You never know...

by x0jackie0x

Getting to know the place...

Timid had been up in her room staring out of her window, excitedly waiting for the new pony. Nervous of course, but she should be welcomed properly. What better first impression than to make her feel at home? When the mare entered her view, Timid quite literally flew down the stairs and glided over to the door. When she heard hooves connect with the wooden steps right outside of the door, she grabbed the doorknob and pulled it open in a flash. Standing before her was a large mare, just as tall as her father and staring directly at her. The startled look on her face was nothing compared to Timid's, which transformed from excited to a nervous one, tinged with red from a blush that had sprouted.

They both stood there for a moment in silence until Jackie stuck her hoof out, introducing herself. Her voice was a little rough. Timid just stared at the hoof, not quite sure what to do. Instead of doing what everyone else would, the smaller mare slowly backed away from the door, keeping her eyes on the newcomer. It was only when her mother walked up from behind and shooed her away did she break the nervous stare.

"Oh, Timid, manners! I'm Landscape. You must be Jackie. Please, come in, come in!" Landscape stepped aside and ushered Jackie into the house, the mare pausing to wipe her hooves on the welcome mat before entering. Timid leaned against the wall, taking in everything about the mare, from her bulky body, to her cutie mark, and even the glasses perched on her muzzle. The saddlebags she wore were plain but looked like the were stuffed to the brim. Something bluish was sticking out and Timid couldn't quite make out what it was. Her focus was broken again when her father came over to greet the mare.

"Jackie! Glad you could make it! I trust the trip up here wasn't too bad?"

Timid eagerly awaited her response. Maybe she would be able to talk to her at some point. She wanted to know more about the newcomer but was too nervous to ask anything.

"Yeah, it was. Got to take a great nap on the train. Much more comfortable than I'd thought it be."

"Ah, that's a bit of a shame. The scenery on the way here isn't too bad at all."

"Plenty of snacks, too. I'd be lying if I said I didn't get my fill."

Despite feeling a little left out of the conversation, Timid smiled at her comment but shrank again when Jackie focused her uncertain gaze on her. She leaned over to Thatcher, her tone matching her expression.

"Um... Did I upset your daughter?"

Thatcher chuckled and shook his head. Seeing this as an opportunity, Timid gathered the courage and spoke before her father had the chance to respond.

"N-no, I'm not... not upset or anything." She did it. She spoke to her. Not only was she a little proud of herself, but when Jackie smiled at her she felt a bit better about the whole situation. Timid began to warm up and wasn't pressing herself against the wall anymore. Now she felt that she could be more involved with what was going on.

"I think that answered it. Say, Timid, why don't you show Jackie where she'll be staying? I'm sure she wants to get settled in and everything."

Nodding, Timid began flapping her wings and hovered a couple of feet off the ground. Her body was mostly limp and with her wings beating the air furiously, she knew she had to have been quite a sight to see. This made her a little self-conscience but somehow ignored the feeling and gestured for Jackie to follow her up the stairs. Instead, she looked shocked and seemed a little reluctant to follow.

"I'm... living here?"

Timid was confused. She wouldn't be living anywhere else, after all. She noticed her mother smack her father lightly on his chest. Thatcher just laughed as his wife rolled her eyes.

"Did you forget to mention that she'd be staying in our home, dear?"

"On purpose, even! I had a feeling she'd freak out at the idea of living in her employer's home. There's nothing wrong with that, right, Jackie?"

Landscape only shoved past him, mumbling something about making lunch and the inclusions of a beating or two.

"Oh, not at all! I'm just... surprised. I wasn't expecting to be living in here with your family."

Timid couldn't help but smile. Despite the mare's large size and rough-looking demeanor, she sounded as if she meant well. Her initial doubt seeped away little by little.

"No problem, then! Glad that was settled. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to see what my wife will be making for lunch."

"You'll be lucky if you get a single bite!"

Timid watched as Jackie grinned at the couple, even shaking her head in amusement. When the focus was back on her, she hesitated for a second, but asked if she was ready to see her room.

"I am, thank you." Jackie slowly tromped after her as she hovered up the steps, only landing when she reached the door. The door knob seemed cold under her hoof as she prepared to open the door and a slight pang of guilt made itself known. "It will be fine, Timid. Just open the door before she thinks something's wrong." Pushing open the door and stepping aside, Jackie slowly entered the room, halting when she reached the middle. Everything of Dig's had been cleared out, making the room feel a lot larger than it was. The only things that were in there were a few scenic portraits and a small vase of flowers on the desk. Jackie kept silent as she scanned the room, Timid unable to read her expression.

"Is... is everything okay?"

Jackie gave a short laugh before scooting over to Timid, who flinched at the sudden presence. Jackie didn't seem to notice. "Okay? This room is amazing! So clean, so nice, so... warm!" Jackie hurried over to the bed and gently pushed on it, as if testing it's springiness. She stood in the sunlight that was coming in through the window and sighed. Then she turned back to Timid and nodded happily.

"Yeah, this is a good room." Timid didn't quite understand. It was just a room. Then again, she did remind herself that Jackie came from Manehattan and where she lived previously probably wasn't as nice as this. That would explain her enthusiasm.

"Well, I'll let you get settled. If you need anything, I'll be right upstairs. Just go ahead and knock." Timid was about to leave the room when Jackie spoke out, making Timid look back at the mare uneasily.

"Actually, I do need something. Um... I need to get some supplies, food and such, after I'm settled in. Since I don't quite know the town, I uh... I was thinking maaaaybe you'd like to show me around?"

That wasn't a bad idea. It would let Timid get to know the the mare a bit more. Besides, she needed to get outside. She hadn't left the house since they cleaned up Dig's room and this seemed like the best opportunity. But she'd be walking alone with this newcomer. What if something happened? "Nothing will happen. Father trusts her, so you should too." Her father wouldn't have invited her here if he had any inkling that she was trouble.

"S-sure, I don't see why not." Jackie's smile grew wider and she clapped her hooves together. This little gesture seemed strange coming from her.

"Awesome! I'll get settled in, then I'll come get you. I'll make sure not to take too long." At that, Timid took her leave. She paused at the top of the stairs, hearing her parents bicker about something. Most likely lunch and whether or not her father would be getting any of it. She just shook her head, amused at their playfulness, and flew up the second set of stairs to her own room in the attic. Pushing open the door, she set her hooves on the ground and walked lightly, not wanting to make too much noise. It was a silly notion. Jackie probably didn't care or would even notice the hoof steps in the first place.

Collapsing on her bed, Timid laid there in silence, her thoughts swirling around the newcomer. She seemed nice enough, certainly friendly, but taking her around town? Asking her parents about that would be a good idea. She sat up and was about to head downstairs when she froze. There was a voice coming from somewhere, but rather muffled and almost inaudible. "That's right! There's a small hole in the floor! But I forget where..." Sometimes, when she was younger and would get scared at night, her brother could hear her crying through that hole. Dig would then come up to her room and comfort her in the middle of the night if she didn't go down to him first. She finally found out when he told her about it a few days before he left on his last excursion.

Feeling a little guilty, but more so curious, Timid crept around until she found the small hole in the floor. She found it next to the foot of her bed and, after a good bit of hesitation, leaned down and pressed her ear to the floor. "Is she talking to someone?

"...don't have to be lonely anymore. We found a new place for us, didn't we, Ursy? Maybe even a new friend, too."

Timid was confused. She couldn't imagine who Jackie was talking to. Heavy hoof steps were heard and the mare's voice was a little softer as she assumed Jackie was closer to the door.

"Guard the bed, Ursy. I shouldn't be gone too long." A half-assed giggle, then a sorrowful sigh. The door to the room below her opened and Timid knew Jackie was on her way up to get her. She jumped back onto the bed and laid there, her heart beating fast. She shouldn't have done that, but her curiosity got the best of her. "I can't believe I did that! Why would I..." She was interrupted by three soft knocks. She barely heard them and probably wouldn't have if she had been reading or something. She hesitated for a moment, but shook herself and hurried to the door. Opening it, she found Jackie standing their, smiling but looking a little nervous.

"Um... I hope I'm not bothering you, but I wanted to let you know that I'm settled."

This was different. Sure, Jackie had been nervous before, but now it looked as if the mare standing in front of her was uneasy. She probably still felt a little weird about being in a new place. She wasn't the only one who was nervous.

"Y-you're not bothering me. Umm... let's head downstairs and see if lunch is done." Timid waited for Jackie to head down the stairs, but it seemed the earth pony was waiting on her. They stood there awkwardly, then both tried to go at the same time. Timid gave up and gestured down the stairs, causing Jackie to rub the the back of her head in slight embarrassment. She hurried down, her hooves making a deep clomping noise with each step she took, and walked out into the living room. Timid headed into the kitchen to see how lunch was coming. She found her mother going through the fridge, grumbling to herself.

"I assume lunch is a no-go, mother?"

Landscape let out a sharp laugh before pulling herself out of the large appliance.

"Yeah, seems I'm missing a few things, mainly the smaller stuff. Hm..." She looked at Jackie, than back to Timid, and a small smile grew. That smile always signaled some sort of scheme, usually involving others playing it out.

"Have you thought about showing her around the town yet?"

"Actually, we were about to head out and do just that, once we were finished with lunch."

"Perfect! Tell you what, dear. I'll fix you two something small to eat while you're out, so you guys can take a break. Maybe you'll get to know a little more about her. Go let her know."

Timid wasn't so sure about that. They'd pretty much be having a picnic together. Did any of this seem weird or was it just her? But since lunch wasn't happening, they wouldn't have to rush and Timid did want to learn more about the mare. It didn't take long for her mother to wrap up some food and drinks. Timid glanced over at Jackie, who was still just standing in the living room, leafing through a magazine on the coffee table. She called out to the mare, her voice a little shaky.

"Um... Jackie? Lunch won't be happening and we're actually going to be out longer. I'll be able to show you more of the town and... my mother packed some food for us to eat."

The earth pony had closed the magazine and walked towards her slowly. Timid shrank back slightly, but Jackie stopped a few feet away. Did she notice her backing away like that?

"Are you sure that's okay? I'm not exactly hungry."

Landscape gave Jackie a playful glare. Her mother would get her way somehow.

"Your stomach hasn't stopped growling since you came down here. I packed you food. Now, both of you have a good time. Oh, and pay attention to the town, Jackie. I might also have you running errands for me and my husband when you're free." Jackie nodded obediently, as though used to being volunteered for random tasks. Timid was about to say something against her mother, but Landscape simply laughed.

"Oh, don't give me that look, Jackie. Lighten up, I'm kidding! If you're gonna be living with us, then I'd like for you to be our friend as well. That means we're gonna be messing with you a bit, so don't take any of it personally. If we do ask you to run errands, then we'll treat it as a favor."

Timid didn't think that Jackie should be messed like this, especially this early on. But it's not like she could stop her mother from doing it, even if no harm was involved.

"Anyway, get out of here, you two. You're taking up all my oxygen." She winked at Timid and starting rooting through the cabinets, while the pgasus hurried over to her saddlebags, dropping the food and drinks in before tossing them on her back. She saw Jackie patting the pockets on her vest, hearing the slight jingling of bits. She then grabbed her own saddlebags and hitched them right next to her vest, a little higher than most ponies wore them. Jackie must have noticed Timid watching her and explained it was due to her pudgy stomach.

"I-It's not pudgy."

Jackie blew a raspberry at that, as if she thought Timid was just being nice. She didn't really look all that heavy. Well, heavy yes, but that was mainly due to her height. She'd be hard-pressed to find another mare around town nearly as big as the newcomer, but Jackie certainly didn't look fat.

"Well, once you see what I like to eat, you'll see why I say so."

Timid didn't quite know what to say and gestured to the door, leading Jackie out of the house. Showing her around wouldn't be too bad. Despite the town being small, there was plenty to see, but most of the businesses were near the middle of town. She doubted that Jackie would be interested in the boutique or the library, but she would definitely have to show her the farm. Timid herself loved going there and resting under the shady apple trees, drawing in their fragrance. The owners of the farm never really had a problem with her being there, so she saw no reason to stop. But first things first. Turning towards the forest, she knew that Jackie would need to know what this place was, for her own safety.

"Um, Jackie?"

"Yes?"

"This is the Everfree forest. It's... um..." Timid pointed towards the forest without looking at it.

Jackie's expression was a confused one and the smaller mare knew she'd have to explain. It was necessary.

"You know how Equestria's weather is aided by the pegasi? Well... The forest isn't. Everything inside works on it's own, from the weather to the animals. Not to mention it's quite dangerous. There are large monsters like manticores, as well... timber wolves." She shuddered at the thought. Last thing she needed was timber wolves on her mind.

"That's... yikes. So, pretty much, don't go in there, except in emergencies?"

Timid couldn't imagine what kind of emergency would force you to enter the forest, but she nodded. No matter what kind of emergency there was, it couldn't be nearly as bad as the danger in the cursed wood.

"Yes. There's a high chance that once you go in there, you're not coming out. Only a few have been able to and even they're afraid of setting hoof near it." It seems that Jackie had accepted her explanation. It also seemed that she noticed how uncomfortable the forest was making Timid, because she asked her where they would head next. Thankful for that, they hurried away, leaving the forest and its cold winds behind them.

"We're not too far from Sweet Apple Acres. You probably saw it on your way over here. True to the name, they grow the sweetest and juiciest apples you've ever eaten. My mother gave us a couple for our break. But I also go there to relax. It's nice to sit under the trees and take a nap, with the cool breeze blowing by."

"Do they pay others for work?"

The question confused Timid. Jackie already had a job and she didn't see why the question was relevant. Despite the smaller paycheck, it would still be quite adequate for her to live on.

"Why would you need to worry about that?"

"Oh, more as a just-in-case situation, like if your dad no longer required my services. Also, if we have a dry spell and I needed a little extra money, it'd be good to have a source of instant income." That makes sense. She doubted that her father would be laying her off anytime soon, but she saw the logic in it.

"To answer your question, yes, they do pay for work. Although I'm telling you now, you won't have to worry about that. As long as you work hard, father won't be getting rid of you. He knows how to pick ponies. But I'll still introduce you to the owners. Never hurts to get your name out there." They could already see the apple trees in the distance, branches swaying in the wind and it wasn't long until they reached the fence. Timid watched as the earth pony took a long whiff of the surrounding air.

"Wow, it smells great over here!" Jackie licked her lips, her eyes darting between the apples hanging from the trees and the ones resting in Timid's saddlebag. No doubt she wanted to eat them on the spot.

"Come on, let's go see if they're by the barn." They trailed the outer fence until it ended and headed straight for the large red barn sitting in the middle of the property. They only saw a few ponies either pulling carts or bucking trees, but Timid didn't see any of the Apple family. Then she saw a barrel roll out of the barn and a small yellow filly with a rich red mane chasing after it. The filly froze when she saw the mares standing there, but seemed to have recognized Timid and practically bounced over.

"Well, howdy miss... uh... Timid! That's right! Ah knew that! What kin' ah help y'all with?" This bouncy little filly was Apple Bloom, younger sister in the family that ran the place. Jackie watched the barrel nearly trip up a stallion carrying a bucket of apples on his back. He didn't glare at the filly even for a second. Maybe this was a normal occurrence.

"Hi, Apple Bloom. Is your sister around?"

"Ah'm sure she's around here somewhere. Whatcha' need her for?" Timid gestured over to Jackie, who seemed to be stifling a giggle. Apple Bloom's eyes widened at the earth pony.

"Ooh, are ya new in town? Ah'm Apple Bloom! What's yer name?" Jackie cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure.

"Um... I'm Jackie. Nice to meet you."

"Hi, miss Jackie! Ah'll be right back with my sister!" She hurried off into her house. Timid thought she could hear some excited yelling and it wasn't too long until an orange mare wearing a stetson and a very large red-coated stallion were seen following the filly. Timid never really interacted with them as much, but they knew who she was, especially since she almost always stopped by their produce stand in town. The orange mare spoke up when they were within earshot.

"Well, well, if it ain't Timid. How can we help y'all today? Bloom here's been tellin' me about some new mare in town, so ah'm assumin' she means yer friend here. Jackie, was it?" Timid nodded and gestured to Jackie to introduce herself. Jackie stepped forward and did so politely.

"Yep. Name's Jackie Trade. I'm working under Timid's father, helping him out with his roofing job."

"Well, that's mighty kind of ya. Ah'm Applejack, and this here's my brother Big Macintosh." If Applejack was the voice of the family, her brother was the rest of it. He was big and burly, the largest stallion Timid had ever seen. Also a pony of very few words.

"Eeyup." Simple greeting.

"So, were ya here jus' to introduce yerself?" Jackie shook her head and looked around the farm before answering.

"Actually, I was hoping that I'd be able to drop by for work if I had free time. Never hurts to save up money and working here every once in a while would keep me active during the dry spells."

"Sure, Ah don't see a problem with that. You're quite large, no offense, and Ah can see ya handling yerself quite easily over here. But Ah can't guarantee that work will always be available. Farm's are busy, but we have our lazy days, rare as they may be. Not to mention that we may have too many hired hooves at one time."

"Sounds good to me. I'll keep Sweet Apple Acres in mind if I'm looking for work." Big Macintosh nudged his sister and pointed over towards one of the ponies helping out. He seemed to have hurt himself bucking a tree and was curled up on the ground.

"Durn that colt! Caramel is always hurting himself one way or another! If y'all will excuse us, we need to take care of something. Thanks for stopping by! Oh." Applejack kicked a bucket as she walked off. Two apples flew through the air and both mares struggled to catch them.

"On the house! Welcome to the neighborhood!" Timid smiled after them, even as the reached the injured pony and carried him off back to their house. Apple Bloom had wandered off, probably bored with the conversation. Timid looked over to find Jackie staring at the apple on her hoof and practically drooling. Shaking her head, she stuffed it into her saddlebags for later. The earth pony blushed when she noticed Timid smiling at her, a small laugh escaping through her lips.

"Okay, so I am a little hungry. Where to next?" Good question. She figured it would be best for the pony to get to know where all the bigger places in town were, so it'd be off to the town square next.

"The town square. I know you passed through it on your way here, but it'd be good to get reacquainted with it, not to mention that I need to pick up some things from the market." Reluctantly leaving behind the orchard, the mares trotted off, a bit of small talk bouncing between them. It was rather nice. Timid was quickly warming up to Jackie and certainly enjoyed her company. In what felt like no time at all, they reached the market, the square not even a minute away. As Timid shopped, Jackie would stick with her, introducing herself when a vendor noticed she was new in town. Timid wasn't surprised at how comfortable the earth pony was here, since a city might not be as personal as a place like Ponyville.

"I'll tell you, Timid, this place is growing on me quickly. It's so... nice here." They passed by the boutique, which Jackie proclaimed she had real interest in, the library, town hall and, by Jackie's request, quite a few of the sweets shop. After leaving the last one, she was relieved to have not been spotted by a certain pink earth pony, who, to Timid, seemed all-knowing and all-seeing. Celestia help them when she got word of a new pony in town.

As they were heading out, they even ran into Ditzy, almost literally, as she came barreling down the street. Jackie didn't quite know what to think of the mare, except that she was nice and surprisingly sturdy. It wasn't long until both of the mare's stomachs were rumbling loudly, prompting a short break. They picked a spot underneath a nearby tree next to a small pond. The weather had stayed true to it's course, but a few more clouds were pushed into the sky, providing a lovely amount of shade.

Timid laid out a small cloth and set out the food and drinks while Jackie was enjoying the scenery. She had grown quite comfortable with the mare, despite the short amount of time. She was a pleasure to be around and so far hasn't done anything to be grating on the nerves. They weren't exactly friends yet, but they were just past the acquaintance portion. Timid handed Jackie an apple and watched her take a good sized bite, practically squealing when her taste buds were activated.

"Thif if sooo good!" Promptly devouring the fruit, Jackie took a swig of the juice, which was apple as well. With the look on her face, Timid would be close in assuming that this was the best day ever for the mare. There were also daffodil sandwiches, a normal thing for her mother to make, but Jackie acted as if they were the tastiest sandwiches in existence. With the earth pony in such a good mood, Timid figured this would be the best time to learn more about her.

"So I take it that food back in Manehattan isn't as good?"

"Not even close! Everything back home is processed or very low quality. Sure, it might taste like it's supposed to, but it lack the richness of it. Everything's grown in the town and it doesn't get fresher than that!"

"Um... What kind of work did you do back home?" That was a bad question. Jackie froze mid-chew and kind of stared at the sandwich for a moment. "That's right. Father told us about that. How could I forget?"

______________________________________________

Jackie sighed heavily. That's a fun subject to bring up. Timid began to apologize frantically, but the earth pony held up a hoof to silence her. Might as well talk about it now and get it off her chest.

"It's okay. Um... Well, it started out as me doing a bunch of different stuff, mainly manual labor, but I eventually wormed my way into working at a construction site. Working there helped me save a good amount of bits and, with the help of a friend, I was able to open up my first shop. I called it 'Odd Jobs'." Saying the name out loud felt silly, but she was all ears. The tale wasn't that riveting, but she seemed genuinely interested.

"It was going good for a while, but the economy bombed and business became slower. No one wanted hire me because I wasn't a specialist. Soon after that, my landlord doubled my rent behind my back. Seems that he had offers from potential tenants on my shop and they were willing to pay the higher rent for such a small spot. Anyway, long story short, I lost my business. I can't believe how lucky I am that your dad found me. I'll be forever grateful for that." Jackie took another swig of the apple juice and felt the cool, refreshing liquid quenching her thirst. It was so delicious. She might eat nothing but apples from now on.

"I'm sorry about that, Jackie. You must've been furious."

"I was. Probably only a few steps away from jail for assault, but I held it back. I'm not violent, but something like that is unforgivable. You don't just take away someone's livelihood." The topic was depressing her a bit, but it felt good at the same time, oddly enough. Talking about it helps. Jackie saw the Timid open her mouth, as if to say something, but heard nothing. Must've changed her mind. The earth pony pretended not to notice.

With nothing but apple cores and empty bottles left, the two mares wrapped up the remains of their lunch and stuffed them in Timid's saddlebags. As for the next destination, Timid had asked her if it was okay that she introduce the earth pony to her uncle and cousin.

"Sure, I don't have any problem with that."

"I mainly want to because they like to know what's going on with us. My uncle is very close to my father and when he heard about you, he kind of wanted to give you a look over. Like he wanted to make sure his brother knew what he was doing." Jackie smirked and rolled her eyes at the thought. "Another inspection. This place is certainly different." They left their peaceful little patch of shade and walked past town square into the more residential side of town. Fewer ponies dotted the streets but Jackie could spot one or two watering their flowers or a couple of colts chasing each around. An old mare sat outside in her rocking chair, snoring loudly.

"Here we are. My uncle Flash Fire and my cousin Collision live here." Timid stopped in front of a small two story house. It was nearly identical to the others around it, except for a few small details. She was already heading towards the door and the earth pony could see a small smile playing on her lips. Timid seemed like the type of pony who enjoyed seeing family. Not that Jackie didn't, but the only ones she ever saw were her parents. The mare was already knocking on the door, so she hurried to her side and waited for a response. Nothing came from inside for a couple of minutes.

"That's weird. My uncle should be off shift already. I don't see anything burning or any smoke." Timid looked around the sky for something, but Jackie instead was trying to figure out what she meant. "Burning? Oh, maybe he works for the fire department." Timid seemed to have noticed her puzzled expression and explained just that.

"Well, that makes sense. Then again, I can be a bit dense at times."

Timid looked away as if she politely ignored Jackie poking fun at herself and knocked again. Maybe she was hoping for Collision to be there as well. This time, they heard unsteady hoof steps from inside and the door flew open. Before them stood a light violet unicorn stallion with a pink mane, almost completely covered with bandages. Jackie spotted his cutie mark, a heart dripping with pink ooze, also porting some bandages of it's own. The pony gave them a big smile and hug Timid lightly, wincing a bit.

"Hows it going, Timid? Who's your friend?" The stallion regarded her with a playfully curious look. He stepped closer, looking her up and down as if he would get the answer that way.

"This is Jackie, remember? My father hired her to help him out. She's from Manehattan." Collision lightly tapped his forehead with a hoof and chuckled.

"That's right! Flash was talking about her when he last stopped by your place. If you were looking to meet him, he's actually busy. The fire department got a couple of new guys and they needed some training, so he won't be back for a bit."

Jackie, silent through this whole exchange, couldn't stop looking at all the bandages and patches that covered this pony's body. Collision definitely noticed this.

"Wondering how I get so beat up? I'm naturally clumsy but I heal fast. I also let doctors test out meds and such on me, since the side effects don't seem to hit me as hard. Helped me to learn a good bit about first aid, though." That would explain it. Still, the amount of damage he seems to take is mind boggling. This stallion doesn't seem to care all that much, though. In fact, except for the bandages and the slight show of pain, you would've thought he was perfectly intact. Jackie couldn't really find anything to say about this stallion or his... talent. Collision seemed to understand and changed the subject. He asked her a bit about Manehattan and how she was liking Ponyville. She was grateful and happily answered, perhaps praising their town a bit too much. A bell went off inside and Collision excused himself.

"Well, my dinner's done and it didn't catch on fire this time! Lucky too, the fur on my leg only just started growing back." Timid grimaced when he held up his hoof to show them. She was obviously worried about her cousin, as was Jackie, but she guessed he seemed capable enough. He bid the mare's farewell and closed the door. Timid laughed nervously and told Jackie that she hoped her uncle would be home soon.

The tour around the town had taken up a good three hours or so and Jackie's legs were starting to get sore. She didn't want to quit walking around, as she was enjoying herself. Either Timid read her mind or was feeling the same way, it wasn't but a moment after that thought process that Timid asked her if there was anything else she wanted to see. She wasn't really sure what else there was, simply because she didn't know anything else. But if Timid wanted to head back, then she wouldn't complain.

"Nah, I think I'm good for today. Did you want to head back?" Timid nodded, shifting the saddlebags on her back uncomfortably. It looked like they were digging into her back. They had been stuffed with groceries and the remains of their picnic, as well as whatever bits were left over. It didn't seem heavy, but maybe the strap was a bit rough. She had a brief urge to take the bags from her and place them on her own back, but that would have been too forward. It wouldn't have ended well.

"Yes, that might be for the best. It's the afternoon and I need to get these groceries back to mother. Plus, my hooves are getting a little sore." The last part of mentioned sheepishly, but Jackie was glad that she wasn't the only one who was tired of walking around. Nodding, they walked towards the house at a leisurely pace, despite their collective soreness. It had only been a day, but Jackie enjoyed being around the shy mare. She was a refreshing example of how different she was compared to the others back home. No cursing, no rushing, just calm and quiet.

Once again, Timid shifted the bags on her back, flapping her wings in the process. Jackie kept eyeing the bag's strap as they walked, Timid talking about how she had lived here her whole life and the different kind of things that had happened. When she mentioned something about chocolate rain, Jackie had trouble believing her.

"No, it's true! It's a long story but yes, there were these pinks clouds that were raining chocolate milk." That sounded terribly farfetched, but utterly delicious. If it was true, it's probably for the best that it didn't happen back home. Manehattan's not exactly known for its clean air, after all."

They stopped at a couple of places along the way. Jackie saw a sweets shop that they missed earlier and grabbed a couple of honey buns, here most treasured snack of all. They looked different here, but when she took a bite, what they looked like was far from her mind. Timid practically had to push Jackie out of the shop so she would stop thanking the owner. She had created quite a scene, the owner thankful for the young mare intercepting her friend. Once they were outside, Jackie apologized to her friend.

"Sorry... They just taste so much better here! It's ridiculous! But... I shouldn't have embarrassed you like that."

Timid giggled and waved a hoof at her. "Don't worry about it. It was kind of funny. You seem to really enjoy those snacks."

"They're amazing! Have you ever had one?"

"No, I can't say I have. Sweet things don't generally agree with my tummy, so I try to stay away from them." Jackie unwrapped the second honey bun, having devoured the first in only a few seconds. She held it out to the mare, offering it.

"Just try a small bite. A nibble won't hurt and you'll understand the glory of the honey bun." Timid shook her head and turned it down politely, but Jackie pressed her, asking for even the tiniest taste. She watched her take a tiny bite and chew it for a few seconds before swallowing it. She stuck her tongue out slightly, showing her distaste for the pastry. For a split second, the image of that struck the earth pony as cute.

"Too sweet for me. But thank you." Wrapping the pastry back up, the earth pony stuffed it in her own saddlebag for later.

"Ah, that's a shame. Too bad they hurt your stomach, though."

"Maybe... I can pick some up for you when I do my grocery run." Jackie did not agree with that at all. She shook her head and wouldn't hear it.

"Nope. These honey buns will be coming out of my money. They are a luxury item and not included in the paycheck." Timid seemed a little taken aback by her firm reasoning.

"Oh. S-sorry, I just figured I do it as a favor or something." With that, Jackie realized she may have been a bit too harsh, even if the intention was good. The earth pony decided to work on her social skills a bit more.

"No, I'm sorry. I may have been a little quick to answer. Um... I guess I can't stop you from buying them, can I?" The statement seemed lame. As a result, she hesitantly nudged the mare, who, surprisingly, responded well to the gesture. Timid smiled at her and nodded, taking as that an invitation to do so.

"I'll make sure I pick some up for you then."

"You don't have to, you know." Timid's expression became sheepish again. She didn't look Jackie in the eye, instead focusing on a small pebble near her hoof.

"W-well, I figured I could. You seem pretty nice and I just... feel like that would be a nice thing to do and all." Jackie liked this mare. She was so sweet and thoughtful, maybe a bit on the careful side, but certainly a joy to be around. The earth pony noticed the slightest hint of a blush on her cheeks. "Wow, blushing. She certainly fits her name." A funny idea crossed her mind. It wasn't cruel in the slightest and would probably make the mare blush even harder.

"Hm. I thought we were already friends." It worked. Timid simply smiled, gazing back up at Jackie, her blush spreading fast. Jackie never had this quick of a connection with someone before. Usually she guarded herself and hung out with somebody for a bit before saying they were friends. Not that she really had any, except for Rivet back home. But with Timid, she felt comfortable and saw that the mare had a genuine interest in her. She wanted to be her friend and Jackie had no objections whatsoever of letting those feelings be mutual.

"Okay, I'm ready to head back now." Still sporting a smile, Timid waited for Jackie to stand before heading off, a slight prong to her step. Jackie took this as an opportunity to relieve her of her burden. Matching pace, the earth pony carefully leaned over when she wasn't looking. In one fluid motion, Jackie grabbed the strap between her teeth and hoisted the bags up and over the mare, dropping them on top of her own back. The bag was heavier than she thought and could see why it was uncomfortable for her.

"J-Jackie, what are you...?" That didn't go too bad. She was more confused than angry or freaked out.

"Well, it looked like they were uncomfortable, so I figured I'd help you out."

"But I..."

"Take it as thanks for the tour and as a favor from a friend." She didn't stop walking as she gave her an innocent wink. She could hear Timid shuffling her hooves for a moment, then trotting to catch back up. Jackie counted herself extremely lucky. A new job, a nice place to live and a new friend. She didn't expect that last one to happen. The earth pony thought she would have minimal interaction with the family, save for when work was involved and wasn't too comfortable in the beginning. When the mare next to her opened the front door earlier that day and startled them both, she was afraid she had messed up. But seeing that she was excited due to the possibility of making a new friend, it warmed Jackie's heart. There needs to be more ponies like her. Jackie didn't even pay attention to the walk back, instead focusing on her new friend.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Okay, maybe not totally lucky. As it turns out, that pink earth pony Timid had warned her about heard about Jackie and was scouring the streets for a good part of the day. Not even a hundred feet from the house were they ambushed and forced to sit through her miniature party between the three of them. Loud and high energy were not strong enough words to describe this bouncy mare, but at least she got a free cake out of the deal. It'd take her forever to pick all the confetti off of it, though.

"So you say that she absolutely has to meet every new pony in town?" Timid nodded, shuddering a little. Jackie didn't find her completely annoying, but to be around her all the time must require loads and loads of patience. She felt somewhat sorry for the mare's friends.

"I can't stand her. But I don't want to be mean and say anything bad, even though it'd probably go in one ear and out the other." Seems that even a place like Ponyville has their share of annoying neighbors, regardless of how friendly they are. Good thing there was more than one sweet shop in town.

They finally reached the house and Jackie held the door open for Timid, who instead ushered her into the house, due to the cake and not wanting to drop it. They were greeted by Thatcher, who waved at them and eyed the cake with interest.

"So she found you, huh? Not surprised. But that cake looks pretty good." The stallion looked as though he wanted a slice, but Landscape got to it first, levitating it into the kitchen from Jackie's back.

"You're not getting a single taste. It's her cake, after all."

"Oh, I don't mind sharing it. I think that'd be a little rude if I didn't."

"I have to make sure. My husband has quite the sweet tooth, even if he rarely partakes. I would've known if he ate more than his share, since there'd be more of him walking around." Jackie subconsciously placed a hoof on her own stomach, which Timid seemed to have noticed. She changed the subject rather quickly.

"So, the tour went well. Right, Jackie?"

"Oh, yes, it did. This place is wonderful compared to back home. So many nice ponies and so much delicious food! I never thought apples could taste that good!" Landscape rolled her eyes with a smirk a waved a levitated rolled up magazine at her.

"You should try my spiced apples. Granted, they are the same thing, but I throw some cinnamon and a few other things on them. Delightfully bitter and perfectly tangy-sweet." It was too much. This was almost like a dream come true, especially for a pony who loved good food as much as she did.

"But that'll be for a different day. Did you pick up everything I needed?" She was eying Timid's saddlebags expectantly.

"Yes, I did. Sorry it took a little longer than we thought it would."

"Not a problem, dear. There wasn't much to do today, so we just relaxed for a while. I may have even dozed off for a bit." Thatcher snorted, resulting in a glare that seemed to will her husband silent. Didn't really work.

"Dozed off... 'knocked out and snored louder than a bear with a cold', is more like it." The magazine flew through the air and landed next to the stallion, who thanked her for passing the magazine to him.

"I need to work on my aim. Anyway, I'm going to make a quick dinner and then we all need to get some sleep. Big day tomorrow."

"Yep. Since you got here so early, Jackie, you'll be able to help me with a particularly nasty roof. A tree fell over and destroyed about half of it. I had been worrying about how I was gonna get it done, but it's a good thing you're here." Her first job with roofing. All the building in the city had flat tops, perfect for walking on. But here, the roofs were sharply angled, providing just enough traction to walk, but you had to be careful. This job was more suited for the other races and not a ground-dwelling earth pony like herself.

"What's got you worried, Jackie? You know she's making food for you as well." Good to know, but not what she was worried about.

"It's not that. I'm just wondering how I'll be able to help. Do we have a harness or anything so I don't fall?"

"Actually, yes. I ordered one for you after I got back. Don't worry, you'll be safe. Besides, I'm a unicorn. I can catch you if you end up falling." True. She really didn't have anything to worry about. Thatcher continued explaining what the job would entail and the different kinds of things she would would be expected to do. While he spoke, Jackie stole a quick glance at Timid, who was watching the two with interest from the kitchen. She caught Jackie looking at her and quickly moved her view towards her mother, who was busy preparing the meal.

Time flew by as the two ponies spoke to each other about their job experiences, the hardest job they ever had to do and so on. It came as a surprise when dinner was announced 'ready' and a smell wafted under her nose. The earth pony couldn't imagine how she didn't notice it before, but it smelled wonderful. The table was set and the food was presented. It didn't look like a 'quick dinner'. Instead, a gourmet meal had been laid out in all it's glory. Broccoli, celery, hay fries, rolls, gravy, diced potatoes... Jackie could smell a hint of garlic among the feast and the whole thing was just...

"Um... Jackie?" Timid's voice snapped her out of her daze and she found all three ponies giving her varying degrees of puzzled expressions.

"...Yes?" A blush had appeared on her face when she realized that she had spaced out looking over the meal.

"Is everything okay?" She scratched the back of her head in embarrassment and nodded.

"It's been a while since I had a dinner like this."

"Well, what about you're mother? Didn't you visit her before you left?" Jackie looked over her shoulder theatrically, as if making sure her own mother was standing behind her.

"She couldn't really cook all that well." This elicited a small laugh from Landscape.

"Oh, I'm sure she's not bad, but I thank you for the indirect compliment. Now eat up, so we can get to sleep." The rest of the meal passed by all too quickly. The food was amazing and she had trouble refusing seconds, trying to be polite. After the third offer, she said she would take them as leftovers for the next day. They spent the time learning more about each other, like how Timid's parents met, what kind of ponies Jackie's own parents were and even about Timid as a foal, which thoroughly embarrassed her.

There was one thing that Jackie wanted to ask, but she kept her mouth shut, thinking it was too early for her to be asking such a thing. She noticed there seemed to be a missing member, a young stallion whose picture she saw in passing when she first got to their home. They must have a good reason for not mentioning him, at least not now, so the earth pony left it alone. The conversation died down when dinner was pretty much over and Jackie helped clear the table. She nearly dropped a plate, but luckily there was a unicorn watching her.

Jackie yawned loudly, signaling that it was time to sleep and excused herself from the room. She awkwardly bid them good night and thanked Timid again for showing her around. She waved her off and said she was glad for the opportunity. At that, she ascended the stairs and pushed open the door, slowly stepping into her new room. It was still strange, but cozy. Ursy was still guarding her bed and was glad to see a familiar face, despite the highly positive reaction she had for her new home. "Familiarity is one hell of a clincher, just like before." Even though he was only a stuffed animal, he calmed her down and kept her happy when she was alone in the city. But tonight, she only smiled and set him near the side, instead of picking him up and cuddling him.

"Today was a good day, Ursy. We're going to like it here. I'm sure of it." Removing her vest and sliding into her new warm bed, Jackie sighed contentedly. For the first time in years, the bear sat there by itself without being lovingly held. After a minute or so, the earth pony's hoof reached out and pulled him over, resting her head on the plush toy and giggling to herself. "What's that saying, 'Old habits die hard?"

Author's Note:

2nd chapter down! I enjoyed writing this one, but I feel like it still needs work. I'll get better with practice, that's for sure. : D

So, just like before, criticism is appreciated and highly encouraged! Thank y'all for reading! <3

Comments

[Rocfang50]

Nice update. I wonder if the emergency thing with the Everfree forest is a foreshadowing.

[x0jackie0x]

1990500
It might be. : P
I'm glad you liked it, even a little bit. It means I'm finally doing something right.