in the hall. It turned out that we weren’t careful enough though, as the weight ended up overbalancing us and we both tumbled back onto the floor, the tents falling on top of us.
“Ow, ponyfeathers,” I complained. Pushing the stuff off, I quickly examined the tents we had. Annoyingly, when the two of us fell back, one of the poles that kept the tent upright went clean through one of them, splitting the material open from top to bottom.
“Dammit,” I muttered under my breath as I examined the damage. I’d have to pay Big Mac back, or at the very least sew it back up when we got back. “Right, we’ve only got two tents Ah guess.” We were supposed to each have a tent, with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo bringing their own. But now, we’d only have four tents. Turning to Applejack, I saw she had something of a sly grin on her face.
“Well, Sugarcube. Ah guess some of us are just gonna have to share.” Every cloud has a silver lining, I suppose.
And so, leaving Big Mac in charge of the house, Applejack, Apple Bloom, and I set off, loaded up with supplies, on our little journey. Spotting us heading off, a happily yapping Winona followed us. It would be nice to do this sort of thing. My original trip had been getting quite dull after all. With AJ as well as the Crusaders along for the ride, this would be a far more enjoyable outing. I figured we do about a third of the work today, and the rest tomorrow, arriving back at the farmhouse in the middle part of the morning, around ten.
Each one of us had their saddlebags, loaded up with basic supplies, as I had done previously. But this time, in addition, we had the extra weight of the camping supplies. Each of us had a rolled up tent perched on our backs, except Applejack who had extra posts, wire, and other fence building paraphernalia, as well as a lamp each and a few tools to make firewood. As a unicorn, muggins would be serving as the matches.
Calling a farewell to Big Mac and Granny, we set off. Quite quickly, we were joined by Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. They’d also brought their fair share of camping supplies. Though luckily for Sweetie Belle, since Rarity was not with us, she wasn’t carrying quite so much. As for Scootaloo, she had somehow managed to get herself a sleeping bag with Rainbow’s cutie mark on it. Sometimes, I think that filly is more of a brony than I am, at least so far as RD is concerned.
With our little column all formed up I outlined the general plan for the day and tomorrow to the Crusaders.
“Alright, everypony. Now, just to be safe; everypony got everythin’ they need?” I asked. We all double checked our kit. Finding nothing amiss, they all nodded. I continued. “Alright, since it’s startin’ to get mighty late now anyways, we won’t be goin’ too far tonight. Ah reckon we’ll only be going four or five miles before we bed down for the night. Ah’m sure y’all can find us a nice spot to put the tents up.” The Crusaders nodded eagerly, whilst Winona barked in agreement, wagging her tail. They all definitely enjoyed this sort of thing, as did I. Camping was one of the many things I’d missed out on as a child.
Setting off, Applejack and I led the way, with both of us keeping an eye on the youngsters. The Crusaders meanwhile, followed up behind us, chattering amongst themselves and occasionally playing with their canine companion. By now it was getting on for early evening, the sun was beginning to set, but it still had several hours to go. Annoyingly, the first stage of our journey was in a westerly direction, so we’d have to put up with the setting sun in our faces. But hay, anything is better than Discord taking me to that infernal chaos dimension again.
Obviously, as we had started at the farmhouse, the first part of our journey was to actually reach the outer fences and begin to sweep around. Before we could start properly, we had to go down the main road which lead to the front gates and eventually out toward Ponyville. Only when we got there could we begin in earnest.
That path of course, was also the main route you took to get on and off the farm, so naturally, anypony heading up that way would run into you. Derpy of course came this way, as did other mail ponies when they delivered to the farm. And of course, you had your typical faire of visitors, mainly customers looking to purchase orders larger than what our market stall could handle. Why, just last week, we had some big shot from Los Pegasus down here looking to set up a supply contract for his new business. Anyway, I’m rambling; the point is, you would often meet people on this dirt path.
However, I was not expecting to see both my parents heading up the road towards us. Both had had the day off, owing to the celebration. Celestia did not hold court today, so my dad was not needed, and with school out, my mother also had a bit of free time. I wondered what it was that had brought them up here all of a sudden.
“Hey, Bones!” my dad called, still a fair ways up the path. Breaking away from Applejack and the others, I trotted out to meet them. Winona also bounded up to them, recognising them as friends.
“Hi Mom, hi Dad,” I replied. “What brings y’all out this way?” My mother rolled her eyes as she patted Winona on the head.
“Oh please,” she said, in a way Rarity would have been proud of. “Today is like Christmas, New Year’s and Easter all rolled into one for the ponies. We could hardly go through a holiday without checking in on you all. We’re on our way to see your sister next.” Looking at all the gear we were carrying my dad asked what we were up to.
“You all going on some sort of expedition or something?” he asked. By now, AJ and the Crusaders had caught up.
“Nope,” Applejack chimed in. “We’ve gotta check all the fences around the farm, make sure we don’t have any trouble with ponies stealin’ the crops and such like.” My father laughed a little to himself.
“Do you really need the whole ‘survivalist’ package to do that?” he enquired.
“Ah was doin’ it all myself earlier, but Ah ran into Discord,” I explained. “Speakin’ of, ya might want to go see him; seems like he’s gotten himself out of whatever funk he was in. The distance we’re gonna have to cover means it’ll be dark well before we’re done. So, AJ and Ah figured we’d camp out, and the Crusaders asked to come along.” The moment that last sentence left my mouth, I knew I’d said too much. My mother smiled in a way alarmingly similar to Celestia when she had a plan.
“Oh, I see. Planning a romantic little camp out and the kids caught wind, eh?” she said, grinning like a Cheshire cat. I rolled my eyes. Yes, AJ and I like each other. And yes, we are in a relationship. But we aren’t at that level quite yet. Personally though, I do quite like this slow burning relationship we have. Thinking quickly, I tried to think of a rational reason why I’d asked AJ to come along.
“No, I asked AJ along because it’s safer in a group. All sorts of thing prowl around the farm at night. It ain’t safe so far away from the farmhouse at night.” I looked to Applejack, who thankfully nodded in agreement. My father then stepped in.
“Oh, leave the lad be!” he said. “Last thing he wants is you poking your nose in his love life.” I could feel my face becoming slightly less red under my coat. He then turned back to me. “Well, we were only coming up to say hello anyway. How about we stick with you a little while? We’ll head back when it starts to drop dark.”
“Sure, y’all are welcome to. Just so long as ya don’t mind walkin’ a bit; there’s still a ways to go till we get to where we were thinkin’ of campin’ for the night,” I replied warmly.
With that, my parents joined our group, now eight in number, and we began to head into the orchards, following the fence line and the setting sun.
Continuing on, we made our way towards our campsite for the night. AJ and I had been relieved of the responsibility of keeping an eye on the Crusaders. With my mother, one of their teachers along for the ride, they were behaving themselves.
Their reaction was a little strange actually. As a child, I was always a little unsettled if I ever met a teacher outside of school. Perhaps it was the oddity of seeing them as ‘normal’ people rather than inhuman monsters who exist solely to give us homework on skills we’ll never use in the real world. Apple Bloom and the others though, were completely unfazed by my mother’s arrival, possibly because of the good rapport she has with them already. Since the little incident at school, things have calmed down again. I haven’t had to comfort a crying AB in a while.
As for my father, well, he was sticking more to himself than anypony else, though Winona every now and then walked with him, hoping for a bit of food. He’s always been a bit of a loner, that’s presumably where I get my own introverted tendencies from. Still, he was content to talk to us every now and again; he hasn’t really gotten to know Applejack too well, though I know they talk occasionally at the market. He’s closer with Celestia, and of course, Discord. It certainly must make a good icebreaker at parties, to say you are friends with both a princess and the physical incarnation of chaos.
He, of course, came and talked with me every now and again as we walked. I am his son after all. I did, of course, tell him about my earlier encounter with Discord, since he had been quite concerned about him. But I think he recognised the importance of my being with AJ and having time to talk with her. Besides, my dad, when he isn’t joking or messing with me, has always been quieter than most, and I think he was quite enjoying the beauty of his surroundings. As I have said many times, particularly at the sunrise and sunset, Sweet Apple Acres can look truly beautiful.
Applejack and I had, at that point, stopped talking too and were just enjoying the walk. We’d done what we usually did and just talk about random things really; the farm, AB, Granny’s cooking, the rodeo (Big Mac and I promised that we’d stay and look after the farm so she and AB can go south to Appleloosa for the next one; for some reason they all seem to be getting cancelled left, right, and centre). When we did finally set up camp, all we’d probably do is just sit together quietly and watch the sun go down.
Unfortunately, it was at that moment that we were interrupted by the sound of a speeding pegasus passing close overhead. Briefly ducking down in case it was Derpy flying low (her ‘dive for the deck’ flying style has caused more than one crash over the years), I looked up to see who it was. Much to my surprise, I saw Lizzie, flying about twenty feet up. After passing over us, she banked around, standing almost on her wingtip, before briefly stalling and then gliding down to land gracefully in front of us.
“Hello, Lizzie,” my mother called. “What are you doing out here? I’d have thought they’d have let you off from work by now.” Settling her wings along her back, my sister explained.
“Oh, Dash let me off from work a while ago. I just like to get a quick flight in before I go to bed, get the energy out of me. I usually come over this way so I don’t disturb any of the birds that roost around Fluttershy’s. What are you guys all doing out here anyway?” We all chipped in to explain everything, from my original mission, to AJ’s idea to camp out, to the Crusaders, and finally meeting up with my parents.
“Why don’t you tag along, sis?” I suggested. “Ya can still fly about and such, and Ah’m sure Mom and Dad would like to have some time to talk with ya.” My parents both nodded in agreement.
“Alright then, I suppose I can stay for a bit. But I’ll have to split when Mum and Dad do and get back to Fluttershy’s; I promised I’d help her put some food out for the foxes to keep them away from her chickens.” With that, she took to the skies again. This time though, she only flew about six feet off the ground. That way, she could keep flying, but also stick around and talk with my parents and everypony else.
So, the nine of us continued on. What had started as just me going to check the fence line had become a fairly large outing with both my own family, and the one that had taken me in. We ended up all pitching in to help out. Applejack and I were already working, but the Crusaders quickly got curious and sought to help out, on the off chance they got their cutie marks, of course. With the kids busying themselves, my parents both stuck together for a while, before they too asked if there was anything they could do, this was quickly followed up by Lizzie, who didn’t want to be the only one not doing anything.
We ended up with a sizable workforce then. AJ and I checked the fences, the Crusaders checked any wire we came across since it was closer to their level, my parents, on the occasion we found a post coming loose, helped to get it back in place, and Lizzie using her superior speed, scouted ahead and took a look a little further inside the farm. All in all, we got quite a lot of work done.
After another hour or so, it was getting near the time to make camp for the night. My parents and Lizzie decided to stay until ten and then work their way home. For Lizzie, it would only be a short flight back to Fluttershy’s and in the air there was nothing to harm her. As for my parents, they would follow our path back to the main road and head home. Given that we were on the side of the farm facing town, there was no real risk of them running into any nocturnal creatures out on the prowl. Still, I reminded them to be doubly careful and to stick to the tracks. Whilst I greatly enjoy the night, you still have to be careful; plus they didn’t know the farm as well as I did, it can be quite easy to get lost, even with a full moon to light the way.
With the sun already beginning to dip below the horizon, we headed a little ways inside the farm and eventually set up camp in a small hollow. We were safely surrounded by the apple trees, and the small stream that the beavers fished in, which eventually led to the lake and the spot where AJ and I had first kissed, would provide us with extra water if we needed it.
Taking off our saddlebags we began to organise everything. I had the tent Applejack and I would be sharing. Luckily, compared to the modern ‘outdoor pursuits’ type tents I had had the displeasure of occasionally trying to put up, this one was quite simple. Like most of the Apple’s possessions, it had a western theme. The tent we had was just a simple frame and a large length of fabric to cover it, the sort of thing they used to teach you to live in in the Scouts. I felt like I was camping out on the range, in a way I suppose I was. The fact that I was wearing a Stetson and had a length of rope on my saddlebag belt just added to it.
Apple Bloom and the others also quickly set up their own tents. Lizzie and Mom ended up helping Sweetie Belle a little bit, since she seemed determined to do the whole thing using her magic, which was only just beginning to come into play. Scootaloo had a much easier time of it, having had RD teach her. Apple Bloom managed just fine, with my father helping her a little. I was certainly glad he helped her hammer in the pegs, doing that with your mouth looked very unpleasant. As for AJ and I, we set our own tent up, which was a little larger than the ones the kids had. We wouldn’t be packed like sardines in there. Given the warm temperature, we weren’t using sleeping bags; we just put a blanket down on the ground and would then cover ourselves up with another.
With the four tents put up in a sort of ‘wagon wheel’ fashion, we then set up a small campfire, using what fallen branches were available and then my own magic to light it. And just like that, we had our little camp all set up. Apple Bloom had insisted that we keep with tradition and bring marshmallows. We of course, also had actual food, mainly beans and biscuits as well as a few other non-perishables. All that was missing was the bully beef.
So, sitting down to dinner, we all chatted amongst ourselves. It was actually quite nice; to have my own family mixing so well with the Apples, as well as the Crusaders. We’d all done stuff together at some point, but when you get to your early twenties, it becomes much harder to get everypony together as a family. Lizzie and I had both effectively moved out, we were both employed, as were my parents, so it wasn’t too often that all our schedules lined up like this.
It was a fairly basic meal of course. Beans and biscuits are a perfectly passable meal though. It was certainly better than those MREs I’d been forced to eat on that outdoor pursuits nonsense in high school. With the right seasoning, it was almost like being back at the house. Only my father wanted something more; apples. He and my mother had originally come up this way to pick up a few, in addition to saying hello. So, with Applejack’s permission, though she did warn us to be careful this far away from the house, he and I went out a little ways to find a ripened tree to take a couple of apples from.
Unfortunately, we were not the only ones out on the farm. As we were working our way through the orchards, we briefly spotted a couple of timberwolves, which were also hunting for food. They weren’t going to bother us, but my dad, not having met timberwolves that often, panicked.
The result was the two of us came tearing back into camp, with no apples, me having fired a fair few stun spells over my shoulder, and with my dad in near hysteria screeching ‘bucking timberwolf’ over and over. After we calmed him down, and perhaps laughing a little, AJ explained how timberwolves usually didn’t bother ponies, and also reminded him of her advice on going out in the dark. He was a little embarrassed but otherwise, we were both fine. The only thing my mother had to offer to the discussion, albeit rather jokingly, was a thousand yard stare, and the phrase ‘never get out of the boat’. On that front; absolutely goddamn right.
After dinner, there was still a little bit of time before my parents and Lizzie had to head off back to their own homes. Quite quickly, the Crusaders, particularly Sweetie Belle, insisted that we sing a few campfire songs. Our first move, obviously, was to prevent Sweetie Belle regaling us with another rousing round of ‘99 Buckets of Oats on the Wall’. We ended up going around the camp trying to think of a couple of songs everypony would know, or ones that were easy enough to pick up quickly.
My mother suggested ‘Goodbye, Dolly Gray’, since the chorus was fairly easy to pick up. After that, my Dad suggested one of the songs he’d heard at Celestia’s birthday celebration; a Griffon song ‘It’s a Long Way to Tippermarey’. After that, it was ‘Pack up Your Troubles’. Then, on my turn, I taught the Crusaders and AJ ‘Home on the Range’, a fairly appropriate little song. I followed that up with another chorus based one; ‘Riding a Raid’. Applejack then brought out the old favourite ‘Apples to the Core’. I have to say, it’s really convenient in Equestria; all you have to do is start singing and the unseen instruments begin.
A little while after the singing died down, and Applejack, the Crusaders, and I were preparing to turn in, and my own family were preparing to head off home, I broke off from the group for a while to do a spot of stargazing.
What can I say? Looking at the night sky, particularly on a clear and warm summer night like tonight, was something of a habit. A perfect end to a pretty damn well perfect day if you ask me. Whilst I was contemplating the heavens, Applejack walked over to join me, sitting down beside me.
“Well, your folks and Lizzie are ‘bout to head on back,” she announced as she settled herself down next to me. “They sure made tonight more fun than an Appleloosa rodeo.” I smiled as I looked at her in the growing moonlight.
“It sure has been nice, ‘Jack. It’s always nice to see ya havin’ a bit of fun. Even if we are s’posed to be workin’,” I replied, winking at her. That got a chuckle out of her.
“Ya know though, Bones. There was one song Ah was mighty surprised ya didn’t sing for us.” I raised a questioning eyebrow.
“Oh, what song was that then, AJ?” I asked. The look on her face turned sly, and perhaps a little flirty.
“What, you don’t remember?” My confused expression must have been answer enough, for she soon quietly begin to sing a familiar song.
“Don’t sit under the apple tree, with anyone else but me.” I smiled; I knew this old number.
“Anyone else but you,” I sang back.
“Anyone else but me.”
“Don’t sit under the apple tree, with anyone else but me.”
“Till you come marchin’ home.” And with that, the two of us kissed.
After the two of us ‘came up for air’ so to speak, I looked toward my family, who were all happily chatting and playing with the Crusaders. In another two months, we will have been in Equestria for a full year. It was a unanimous verdict amongst us that it had been longer. So much had happened. Lizzie, like me, had changed species, she’d moved out, gotten a job, and was possibly in the early stages of a relationship. My parents had both gotten back into work. My mother had found a job that both paid decently and which she greatly enjoyed. My father was now close friends with a princess and the physical embodiment of chaos, as well as possessing the greatest legal account in Equestria. And as for me, well, anypony can see how much I’ve changed. I wonder how I’d react if I met myself a year ago? It was just…nice, that’s what it was. To have both of my families together, so integrated, you would have thought that my family were just like any other Equestrians you’d meet. That was what this outing was, a meeting of my family and other Equestrians.
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that's an Apocalypse Now reference, isn't it?
this story is and will for ever hold a spot in my hart.
I was hoping for a little more romance between A J and Blade Star but it is not really needed I am sure Granny Smith will get over not having grate grand kids at some point in her life.
agene a exultant story..
Harts Fire
Discord has reasons to his madness, even when he doesnt, so he can have plausible deniability. Such as learning from Celestia.
6110080 Actually the whole scene is, except replace the timberwolf with a tiger, and mangos instead of apples. If I remember correctly, Chef goes into the jungle to look for some, runs into a tiger, and come tearing back to the boat and pretty much breaks down. Brilliant film, though the ending still baffles me.
And you wouldn't believe how hard it was to make that title drop work.
6110189 Glad you liked it. I'll post a blog next week after the epilogue is up explaining why I didn't take the story further, as well as a couple other things.
6110464 Discord is the great puppet master, always 20 steps ahead of everypony, with the exception of Celestia. Which is why my headcanon is that he 'betrayed' Equestria only to ensure that everything happened as it did. If he'd just picked up Tirek, who knows how long that box would have sat there. Plus, I refuse to believe a being that is thousands of years old would be that stupid. I say it was all one big act solely to open the box and get the new castle. Tirek just happened to be in the right place at the right time.
A missing have perhaps?
But, but...
it needs a sequel!
Plz?
I really enjoyed this, simply amazing
OMG, nuuuuuu!!!! I've been so used to checking back every Friday to read the new chapter, what will I do after next week??????
This so needs a sequel. It's amazing!
6110545
I will be looking forward to it.
6110740
6110692 I'm going to do a blog post on finishing the story explaining why I won't be doing a sequel for this. And don't despair. it may take a while, but I will be working on other stories on here, with a similar weekly publishing schedule.
6110546
Fixed.
6110853 k, thanks
6110853 YAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!
So... this is it then?
6110853 You could always use the "all my stories exist in the same universe" card. It opens up a world of possibilities that doesn't involve sequels.