The Element of Concord

by Loyal Defender

Acre Sweet Acre

Upon regaining my senses, I felt a spike of pain shoot through my back. I gritted my teeth, trying to bear the pain. But it was so....*painful*. I soon regained my vision, and struggled to open my eyes. Everything looked so blurry, and distorted. I tried to focus harder, which helped with opening my eyes. Once my vision sharpened, the first thing I saw was...surprisingly, Applejack. I say surprisingly, because I couldn't have gotten a good look at her while lying on the ground. But if I was looking at her now...then I must not have been in the forest anymore.
Another thing that gave that away was the familiarity of the room I was in. Decorated with apple wallpaper, pictures of apples and Apple Family members....I was back at Sweet Apple Acres. But....how did I live...?

"Oh, thank heavens! He's alive!" An elderly voice commented. I looked over to see Granny Smith standing on one side of....a bed. I was in a bed. "We thought you were a goner for sure, seeing all those bruises on ya! Those plants really did a number on him, didn't they, Big Mac?"

"Eeeyup." Applejack chuckled and shook her head lightly.

"Found ya unconscious in a field of Poison Joke! Now how in the hay did that happen?"

"Well...I recieved a letter from Derpy in Sugarcube Corner, saying that Silver Spoon had been looking for a delicate flower--no idea what it was called--and went into the Everfree to look for it, possibly for an injured, or ill friend of hers.. Diamond was with me at the time, so it wasn't surprising that she didn't like the feeling or thought of Silver being lost in the forest. So, despite my efforts to keep her out of the Everfree...she suckered me into taking her with me. So, we went into the Everfree, trying to look for Silver, and that's when I came across the hundred-mile plain of Poison Joke.
It seemed like I was walking for hours. The next thing I know, I start going insane, thinking any direction was the way out, and then this blue gas spurts out from beneath the ground. I tried to rush to the other side, but I was knocked out. I managed to get Diamond to the other side, though, away from the Poison Joke. I can only hope she's okay, since I get the feeling she's still in there.
And I felt something beating the mess out of me as I just lay there...did...something happen?"

I looked down at myself to find bandages, gauze, and an ice pack on my arm, chest, and leg (the ice pack was on my leg). I must have taken quite a beating from within the Everfree.

"Well... there were some Plunderseed Vines in there when we found you... not sure what they were up to..."

"Oh, so THAT'S what was trying to crush me! How did I live, then? Did one of you actually bring me back?" I asked, looking down at my noticeable bruises.

"Actually, yeah, I did."

"Oh. Well, in any case, I owe you my life...considering I nearly lost it, heh." I said. "How long was I out?"

"No idea, actually. You were like that when we found you."

"You're lucky you're even talkin'! You seemed pretty beat up when Applejack retrieved ya." Granny said. I couldn't even have imagined what could have happened that had me completely bruised up.
"Well, seems like it'll take me a while to recover."

"Yeah, I'd say so. Might want to hold off on little adventures for now. If'n ya don't mind, I think my friends and I will take over lookin' for Silver Spoon for now. Helping resolve friendship issues is sorta our thing anyways... That a problem?"

"No, it's no problem. I'd had enough.....adventure for one day."
"Well, you won't have to worry! Iffen ya need anything, we're here." Granny replied, which filled me with reassurance, because hospitality was something I was glad existed. "We best let him rest. Come on, y'all, there's still some work to do before supper." With that, Granny, at a hilariously slow pace, began for te door.
Once the Apple family members left the room, I lay back on the well-fluffed pillow, and stared up at the ceiling. So, for now, I was going to remain here, until my injuries, or some of them, healed. Well, at least it felt more homey than a hospital itself.
I'll be honest with youI actually preferred Sweet Apple Acres for one other reason I never mentioned beforeIts soothing country-theme. I'd always loved the idea of a beautiful, mellowing area that was farm based, country-based, or even Western-based. Something about it was so soothing to think about...
So, as I started imagining how beautiful the Acres were thanks to its country-theme, I actually slowly fell asleep.

----

Granny peeked through the cracked door, finding Loyal's slumber rather adorable. Sometimes, the greatest heroes needed rest every now and then.
"He's sweeter than a freshly baked candy apple.." She commented. She had planned on making sure Loyal was well-rested, cared for, and, of course, hard-worked. She knew how he enjoyed working on the farm at times. She'd pair him up with the Apple family members, Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Big Mac, all so he could really experience how enjoyable working on the farm could really be. That, and she needed an extra hoof to help with the chores. But all of that would come after some of Loyal's injuries were healed, because she had a hunch he'd want to help with the chores, despite not actually being fully healed.

Granny headed back downstairs, and into the kitchen. She had an idea on how to actually help Loyal heal better. She turned to Big Mac, and gave him a small bucket. "Big Mac, could you do me a favor and go out to collect the Braeburn apples for me?"

Big Mac gave Granny a big smile. "Eeeyup," and he trotted out of the room.

At the same time, Granny got to work on supper. It wouldn't be done for at least another hour, but it was usually best to start ahead of time. She'd especially have to start early if she wanted to make Loyal a special food to help him. But she had plenty of time.

-------
I was having one of the best dreams I'd had in a while. I was in a meadow, lying in the sun, watching the clouds roll by. Starlight was with me, too. We were both happy and relaxed. Nothing was bothering us, nothing was wrong...everything was peaceful. Neither one of us said a word. We just lay there.
Everything was so tranquil, so nice...it was almost like this was how I imagined Equestria when I defeated a horrendous beast. It was great.
My dream was soon interrupted when I felt myself being shaken...

*outside the dream world*
Applejack gently shook Loyal, in attempt to wake him up for dinner.

"Hey, Loyal, wake up! It's time for supper!"

After struggling a bit, I woke up from my dream, and sat up, rubbing my eyes. I yawned a bit, and looked around the room. "Is it morning already..?"

Had time really went by that fast? I hadn't even noticed. Of course, it was probably because I fell asleep. But, if dinner was ready, I might as well just get up. I sat up, slid out of bed, and neatened the covers. I followed Applejack out of the room, into the hallway, down the stairs,and into the kitchen, where Big Mac and Applebloom were already sitting at the table. As I sat at a free spot at the table, I noticed Applebloom was looking at me...or, looking at my injuries. "She already knows, right?" I asked AJ.

"Yeah... I told her. No worries, she knows you're alright. Probably just wasn't expecting them to be as bad as they look."

"Well, I'm lucky the important, stronger limbs weren't heavily damaged...however that works."

Granny Smith came over to the table, and set down a bowl of a special kind of soup in front of everyone. "For a special occasion, I made my special apple stew." She said. "Made from the freshest Braeburn apples that were recently picked."
Granny got out a ladle and began pouring apple stew into each bowl. "I've heard that this stew gives whoever drinks it a bit of strength. I figured we could all use it after all the hard work from today."

"Yeah, today was... eventful..."

The soup was a lot better than I thought it'd be. I could almost feel myself being healed with each 'bite'. And this was only my first time trying apple soup. "I never knew apples could become so delectable." I commented.

"Well, we know lots of ways to cook with apples, sugarcube. They're our claim to fame, after all!"

"That couldn't be truer. Though, I beg to ask, have your products gone any farther than Ponyville?"

"Not technically, no. I tried sellin' some treats at the Grand Galloping Gala once but it didn't go so well."

"What happened?"'

Applejack chuckled. "Short version, nobody bought anything. Long version, that started stressing me out, and I started trying to contrive meetings to convince ponies to buy things but it didn't work."

"Let me guess, the foods weren't 'fancy' enough for them?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"Wow, and I thought apple cores couldn't get more rotten. That's why I enjoy the country live over the fancy life. It really ruins your preferences if you go the fancy way."

"Tell me about it. I tried bein' fancy once, and things felt SO backwards."

"Wait, really?! God, I....I cannot imagine you trying being fancy. Except you wearing a puffy dress. But that alone feels wrong."
"Wait....why did you try being fancy?"

"Let's go with more recently."

"Well, Rarity was being a country stereotype to try 'n get a guy to like her. I was tryin' to get her head back on straight."

"Euugh....that had to seem offensive, acting sterotypical."

"Aww it wasn't THAT bad. I mean, it was, but it was more about her doin' it to attract a guy and it not bein' who she is..."

"Oh his name was Trenderhoof. He was here to write an article on a festival we were having."

"And I get the feeling things worked out in kind of an ironic/unironic way for Rarity?" I asked, as I finished my soup. This was turning out to be quite a story.

"Well, that depends on whatcha mean by that."

"What happened between Rarity and Tender Hoof?"
"In the end, I mean."

"Well, they seemed to hit it off at the festival once Rarity was back to her usual self... but I don't think they've spoken much since then. Unless they're writing letters."

"Hmm. They most likely are, though I couldn't be sure. Still, at least he wasn't NOT into her style, right?"

"Yeah, that'd have been just... awful."

The tone in AJ's voice wasn't hard to figure out.

"...That's exactly what happened, ain't it?"

We had some good discussions during dinner, and surprisingly, Big Mac actually was a bit talkative. Surprising, I know. And we even arranged some plans,thanks to Granny Smith. When the sun touched the farmland, we'd start doing chores around the farm. And you had never heard me sound more excited, really.

AJ sounded a bit shocked by the fact I actually was hyped to do the hard, sweat-breaking chores.

"Are you sure you're up for that? You still look a bit beat up to me..."

""Pssh, sure I can take it! If Granny's soup really does help me get energy, then I'm willing to risk it! It's kinda like when you take a hit, AJ, and you keep on going! I'm gonna head to bed early to get some good sleep! I'll see y'all tomorrow early morning!" I said, as I headed up the stairs.
Applejack watched Loyal head up the stairs before giving a shrug and heading up after him. "Well, if that's what you're thinkin', then alright, but try to sleep well tonight, alright?"

"Sounds good!"
Once I headed back into my room, I was actually feeling pretty good. Either it was Granny's soup, or I was really starting to feel at home here. Just like old times. I climbed into the bed, and didn't even bother climbing under the covers. I'd want to avoid wasting a single second during the schedule to fix a comforter. It didn't take long for me to fall asleep, either. I couldn't wait to get to work.

--------
Meanwhile, a certain pink Unicorn standing outside watched as the light in Loyal's room was turned off. She had planned to see if Loyal was really ready to take their friendship beyond friendship...to become true companions. Starlight silently smiled. She knew they would become closer than ever before if he worked hard and proved his worth. She just knew that things would work out perfectly.
*Soon*, she thought. *Very soon...*

--------

As the rooster let out a blaring *COCKA-DOODLE-DOO*, I was up the second I heard it. I slid out of bed, still in my day clothes, and approached the door. Just as I opened it, AJ was standing at the doorway. "Oh, good morning, AJ! Surprised to see me up earlier than you'd expected?" I said. Hey, I wasn't wasting a MILLISECOND letting my OCD take control of a bed. I would just sleep on it to save time. If there was a schedule, I'd wanna follow it. If there wasn't...I'd still follow it.

"Well... maybe just a little bit...."

"Well, knowing you, we've got a schedule toasty on, and I'm not going to mess that up. So, I slept ON the bed,instead of in it to save time!"

"Alright! I'll meetcha downstairs!" I said, and headed down the hall and down the stairs. "Oh, are the others up yet?" I said, as began down the stairs.

"Nah, the others aren't up yet, but I was gonna get them up! Head on down, breakfast is already set so feel free to dig in!"

I headed downstairs and into the kitchen to find fried apple tarts set on the tables for everypony. I sat down in my seat from last night, and began eating. I didn't care if every food was apple, it was Apple to me. And I appreciated that.

It took only about 30 seconds for AB to be the first one downstairs (because sisters, I guess). I swallowed my bite of tart and greeted, 'Morning, Apple Bloom!"

"G'mornin, Loyal! You look like you slept well. That's good to know."

"I did! I slept on the bed instead of in it to remain on schedule! As odd as it sounds, there's two good reasons for itOne, my OCD would have slowed me down, and two, best to stay on schedule without any....delays. I'm sure your sister's very persistent when it comes to planning."

"So, how'd you sleep?"

"Oh, pretty good! I have slept better, but I've slept worse, too."

"Honestly, I must have sounded crazy last night to be hyped for chores, especially with my previous state I was in....but I assume you've seen that kind of crazy before?"

"Well, I can't say I've ever 'xactly seen anyone excited for chores..."

"Well, here's the thing." I said, biting into my tart. "When I'm willing to spend time with what I could consider family..." I quickly swallowed my bite. Yeah, I ate damn fast sometimes...

"I'l willing to be excited for whatever opportunity comes up. Even if it would have seemed prvously boring, hard, or just plain. But I do have ways of spicing things up. Believe me, if Applejack gave me an applebucking task, theoretically, I'd find some interesting way to pull it off. Y'know what I'm sayin'?"

"Come to think....how do you and your sister do chores effectively, besides hard work?"

"Oh, we make games out of it sometimes! It's actually pretty effective, and it helps us stay close with one another!"

"Well, we... Sometimes, when we're cleaning up fallen apples, I'll run around with the basket on my head, and AJ will launch the apples into the air. I gotta catch 'em after that!"

"Well, we... Sometimes, when we're cleaning up fallen apples, I'll run around with the basket on my head, and AJ will launch the apples into the air. I gotta catch 'em after that!"

"Hmm! If I'm lucky, I might see you and AJ doing that! What else do you do?"

"Well, sometimes when we're crushing grapes for grape juice, we wrestle in the juice vat. Does a good job of crushing more grapes than just our hooves could!"

"Hmm! Sounds like you all really DO work hard on this farm! See, that's what I like about places like this! Everypony pitches into hard work! That's the style I like! Aside from the country-theme, of course. Which reminds me, if I DO end up being found unconscious aroudn the place again, that's just because the soothing nature of the theme knocks me right out."

It wasn't much longer until Granny Smith, Big Mac, and Applejack all came back downstairs.
"Well, good morning to the rest of y'all!" I said cheerfully.
"Good to see you, too!" Granny Smith responded, slowly making her way down the stairs.

"I assume the rest of you had a good night's sleep?"

"Sure as sugar did! It's hard not to sleep well around here, after all!"

"Eeeyup!" Big Mac gave a big smile as he responded.

"OH, believe me, whenever I feel settled in, you'll...probably see me proving that point. Country-theme really does knock me out if it's relaxing enough. It's like I told Applebloom, if you see me lying on the ground, out cold, don't freak out, it's a normal reaction. Though I try....NOT to fall back asleep from the soothing natures. But I digress." Honestly, I wasn't joking, either. If you've ever seen someone pass out on a couch after taking a hot shower, or soaking in a hot tub, because it really relaxes them....
that's what happens with me.

As we (well, THEY) began eating, I felt really excited to be contributing to this family's work. "I have to say, this is one of those times I really can appreciate hard work. The act of spending hours upon hours of putting your back into dirty, hard-laboring work just fills me with delight! This is the kind of stuff I'm usually willing to do if it means it helps others directly or indirectly!
That did sound more honest than sarcastic, right, because I wasn't being sarcastic?"

Applejack gave a chuckle. "Nah, I can tell you're being honest. Honesty's my specialty, after all!" The farm horse had a tone of reassurance in her voice, to imply that she knew Loyal knew better. And he sure as hay was showing it.

"Oh, okay. Well, good thing for that, then!" I replied, as I took a delicate sip from the bottle of cider set on my side. I know I'd said it plenty of times, but I really liked this family. If I wanted to become stronger by working hard for an hour or two, this was the place to go. This was my kind of place. "So, if I may ask, what's planned for today?"

"Well, up first is plowing the fields and planting crops in 'em. Gets some of the heaviest work out of the way before anything else. That's after feeding the animals breakfast, 'course."

"Sounds like a plan!" I said, taking another sip of my cider. Nothing got the morning started better than feeding animals and planting crops. "So, who'll be paired with who when we start?
Figured I'd ask ahead of time if you'd thought of it, so we're ready."

"Well, that's gonna depend. Who do you WANT to work with?"

I looked at each of the three ponies, and thought about it. "Hmm...I'll start off with Apple Bloom, then, depending, work on the field with Big Mac. Sound good?"

"Sounds great to me, too!"

"Alright, good deal!" I replied, finishing off my cider. Sometimes, I wondered how I managed to finish food faster than I could process it. And by process, I mean savor it. "And don't worry, you'll be glad to hear, I'm feeling a lot better after last night!"

"Well that's good to hear! Still, you think you should be workin' that hard?"

"Well.....yes and no. You're talkin' to the hard-working, 'ain't-afraid-to-get-my-hands-dirty' side of me right now! It's the part of me that's just eager to work, put some muscle into it, and dedicate myself to working hard around this place! And a part of me tries to tell me, 'no, you should really lie down and rest'. But if I take a hit, I keep on going! I'm like Achilles!"

"What's an achilles?" Apple Bloom asked, her face twisted with confusion. She'd never heard of this word before, but it sounded big in some way.

"Well...this is something that's far in your school future, but...Achilles was a Roman god in Greek Mythology. Legend says he was completely immortal, because as a baby, he was dipped into a magical immortality river, known as the River Styx. His mother wanted Achilles to be immortal like she was. The thing was, though, Achilles' heel never touched the water, and she didn't notice. So the heel was the only vulnerable part on his body. So, as you could guess, when Achilles fought in wars, no matter HOW many arrows struck his body, away from the heel, he never got hit or hurt. Eventually, though, one poison-tipped arrow flew, it struck his heel, which, uhh...let's say permanently defeated Achilles. In fact, the story had a phrase, called an 'Achilles' heel', which means it's a small weakness that can cause a big disadvantage, even trouble, for some ponies. So, basically, he was invincible, all except in his heel."

"...Huh. That's... interesting."

"God...I-I feel like how Sweetie Belle did last year when she, with detail, informed me about what a butterfly effect was..."
"Speaking of which, I guess I never got around to asking this...how are you, her and Scootaloo doing with your CMC progress?"

"Oh, we're doing pretty good! Thanks for checkin' in!"

"Well, I figured it never hurt to ask! I can imagine you're becoming a huge help around town, hearing as how you three helped other ponies find really good talents with their cutie marks. I have to say, I'm really proud of you all for how far you've come. It's almost like seeing how far I'd come by doing something I was best known for."
"Come to think...how DID you get your marks?" I said, kind of directing the question at mostly everypony around the table.

"Oh, THAT'S a good story. At least, I think so... See, it was the week of elections for Student Pony President at school, and we were helpin' Pipsqueak out as his campaign managers. Turns out we were REALLY good at that, 'cuz we completely turned the election around - EVERYONE voted for Pip except for Diamond Tiara. Thing is, that meant Diamond didn't even get her best friend's vote, so we went to check on her to make sure she was okay. It's... a little complicated, but we found out she had trouble at home and we reached out to her, only for problems to rise up with Pipsqueak as Student Pony President. We tried our best to get Diamond to see that she didn't have to act the way she did to get our attention and friendship, and she made a change for the better, which made us realize we're good at helping others find the meaning of their Cutie Marks. Or, y'know, flat out FIND their Cutie Marks."

"So, you not only 'won' the Election, you helped the school, reached out to Diamond, helping her, and above all else, got your Cutie Marks. I'll bet it was a glorious moment, wasn't it?"

"Oh, it really WAS quite a moment!"

"So if it weren't for you, the Diamond I'd have met would likely still have been a sour grape, and possibly ignored me. But because you helped her realize something about herself, and maybe about others, she turned out to be a sweet apple. No pun intended." I said, adding a small chuckle.
"Actually, yes, pun entirely intended."

"Pretty much, yeah!" Apple Bloom responded.

"Well, I'm sure that'll be a special moments in all of OUR hearts." I said, and turned to AJ. "Now you've told me many a tale, but I've yet to hear about how you got your Cutie Mark. And I already get the feeling it was about as heartwarming as Apple Bloom's moment. Or, more specifically, the Crusaders' moment."
"Would you mind telling how it happened?" I asked, eager to hear another story. I was especially eager to know how Applejack got so into apples. She could even easily inspire ME to get into them.

"Well.... It was a long time ago, around when I was Apple Bloom's age. See, I had big dreams for myself since I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life yet. So I decided I was gonna go off to Manehattan and live with my Aunt and Uncle Orange. Thing is, once I was out there, it sure didn't feel an awful lot like home. Sure, Aunt and Uncle Orange were really good to me, but I just felt lost out there.... Well, the next mornin', I saw this BEAUTIFUL rainbow arcing across the sky - right towards Sweet Apple Acres! When I saw that rainbow, it was like this farm was callin' me home, so I came running back as fast as I could - and that's when I knew I'd be runnin' this farm well into my days, right alongside the rest of my family."

"Wow! I never knew Mother Nature could be such a helpful guide back then! The only thing that tugs at me is....WHAT caused the rainbow to just streak towards Sweet Apple Acres? I'd seen plenty of rainbows, but none streaked on their own." "Wow! I never knew Mother Nature could be such a helpful guide back then! The only thing that tugs at me is....WHAT caused the rainbow to just streak towards Sweet Apple Acres? I'd seen plenty of rainbows, but none streaked on their own."
Yes, I was going to admit it right here and now. I was the kind of person to really observe even BACKSTORIES, trying to figure out what might have happened. Well, that led me to the question I had to know the answer toWHAT caused the rainbow to streak towards the farm?

"A Sonic what?" A Sonic.....Rainboom...it didn't take a genius to figure out it was a sonic boom....but how could there have been a rainbowfied alternate to a sonic BOOM?

Applejack let out a chuckle. "Oh, that's an easy one - A Sonic Rainboom, courtesy of one Rainbow Dash!"

"Well, I think Pinkie Pie explained it best... Now how did she describe it again....?" Applejack tapped her hoof to her snout in thought.

"I'd guess she'd hyperactively mention how fast Rainbow went..?"

"I think she said.... when a Pegasus like Rainbow Dash goes fast enough to break the sound barrier... it creates an explosion of color the likes of which few ponies have ever seen. Something along those lines anyways."

"A Sonic...Rainboom. That's actually one of the coolest phenomenons I'd heard of. I mean, of course, Rainbow'd have to go BLAZING fast to break the sound barrier, but I never imagined she'd add a beautiful colorful effect to it. I'd have to ask her about that one." I said, getting up at the same time, and carrying my glass and plate over to the sink. "But that'll have to wait until after our chores!"
After AJ and the others had put their dishes up, we headed outside. "This is gonna be great!" I said. "I can finally contribute to hard work!"
"So, if I'm going to be handling the animals first, anything specific I need to know about any of them?" I asked, already spotting the small barn-like structure for the farm animals.

"Ah, it's not that hard. Just gotta be gentle with 'em and try not to startle 'em. They're pretty docile if you follow those guidelines."

As I grabbed the container of feed that was perched up against the wall, I could feel the delight rising up inside me. I know, it might seem crazy that I was enjoying the hard work I was going to be doing, but you only get so many opportunities in life to enjoy the little things and the big things. And I was enjoying the big things. I turned around and started heading towards the pen. One small start to a big job.

Granny Smith stepped outside, holding a hoof over her forehead to block out the glowing, golden-orange sun. She was looking in the direction of the pen Loyal was headed to. Her face shifted into an expression of uttermost concern. She knew something that boy did not. "Ehh, Applejack...don't you think we should have *warned* him about, uh..."

"Warned him about...? ...Oh boy...."

I approached the pen, admiring its well-built structure, it's cute little pink-red hued paint job, and the sounds of snorts, clucking, and occasional rooster crowing sounds, all flowing from inside the little building. I poured the bucket towards the ground, letting some of the feed spill onto the ground, for the chickens. I walked up to a trough and poured the bucket on its side, letting the rest of the feed fill up some of the trough, then proceeding to fill up the other half. Not long after that, a small, powder-pink pig ambled out of the building, letting out little squeals and oinks, clearly happy to be fed. A few more pigs filed out after that, all in a hurry, nearly trampling the pig. I scooped it up ot of harm's way, and bent down near a trough, letting it eat away. It let out tiny snorts of glee, as it chowed down on the feed, sending pieces of it flying every which way. It was rather adorable.

The chickens were the next ones to leave the building, gathering around the feed on the ground, pecking frantically. I couldn't help but laugh at the scene. "Easy, easy now, there's plenty of feed for everypony! Slow down, haha!"

And not too far away, a familiar pink Unicorn sat behind a tree, watching over the boy. She smiled and chuckled to herself. Sometimes he really did have a way with animals. But they seemed to respect him. He was almost like Fluttershy. That was one quality she liked to see in somepony like him. So far he was doing pretty good.

Granny and AJ started pushing the plows out from inside the barn. They were already preparing to sow the fields and plant seeds. Granny glanced over at the pen, seeing Loyal enjoy himself. "Do you think he'll be all right, sugarcube?" She asked her granddaughter.
"Do you think he'll be able to handle....her?" Granny was worried. Henrietta was no nice chick, nor was she a chick in any way. She was aggressive, vicious...and nightmare fuel towards Apple Bloom.

"Well.... I'm sure he'll be fine.... After all this is Loyal we're talking about... right?"

"I guess so...but it's not any evil plants he's dealing with....it's a lot worse..." Granny replied.
If AJ knew anything about situations like this, it was that two things would be able to make it a lot less worseA lasso, and a bit of strategy. But if Loyal was able to handle Henrietta, then that'd be somethin' else.

Some of the animals had crowded around me, eating out of the seed I had managed to save for feeding the animals by hand (or by hoof, if you will). It was nice feeling like you were one with the country life. The chickens were clucking wildly, the pigs were letting out cheerful snorts, and the runt had actually taken a liking to me. If a mess of feed landed on my clothing, it'd just lick it off. God, it was such a sweet little pig. It kind of reminded me of Charlotte's web, when Fern Arable was taking care of Wilbur the pig, rolling him in a stroller, feeding him milk from a baby bottle, and just raising him. It was so sweet.

The tender moment was interrupted when a loud, scratchy cluck rang out from inside the building. The animals fell silent, and turned towards the small building. In the shadows was one last chicken, but it seemed taller and its feathers seemed more ruffled. "Hey, don't worry, I got plenty of feed for ya! Why don't you come.....on...." I stopped there, as the chicken stepped into the light.
Its feathered were scattered every which way, its beak and legs were a little bit dirty and bruised, and....it was missing its right wing, and its left eye was half scarred.

"Holy Celestia.."

------

Granny gasped a bit when she caught a good glimpse of Henrietta. "There she is, Applejack! Should we do something?"

"Err, I'm gonna say yeah."

The animals had scattered and tried frantically to head back into the building, but they were blocking each others' way. The beat-up chicken was standing about two feet away from me, an evil look in its eye. I dropped the bucket of feed, and slowly hugged the fence, while keeping eye contact on the chicken. If I could unlock the gate, I could get out. But I couldn't feel the lock. The chicken started drawing near, letting out a low, guttural cluck.

'*Crudcrudcrudcrudcrudcrudcrudcrud.*' was my only thought, as I fumbled to try and feel the lock. But I couldn't find it. And I didn't DARE turn around. Not even for a second. That chicken was planning on ambushing me. This was worse than the time I'd been startled half to death by a chicken flying crazily out of a coop. I hadn't trusted most chickens since then. 'Ohhh, godohgodohgodohgodohgod...''

I didn't know why, but this chicken was freaking me the *hell* out. What did it want with me to be looking at me in such a manner?!

"If there were any perfect time for somepony to help me, it would definitely be now." I said, praying for a miracle. For Applejack or somepony to notice, for SOMEPONY to get me away from this crazy combed clucking creep.

The chicken drew closer. If I had SOMETHING to swat it away or push it away with, I'd be fine. But I only had a bucket, and that was NOT gonna help me whatsoever.

I just kept trying to fumble with the lock, wherever the heck it was! The chicken stepped even closer, seemingly knowing I was trapped. "Oh, Celestia, this is not what I had in mind when I wanted to do chores!" I exclaimed. I kept trying to feel for the lock, when suddenly, the gate swung backward, and I tumbled backwards as well. When I got up, I quickly grabbed the gate and practically slammed it shut, with a loud *K-KLUNK*! I quickly slid the latch onto the gate lock. I sighed in relief.

"Oh, my Celestia!" I said, bursting out with a bit of laughter. "Oh, that was close. *THAT*....was close." I turned to see AJ, who was standing next to the gate. "Oh, thank goodness, you saved me in time!" I said, embracing her. "Oh, thank the lord for miracles!"

"That was so damn *TERRIFYING!* I had no clue you had an old, crotchety, intimidating chicken!" I said, looking back at the pen. The chicken growled, and strutted back into the building.

"R-Right, Henrietta completely slipped my mind... She's a real terror to deal with, and Apple Bloom still has nightmares about her first encounter with her...."

"I'll bet! And here I thought it'd be Charlotte's Web all over again! I was becoming one with nature. I dunno if you saw. But it was glorious. But...Ugh....that was....that was scary. But I'm glad I haven't been pecked to death. Now, if I may ask...what should I do now? I'm just...indecisive at this point. Anything safer or whatever is fine..."

"You sure you wanna keep workin' after that? We let Apple Bloom take the rest of the day off from chores after her first run-in with Henrietta, but if you're sure you wanna keep goin'..."

I thought about it for a moment, trying to think of points. I wanted to be dedicated, and one little chicken wasn't gonna ruin that for me. One part of me didn't want anymore frights, but the other part of me said, 'We'll keep going.'

'I'll keep going. I'm not stopping now. I want to be dedicated to my goal, and to work."

"I'm not gonna let Henrietta ruin my goal for me, and I'm especially not gonna quit after one mishap. If I have to suffer consequences of unknowingly wrong choices, so be it." I said. "Heh, I think I'm starting to get your stubborn-like trait! The country really DOES grow on you!"

"Alright! That's an attitude I can respect. Anyways, if you're up for more work, then we're about ready to start plowin' the fields."

"Sounds good! And a lot better than what just happened."
"So, how do we get started?"

"Right then. C'mon, over here." Applejack lead Loyal over towards the field that was to be plowed.

"I imagine strength will be needed in this job?" I asked, patting my muscles with pride. "I'm just guessing, of course. But I feel it's a good guess." If I were paired with Big Mac, I'd have no worries. He could probably break a tree with his bare hooves, so anything that came our way to disturb us...bad idea.

"Not so much strength as endurance."

"Well, how heavy are they?" I asked, seeing the size of the devices. I would imagine they WERE heavy, but HOW heavy was the question.

"They can be heavy. Earth Ponies are naturally predisposed to strength though, so it's a bit easier for us."

"Pshh. With adrenaline on my side, I might get an advantage."
"I'm not gonna try to get too cocky, of course. But I feel positive."

"That's the spirit! Now then, you and Big Mac are up for this then."

"Alright! You'll be able to see how two men can get a job done!" I said. Sounding tough? No problem? Being tough? No prob. Proving I was super tough? That'd be a challenge.

Applejack gave a chuckle. "Just don't strain yourself. I know what it's like to run yourself ragged - darn near harvested EVERY apple tree on the farm by myself one year! Stubborn as a mule indeed, but I learned the value of asking for help that week..."

"You bucked almost every tree...?"
"What was going on in your head then?! Haha!"

"I... wasn't hearing things properly, let's leave it at that."

"Well, lesson learned, if that's the point." I said.
I positioned myself toward the field, and gave a mighty pull. The plow lurched forward a bit, knocking me a bit off balance, which I quickly regained.
"It'll be really embarrassing if I get owned by a PLOW on a field like this. I'm not that pathetic, haha. And I'm not gonna disprove that." Another pull, and another lurch, and it was onto the field.

As I gave another mighty pull, the plow didn't move as much. Dirt was creation five times more friction now. This was going to be *TOUGH*. But I pulled again, and again. I was slowly making progress. And so was Big Mac. In fact, he pulled it without as much effort. "Must be nice to be bulky.." I commented.

"Ah, don't sweat it, sugarcube. Big Mac's used to this kinda work by now. Plus it helps that these plows are made to be pulled moving forward, like he is."

"Yeap! Can't imagine plows made to work BACKWARD. That'd be all kinds of messed up."
I correctly positioned myself and took a deep breath. "Muscles...don't fail me now.." I started pulling with all my might, and I could feel myself going. If these seeds were to be planted, they had to be planted on schedule. And I was all. About. Schedule. After a short while, I kind of got used to the pattern, and I was making progress. And nothing would slow me down.

-------
He still hadn't stopped working? Loyal was a lot more persistent than Starlight had imagined. He was willing, he was strong....and stubborn. But she liked that in somepony so heroic. But it wasn't his strength that impressed her. It was the fact that it was as if he never ran out of energy. He just kept going and going, never stopping.....almost like Pinkie Pie, but not completely. But soon, he'd find out that all that work had been worth it, when she gained the courage to tell him the truth. She'd been avoiding ponies for the past 36 hours, because she was worried if she told anypony what was wrong, they'd tell HIM. And she wouldn't risk that..

Not ever.

----------

"You know, this is pretty enjoyable, if I'm honest! It's almost like an iron-lifting class in a gym! Except it's more realistic, and has more difficulty!"

It had been a full half hour, but we were spending it well. We had made it across half the field, but I got so into it, I didn't know if the entire field WAS needed. Maybe it was, maybe it was not. But Loyal wouldn't stop till he was told to. "You know....I got a bit of an idea from this! When we finish all of our chores, of course, maybe I could test my strength against YOU, Applejack! Who knows? We might see who's stronger! Though I think I know who would be, of course. Considering the territory. But we might find out if I'm lucky.

Applejack let out a chuckle. "Maybe, maybe. We'll have to see!"

As I pushed along the field, I felt so good. "If this is the closest I'd get to exercise, then I love it! It feels great to reaaaally work my body, legs, AND arms all at once. And it only takes a chore and a plow! Who knew?" I was feeling it. The adrenaline. It was pumping through my blood at high speeds, at high efficiency. "Things like this usually lead to collapsing or passing out, but I can see that happening, what with how crazy determined I was to dedicate. And I say it was all worth it! Especially if it's a form of bonding with y'all!"

"Now now, don't push yourself do exhaustion, there! That's no fun, and we don't want to have to make sure you'll be okay again, do we?"

"Honestly, no. And.....er.....actually, you've pegged me there pret-ty good. I don't see any other reason beyond that. I guess I *should* take it easier. But now you've seen that I do get excited when I'm finally bonding and having a lot of fun doing the things I'm willing to do." I said, deciding chilling out a bit was actually a good idea. "Heh, that has to be the first time I'd nearly pushed myself beyond my limit. You're right, it's best that doesn't happen."
I could see that we were nearing the end of our chore, as only about 10 feet away, was the end of the field. 10 feet was a lot for a slow moving chore. But it was pretty fun. I got to spend a lot of time close with the Apple family, and that's what counted. I loved this family, just like they felt the same way to me. Mostly because I always felt so happy to be around a family who was hard-working, country-styled, and above all else, fun.
"Almost there!" I exclaimed. "And such a workout! I'd have to try this again sometime! Depending on when a field needs plowing. Admittedly, it is a bit crazy for me to admit that, but it doesn't matter, because I'm just.....I'm just really happy to be able to have fun being around here. You all easily make things more enjoyable and beautiful when they're done together instead of alone. I'm assuming it's not the first time you'd proven that?"

"Oh, not by a longshot! Things are worlds easier when you've got friends and family by your side to give you a helping hoof!"

"I guessed as much. And something about that would probably make it a lot easier to see why Sweet Apple Acres is my kind of place. It's really nice being around here, because of how lively everything looks and how lively they happen. It really does contrast from all the action I end up facing alone. Working and playing with family is just so much more fun than trying to fight off enchanted plants and battling evil knife-wielding dummies - long story." And I didn't realize it, but not only was the amount of stuff I was gonna say make time fly faster for us to finish our chore, but it was about to mean a ***LOT*** to AJ, and though it was hard to tell, Big Mac, as well.

"This place...all of you...all of it reminds me of how my home used to be - really nice and relaxing. There would be creaky swings, squeaky doors and stairs to trek across. You all really do remind me of my old family. Big Mac reminds me of my stepfather, as he was big, strong, stern, and could really work on a lot of things to make art out of them...well, I think that last one is just my stepfather, but it's a close tie. And AJ...you remind me of either my mom or my sisters...sweet and caring, and other times, strong and lively, having a sense of family, fun, and adventure. My sister wasn't afraid to do plenty of things, and honestly, neither are you. Apple Bloom reminds me of....well, considering it was usually me and my slightly older sister, she reminds me of myself. Sweet, bold, energetic, and usually learns from things, being it mistakes, stories, or even myself. She knows what the right choice would be, and understands how hard it would be. And Granny....she reminds me of my own granny - a good sense of humor, wise, and even likes to just relax around the house, doing things she'd find joy in. It's almost like I'm back with my real family. But ALMOST. But it's a beautiful thing to realize, because it's not just the family that makes me feel at home....it's the fact that I don't feel as alone, because I know I feel at home in a place like this."
By the time I finished ranting, we had made it across the field. "Good God almighty. I had never ranted like that before, but I just felt it all pour out. I feel a lot better, too, because I'd been meaning to tell most ofyou how I'd felt since the first time I'd felt really happy here."

And by golly, Applejack and Big Mac had never looked more endeared, or more touched. "I know, you probably get the 'really sweet and kind family' thing often, but I just said it from my heart's content and feelings....though I'm sorry if it's kidn of cheesy...I don't usuaally blurt out like I just did."

Applejack sniffled, wiping some tears from her eyes, before pulling Big Mac into a hug. "That's honestly, without a doubt, the nicest thing anypony's ever said about my family...!"

Wow...I...actually made Applejack cry tears of happiness. That was a first for me. I didn't know whether to feel bad or...what. "Wait...are you...crying, AJ?" I asked, just to confirm if I was right.

"C'-C'ourse not! I-I just got somethin' in my eye, right Big Mac?"
"Nnnnnope...."

"Wow..I...I had never actually seen you like this before...in general, I hadn't seen anypony cry like that since the tragedy of Titanic. But that's beside the point. I just...I just felt like I had to show how I felt if I needed to. And I was being honest when I said all that. You know that, right?"

"Of course I know that!"

I walked over and patted AJ's back. "You know, this is actually the first time I'd ever shown my deepest feelings to anypony else. And you'd have to gain a lot of my trust to do that. So, in a way, you should feel proud."

"Oh, I feel real proud right about now...!"

Feeling happy with the moment I had just created, I joined in the embrace AJ was holding. Now I really felt like a member of the family, even though I knew I could or couldn't have been. And it's like I said - I had to let them know how I felt eventually. I just needed plenty of time around them.

Thinking about all I'd just said, when I took another glance at the two ponies...I'd realized how true to me my words might have well have been. Because there was no doubt about it...they really were my family.