> Set In Stone
>  by kudzuhaiku
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The Whitetail woods was full of life and sunshine. And three curious, if sometimes annoying, fillies, who were known as the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Sweetie Belle had discovered a word. The word was frolic. After looking at the dictionary, they decided that the best way to learn the word was to practice what it had meant, so they had escaped into the Whitetail woods on this beautiful spring day, away from annoying sisters, away from chores, away from homework. 

This was especially appealing to Sweetie Belle, whose sister wanted to use her as a dress model for her coming line of summer fashions for fillies. Those pins were pokey, and they hurt. 

The sun shone down, warm, dappling their coats, speckling the floor of the forest. Birds chirped. Animals scurried. The day was almost a little too perfect. 

Applebloom led them, walking ahead, anxious to get to a secret spot they had discovered, with a hot spring that bubbled water up from the earth that smelled like rotten eggs. And it was a little fizzy, as Scootaloo had discovered, after a dare to drink it from Sweetie Belle. The egg-water tasted awful. 

It smelled awful as well, as Sweetie Belle had discovered a few days ago, after being dunked. Rarity had whined and complained to no end, and bathed Sweetie Belle repeatedly, leaving her smelling of lavender and rose soap. Sweetie Belle didn’t mind the soap smell, but Rarity was a little too rough with a scrub brush. 

“This is new.” Scootaloo said, looking at a chasm in the ground before them. The earth had opened sometime over the past few days. The ground had crumbled. What had once been part of a cave loomed before them, now open, the ground below them not too far below. The forest smelled of loam. The open hole smelled of adventure. 

“I’m going in!” Scootaloo replied, looking for a way down. She found none. After circling the hole several times, she settled for jumping, her tiny wings buzzing, and she landed on the stone floor of the former cave with a thud, her hooves clattering. 

“Hey!” Applebloom cried. “How you gonna get out?” 

“We’ll think about that later?” Scootaloo replied, her voice sounding a little shaken. 

“What’s down there?” Sweetie Belle asked, peering over the edge, careful to not fall over and wind up in a hole like Scootaloo. 

Sweetie Belle, being Sweetie Belle, wound up in the hole like Scootaloo. She stepped on a spot of spot earth that gave way and she fell down with a cry. 

She landed on Scootaloo with a thump. “Thanks for breaking my fall Scootaloo!” Sweetie Belle chirped. 

“Don’t… mention… it…” Scootaloo replied slowly, trying to get back on her hooves. 

“There’s something down here.” Sweetie Belle said, looking forward. 

“What’s that?” Applebloom asked, staying away from the soft edge. Somepony had to go for help. Somepony not silly enough to fall down the hole. 

“There’s a statue!” Scootaloo replied. “A pony statue!” 

Sweetie Belle stepped toward the statue, looking at it. It was remarkably detailed. “A pegasus,” she announced, “and this statue is amazing!” 

“Remember that night at Fluttershy’s house?” Scootaloo asked. “I don’t think it is a statue…” Her words trailed off as she stood close to the statue, taking it all in. She could see every feather. Every strand of mane. 

Sweetie Belle stood in awe. “Applebloom, quick, go get Twilight Sparkle!” 

Applebloom was off, running as fast as she could after hearing Sweetie Belle’s words. 

Sweetie Belle looked at Scootaloo. “Think we’ll get a cutie mark from this?” 

Later that afternoon… 

Twilight Sparkle stood in her library staring at a statue. A remarkably lifelike statue. Spike stood beside her, taking it all in, the dragon taking notes on a clipboard. Three little fillies were sitting in a corner, patiently waiting for something, anything to happen. 

“Spike, it is in remarkably good condition isn’t it? Nothing is broken off.” Twilight walked around the statue a few times, remembering when she had been turned to stone. “This definitely is not a statue.” She announced. She tapped it with her hoof gently. 

“I hope we can fix it.” Spike said, eyes wide, his pencil scratching on paper as he drew a small sketch. 

“Subject is male. Young. Early adolescent I’d say. Pegasus. Broad shoulders for age. Build is oddly more like an earth pony than a pegasus. Appears to have larger than usual wings. Ears are broad. Hooves are certainly more earth pony like. How odd.” Twilight paused, looking at the statue. “I wonder how old it is?” 

Spike was scribbling all of this down on the paper with his sketch, squeezing in his notes, the paper soon covered. 

For the Crusaders, something finally happened. There was a knock upon the door. It opened, revealing Celestia. She poked her head through the door, looking around, looking around before entering. 

“Hi Princess!” The Crusaders chirped in unison. 

“Hello.” Celestia said, somewhat absentmindedly as she began to look at the statue. 

“This is a pony.” Celestia announced after a moment of study.

“I’ve reached the same conclusion.” Twilight Sparkle said. 

Celestia stared, her mouth opening slightly. “This is hundreds of years old.” 

Twilight paused. “Ooh.” She uttered in a small voice. 

“Can he be brought back?” Sweetie Belle asked. 

“Gonna be an awful shock waking up a few hundred years later.” Applebloom said, her face darkening. “That makes my skin shiver.” 

Scootaloo hugged her friend, her own skin shivering. 

“It is going to be very difficult for him to adjust. Think about what it has been like for Luna.” Celestia looked remarkably sad. “Everything is going to have changed. The world will be very different. Everything he knows is gone.” 

“We can’t leave him like this.” Twilight said, her voice wavering slightly. 

“No.” Celestia agreed. “We cannot.” 

“Then he is going to have to adjust.” Twilight resolved. “Who is going to undo the petrification process?” 

“I will.” Celestia said. “In case there are complications. Be ready to catch him Twilight. Before we begin, we should have a comfortable place for him to rest. And water, or a cooling drink. He is going to be very thirsty.” 

“I remember,” said Twilight, “after I was brought back.” 

A sofa was moved near, a pitcher of iced water was brought, and, as an after thought, a bottle of apple soda. These items were placed on a small table, which was placed near the sofa. 

“Ready?” Twilight asked. 

“We get to watch?!” Sweetie Belle asked. 

“Well, you found him.” Twilight said. 

Celestia cleared her throat. The room fell silent. 

Celestia’s horn blazed to life and a strange crackle filled the room. The statue glowed for a moment, and then cracks appeared, with glowing light streaming from the cracks. The stone began to crumble away, revealing a pony. A pegasus pony. 

Freed at last, he began to wobble. Twilight caught him before he fell, and gently levitated him onto the sofa, where he lay limply. 

Celestia gave him a glass of water, which she held up to his lips. He drank. And drank. And when the glass was empty, Celestia gave him more. 

The dust of centuries was trapped in his throat. He finally coughed, sputtered, and wheezed. 

Celestia held the bottle of apple soda to his lips. He sniffed at the odd liquid, and then drank. 

“Oh for the love of apples…” came a faint guttural whisper. The pegasus drank down the rest of the bottle. 

He lay on his side, his head resting on the arm of the sofa. He wheezed faintly, dust coming from his nostrils. 

“I am Princess Celestia. Can you tell me who you are?” Celestia asked, her voice low. 

“Forgive me Princess for not paying you due respect.” The pegasus said faintly, his voice scratchy. 

“Forget about that,” said Celestia, “you are ill. Please, tell me your name.” 

The pegasus coughed a few times. One wing fluttered, sending out a shower of dust. The other wing he was laying on. His tail twitched. 

“My name is Sandow. My sire is named Thud, and my dam is Bailey Sweet.” He coughed, loudly, forcing dust from his lungs. “Last thing I saw was a chicken lizard.” 

“Your damn what?” Twilight said, gasping. 

“His mother Twilight.” Celestia explained. 

“That’s even worse!” Twilight said. 

“A long time ago Twilight, a mother was called dam among certain groups of ponies.” Celestia said, hoping to avoid an incident. 

Twilight said nothing, but scowled. 

Sandow lay there, his face contorting in pain. 

“A long time ago?” He questioned. “How long have I been out?” 

The room was silent. 

“How long?!” 

“Several hundred years.” Celestia said softly, reaching out and touching the pegasus with her wing. She could see him flinching, taking it all in, and she saw the moment when his heart broke. 

“My herd is gone.” Sandow said, his voice still full of gravel. “My two little mares and my little filly. And one more was coming.” 

“You… You were married?” Twilight asked in shock. “You had a herd? Those don’t exist now… But you are so young. You… You… You are barely an adolescent.” 

“Twilight, enough. Those were different times. Ponies lived short lives. Ponies lived in herds. Things were so very different.” Celestia cleared her throat. “What happened Sandow?” 

Sandow said nothing for a long time, his jaws clenched together. 

“Water.” He said. 

Celestia lifted another glass, which Sandow drank. 

He remained silent. 

Applebloom began to fidget. 

“I was looking for a cave for us to spend the winter in. I saw the lizard chicken. I saw my hooves turning to stone. Felt it.” Sandow said, resting his head against the arm of the sofa. He blinked, his eyes watering, either from dryness or tears. 

Applebloom began to sob, big tears rolling down her cheeks. Her ears dropped. She became a huddled mass of misery. 

“Applebloom?’ Sweetie Belle said, wrapping a leg around her. 

“Talk to us.” Scootaloo whispered. 

Applebloom said nothing. Twilight Sparkle stood there confused. Celestia’s face looked befuddled for a time, but then a faint look of recognition settled in. 

Applebloom said nothing, but crossed the room suddenly, throwing herself onto the sofa, climbing up on Sandow, and began to hug his neck fiercely, causing him to groan from the small filly’s loving assault. 

“Applebloom!” Sweetie Belle said. 

Applebloom sniffled, trying to hold in her tears. “Bailey Sweet and Sandow are Apple names.” 

Sandow let out a sudden wheeze and then fell apart completely, losing whatever was left of his pride. 

He wept. 
	
> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It took a while for Applebloom and Sandow to calm. Nopony said anything. The two clung to one another in the silence. Twilight had refilled the water pitcher. Spike had gone and sat down with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle had placed her forelegs around Spike and hugged him. 

“Somepony should get go my sister.” Applebloom said finally, wiping her nose with her foreleg. “We have a family member in trouble.” 

Sandow struggled to sit up, gently easing himself out from under Applebloom. He shook the dust from his burnt orange mane and tail as he rose. Patches of his toasty light brown coat were visible under the white-grey patches of dust. 

He got to his hooves, nearly falling off of the couch, and then jammed his muzzle down into the water pitcher, drinking most of the pitcher in one go. After clearing his throat, he bowed slightly to Celestia, his muzzle still dripping water and leaving a puddle on the floor. 

“There’s no need for that.” Celestia said. 

“There’s always a need for good manners.” Sandow said. “You’ve been very kind.” 

“Sandow, do you know Princess Luna?” Celestia asked. 

“No…” Sandow said slowly. “But I seem to recall that she was gone. I remember her name. Why do you ask?” 

“I am trying to figure out how long you’ve been petrified. You lived after Luna’s fall. Can you tell me about some major event in your life? Perhaps it will help.” 

Sandow returned to sitting on the sofa, Applebloom beside him. 

“Well, there was the summer of endless rains. The orchard flooded. We lost our farm.” Sandow’s voice was soft, gentle, returning to normal. He had a pleasant voice, deep. 

Celestia scowled, thoughtful, she looked upward, her eyes narrowing. “That was about three or four hundred or so years ago.” She said after thinking. 

An intense look of pain crossed Sandow’s face again. 

“You talk a little funny.” Applebloom drawled. 

“So do you.” Sandow replied, looking down at her. “The Apple family survives?” 

“We’re all over!” Applebloom said. “We’re one of the largest clans of earth ponies in Equestria.” Applebloom paused. “Yer a pegasus.” 

“So I am.” Sandow said. “My dam, Bailey Sweet was an earth pony.” 

Twilight Sparkle emitted an odd grunting noise. Celestia chuckled faintly. 

The other two Crusaders slowly approached the sofa. They stood, looking at Applebloom for a moment, and then crammed themselves onto the sofa beside her. They looked at Sandow and Applebloom, their faces full of questions. 

Applebloom was studying Sandow’s face intently. 

“You have green eyes.” Applebloom said. “Just like a lot of the Apple family.” 

Sandow smiled weakly. 

Celestia cleared her throat. “I really must be going. If you will excuse me.” She turned and left, exiting the door, her royal guard visible outside for a brief instant before the door closed. 

The door reopened and Celestia peeked her head inside. “Sandow, you and I will talk again, after you are settled a bit more.” Celestia looked thoughtful. “Spend some time with your family. I am sorry for what you have lost.” 

Applebloom squirmed. She looked up at Sandow, her face sad. “I’m sorry for asking,” Applebloom said, apologising, “but what was yer filly’s name?” 

Sandow smiled sadly, his eyes beginning to water. “Her name was Hawley. Her mother was an earth pony named Bluebelle.” He paused, swallowing, clearing his throat. “My other wife was named Azalea. Both sisters. Of the Flower clan. 

“You married sisters?” Sweetie Belle gasped. “And they shared you? Did they fight?” 

“Sweetie Belle…” Twilight said, unable to finish her sentence. 

“There are no herds anymore.” Scootaloo said. “Well, not really. Some ponies still do it but they get made fun of.” 

Sandow looked shocked. 

“What if something happened to a parent, like something happened to me?” He asked. 

Applebloom squirmed uncomfortably. “Sometimes, things do happen. And then you don’t have parents.” She began to sniffle. 

Sandow wrapped his leg around the foal and pulled her close. “Things happen.” He agreed. 

Applebloom quickly reclaimed her usual demeanor, wiping her nose and putting on a brave face. “We should talk about this later.” She sniffed. 

“You are so young. It is hard to believe all of this is happening. Nopony your age is ever married now.” Scootaloo said. 

“Scootaloo!” Twilight snapped. 

Sandow began to look very, very confused. 

“I don’t understand what is being said,” he said finally. 

“Sandow…” Twilight began, “By our society standards, you are young. There’s going to be a bit of a shock trying to adjust. Things have changed a great deal. You may have been considered an adult back during your time, and you are still an adult, I am not challenging that, but other ponies are going to have a hard time understanding your point of view and what might be normal for you.” 

“I’m lost.” Sandow said. 

“You don’t have a cutie mark!” Sweetie Belle squealed, interrupting. 

Sandow squirmed. “That’s private.” 

“We don’t have ours either. We’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Sweetie Belle squeaked. 

“Yer older than Granny Smith. That makes you the oldest Apple alive. She’s gonna be grouchy.” Applebloom blurted. 

Sandow was utterly confused. 

“Yer the oldest Apple alive…” Applebloom repeated in awe. “And you ain’t all wrinkly. And she’s gonna have to respect her elders!” 

“You have large wings!” Scootaloo said. 

Sandow cringed under the fillies assault. 

“Girls!” Twilight shouted. 

Three fillies paused, looking at her. 

“I think he needs a moment. Think about the day he is having.” Twilight scolded. 

“Foals do what they do.” Sandow said. 

Spike disappeared in the kitchen humming to himself. 

Sandow sat on the sofa, trying to take everything in. His grief. His shock. This whole new world. Everything had changed. Everything was different. Nothing was the same. 

No, he thought, one thing hadn’t changed. 

Apples stuck together. He took a deep sigh of relief. 

He sat silently, aware that three little fillies were looking at him. And Twilight. He stared at Twilight. “You are like Celestia.” He said. 

“Long story.” Twilight said. 

Spike returned from the kitchen with a bowl of chopped mixed fruit and set it on the table near the sofa. He shoved the table closer to Sandow, and smiled. “Fruit salad.” Spike said. “I bet you're hungry.” 

Sandow felt his stomach rumble and he eyed the salad. It didn’t take long to bury his muzzle into the bowl. 

Twilight sat, watching him eat. She made a few mental notes, like checking over the Apple family’s well documental genealogy. She hoped that there might be something, somewhere. She wondered if Sandow could read or write. He seemed smart enough. Well spoken. Terrible table manners, Twilight reflected. No cutie mark, as the Crusaders had so helpfully pointed out. 

He was also handsome, for his age. Twilight banished that that mental note from her mind. 

“Spike.” Twilight said. 

“Yeah Twilight?” Spike replied. 

“Could you please go fetch me some Apples?” Twilight asked. 

“You don’t mean the fruit, do you Twilight?” Spike asked. 

“No.” Twilight replied. 

“Can do.” Spike said, hurrying towards the door. 
	
	
> Chapter 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Sandow sat, drinking another apple fizzy drink through something called a ‘straw.’ The sofa was the most comfortable thing he had ever sat on in his life. He was in a library. Full of books. And other ponies. And a dragon. There was glass, actual glass on the windows. And there was a lot of windows. He was drinking out of a glass bottle. Glass was everywhere, he noticed. He could look out the windows and see other windows. A whole town with glass. 

He felt a quiet sense of awe and didn’t know how to talk about it. Glass had been a precious commodity of the rich when he had lived last. 

He had a princess give him a glass of water… 

He had woke up in odd times. Everything he knew was gone. 

Well, almost everything. Apples were still around, and they stuck together. That hadn’t changed. He thought of his dam, and her stories to him about how all of the ponies had turned on her, because she loved a pegasus. But her family had stuck with her, she had said. They had welcomed the pegasus she loved, taking him in and calling him their own. 

He heard the fillies talking to the librarian. The princess librarian, he noted, with no small amount of confusion. It was background noise to his thoughts. 

The fizzy drinks and the fruit salad were having quite an effect. Sandow took a deep breath and let fly a resonating gurgling belch that caused the objects on the table to rattle slightly. 

Scootaloo giggled. 

Twilight looked at him in disgust and horror. 

Sweetie Belle shook her head at him. “That’s uncouth.” She whispered. 

“My sister and I talked about that word ‘uncouth’ once.” Applebloom said, remembering the long ago conversation. 

Sandow paused, suddenly feeling very unsure of himself. 

“I’m sorry?” He said, his words forming a faint hint of a question. “Things must be different.” 

“No,” said Applebloom, “just wait till we go home. I’ll show you how to say the alphabet while you do that.” 

“Applebloom!” Twilight snapped. 

“What?” Applebloom said innocently. 

Twilight glared at her but said nothing. 

Sandow went back to staring out the window, and he couldn’t help but notice all of the different types of ponies walking around outside. He watched them for some time, noticing the quiet in the library as he sat. 

“All the ponies live together?” He asked, breaking the silence because it seemed expected. “Hard to believe. My dam had no end of trouble because she loved my sire.” 

Twilight Sparkle’s eye twitched slightly. 

“Do ponies marry for love now?” Sandow asked, before Twilight could say anything.  

“What an odd question.” Twilight replied. “I suppose in your time it was uncommon?” 

“Yes.” Sandow said, failing to elaborate for a moment. He took a deep breath. “Most marriage was arranged. Or wives were traded for.” 

“I wonder what I’d be worth.” Sweetie Belle squeaked. 

“My dam loved my sire. The real trouble happened because he was a pegasus.” Sandow said, scowling. 

“Oh, that is still a bit of problem even today,” said Twilight, her eye twitching once again, “but not much of a problem here in Ponyville. This town takes pride in being a place where ponies are just ponies.” 

“That makes me glad.” Sandow said, his scowl turning more into a bit of a smile. 

Sandow slipped back into silence, his features thoughtful. 

“None of us got a cutie mark.” Sweetie Belle lamented with a whine. 

“I gots me a new family member.” Applebloom said. “I’m alright with that.” 

Twilight Sparkle’s face contorted in severe grammatical pain, causing her to grind her teeth. “Applebloom, you should try paying a little more attention in school.” Twilight said, her own grammar faltering under the strain. 

“Why’s that Twilight?” Applebloom asked with wide eyed innocence. 

“Oh, no reason.” Twilight said, letting the issue drop. 

The door opened. 

An orange mare and a big red stallion stood at the door, both looking a bit surprised and confused. 

“Big sis!” Applebloom shouted, running for the door. She threw her forelegs around the orange mare’s neck and squeezed. 

“This is Sandow.” Applebloom said, still clinging to her sister’s neck. “Sandow, this is Applejack, my sister, and this is Big McIntosh, my brother. 

Applejack strode forward, dragging her sister along, Applebloom’s hind hooves dragging over the wooden floor. She peered at Sandow, looking at him as he rose up off the couch. Sandow stood, feeling a bit self conscious, and wished that he wasn’t so dusty. 

“Sandow Apple.” Applejack said. 

Sandow nodded. 

“Pleased to meetcha.” Applejack said, trying to shake her sister loose. “Big Mac prolly wont say much, but I know he’s glad to meetcha as well.” 

Applejack turned to Twilight. “Thank you for restoring’ my kinfolk. I don’t mean to be rude, but we need to get on home.” 

She turned back to Sandow. “Come on, let’s go home.” 

“You don’t know me.” Sandow said sheepishly. “I don’t know you. I…” 

“Shush!” Said Applejack, cutting him off. “Ain’t a bit of that matters. Now come on, we’ve got to get home. Big Mac’s stomach is growlin’ like a timberwolf and it scares the smaller ponies somethin’ fierce. It’ll be suppertime soon. And Granny gets right cranky if’n we ain’t there.” 

The grammatical assault was too much for Twilight. Spike took notice and began to eye several books with soothing grammar for Twilight to take solace in. 

“Goodbye Twilight.” Sandow said. 

“I hope you can settle in.” Twilight said. “My friend Applejack will take care of you.” 

Sandow headed for the door with Applejack. 

“Goodbye Sweetie! Goodbye Scootaloo!” Applebloom said, finally letting go of her sister. 

Sandow stepped out into the sunlight, blinking his eyes and trying to take everything in. The town was full of ponies. Pegasi. Unicorns. Earth ponies. All around him. Houses. Buildings of all kinds. He felt dizzy, trying to take everything in. It was difficult. The town must be full of very wealthy ponies, he thought to himself. He struggled to keep up with Applejack, not watching where he was going, looking all around him at the thriving town of Ponyville. Ponies were waving at him he realised. He shook himself out of his shock enough to try and wave back. 

“Oh flibbertigibbet.” Applejack swore. 

A bright pink pony approached. 

“Hi! I’m your new friend Pinkie Pie!” The pink pony proclaimed proudly. 

Sandow was completely overwhelmed. A second later, he was flabberghasted as well, as the pink pony had just tackled him and was squeezing him. 

“Pinkie, this ain’t a good time. He’s in a bit of a shock. I promise I’ll give ya some time to get to know him, but later.” Applejack paused. “Oh, my manners. Pinkie Pie, this is Sandow Apple. Sandow Apple, this is Pinkie Pie. Our cousin.” 

“Hi!” Pinkie said, squeezing him again and then letting go. 

Pinkie began to walk with them, watching Sandow intently. 

“You are a pegasus!” Pinkie announced as though she had made a major discovery. 

Sandow said nothing, but looked at her sheepishly. 

“Yeah he is Pinkie. Airborne Apple. Now try to leave him be. He’s had a bad day. I’ll explain later.” 

“Alright Applejack.” Pinkie said, still smiling. “Sandow, maybe later I could do something that might make you feel better.” 

“Like wha-wha-what?” Sandow stuttered, completely overwhelmed by the bustling sea of ponies all around him and Pinkie Pie’s continued attention. 

“She wants to throw you a party.” Applejack explained. 

“Aw, Applejack, you spoiled the surprise.” Pinkie said, looking disappointed, her lower lip protruding in a poignant pout as the pink pony persistently pranced playfully parallel to Sandow. 

Pinkie paused, pondering her Pinkie premonitions and perceptions precariously planted in her psyche, pondering the letter p, pontificating the pronouncement of the pernicious placement of p in psyche, as the p had no pronunciation. 

Pinkie Pie giggle-snorted, clearing the junk out of her brain. “I need to go.” She said suddenly. “I have important things to do.” She snorted again. “Pontificating. That’s a funny word.” 

“Our cousin is a little off.” Applejack said in a low voice as Pinkie parted. 

“Eeyup.” Big Mac said, suddenly becoming sociable. 

“But we love her.” Applebloom said. 

“Eeyup.” Big Mac repeated, causing Applejack to look at him in surprise. 

The group continued onward. Sandow stretched his wings a bit, shaking loose more dust. He stopped, shook himself violently, causing dust to fly, He then picked up his pace to catch up with the group. 

You have big ears.” Applebloom commented. 

“Applebloom!” Applejack scolded. 

“We’ll he does.” Applebloom protested. 

“Yes I do.” Sandow agreed. 

“Shouldn’t say those sorts of things.” Applejack said. “It’s rude.” 

“You say that it is Rarity’s big plot that makes her big plot look big, not her dress.” Applebloom said. 

“But never to her face!” Applejack explained, becoming embarrassed and hoping that nopony heard her sister. She walked with her head lowered, her hat covering her eyes somewhat. 

Big Mac chuckled, and said nothing. 

Some things haven’t changed, Sandow reflected. He felt a pang of grief, sadness suddenly creeping up on him. He drove it away from his mind as he continued onward. He’d mourn those long dead when he had a moment alone, if he could ever get a moment alone. He needed some moments alone, he thought. He was surrounded by an uncountable number of ponies. There was no moment to be alone here. 

“We’ll getcha through this,” said Applejack, reading his mind, “Don’t you worry. It’ll be rough for a while, but you ain’t alone. There’ll be shoulders to cry on and a big orchard to let things out in. Just hold it together for now.” 

Sandow nodded. He smelled strange smells. Sweet smells. Warm smells. Fresh baked bread wafted into his nose, causing his mouth to water. Bread was a luxury. He realised he was still hungry as his stomach rumbled. He hadn’t had much to eat when he had found the cave. Winter had been coming. The orchard was gone, flooded, mud and water completely covering the trees. He had been worried that they were going to have to eat bark from the trees to make it through the winter. There had been plenty of trees around the cave. 

None of that mattered now. 

He thought of his foal, huddled with her mother and her aunt, trying to keep warm. He remembered her scent. Hawley. Now gone. Like everything else. He had left them, somewhat sheltered under a fallen tree, having dug out some dirt and leaves, clearing them enough space to crawl under and be out of the freezing rain, at least somewhat. He had kissed them all before leaving. 

He felt a hoof poke him, shoving him out of his memories. He looked up at Big Mac, who was looking at him with some concern, his face both kind and sad. 

“Later.” Bic Mac said, shaking his head. 

“You ain’t nothin’ but ribs and hide.” Applejack said, staring at him. 

Sandow said nothing, not sure what to say. 

“I’m tired, I done been on my hooves all day.” Applebloom protested. 

Big Mac kneeled down so that Applebloom could climb on his back. She did, and hugged him around his broad neck with her forelegs, beaming at her brother. 

Big Mac continued, trotting through the town, his enormous hooves making thudding sounds in the dirt. 

Applejack stopped to nod at ponies that she knew, her pony tailed mane bobbing. Sandow noticed that she seemed to know a lot of ponies. Or a lot of ponies knew her. 

Sandow’s mind drifted as he walked. What had Bluebelle and Azalea thought when he had never returned? Had they married again? Did they stay together? He hoped that they had stayed together. They were very close as sisters. What had they named the foal that was coming? Did they survive the winter? He felt his thoughts closing in on him again. 

He turned and saw Applebloom smiling at him, and he felt a little better as they walked, his mind clearing somewhat. He felt an empty ache in his chest as his mind settled. He was alive, and walking through a town full of the living, thinking about those long dead. 

They approached the edge of town, trotting at a brisk pace, the noise of the town settling into the background. The road lie ahead of them, empty, full of hoofprints and wagon wheel tracks. Even though he was a pegasus, Sandow liked roads. He liked what they represented. He had been raised on the ground. Roads weren’t too different from the sky. Except they presented a defined direction, a specific place to go. You stepped onto the road and followed it, and eventually you would reach the place you wanted to go. Flying took a lot more attention. The road had led to so many places. New ponies. The road had lead him to his wives. 

And now he was on a road walking to a home that he did not know. This road lead there, and his companions were bringing him home. The road was overhung with trees, shadowy, the sunlight dancing as it filtered through branches and leaves, creating a path that danced with light, tempting him onward with the promise of stepping on a patch of sun, catching it beneath his hoof. The road felt good. As he reflected on the road, thoughts of those lost faded into the background, somewhat less painful, lingering. The grief would come. He could see that on the road ahead, the road in his mind, and he knew where that road lead. 

He would walk that road later. He suspected that he would not be alone. 
	
	
> Chapter 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	An elderly green mare approached. She moved slowly, peering at Sandow, taking him all in, muttering something to herself that Sandow could not hear. Her joints were knobby, and it was clear that she was old. But not as old as he was, he thought, thinking about what was said earlier. He remained silent. She had a lifetime of experience that he did not, something he respected. 

“Granny Smith, this is Sandow Apple. Sandow, Granny Smith Apple.” Applejack said, introducing them to one another. 

“Get down here!” Granny Smith demanded, finally reaching Sandow. He lowered his head, trying to be as respectful as possible. He felt a hoof against his cheek, moving and pressing the skin around, and then against his ear, doing the same, and finally the wizened old mare peered into his eyes, staring for a very long time, saying nothing, and making Sandow very uncomfortable. She walked around him, poking his ribs, kicking his hooves, making a full circle and nodding occasionally. 

“He’s an Apple alright.” Granny Smith said after a moment. “Got good manners too, letting a wrinkly old nag poke at him. That dragon, Spike, he done told me a fair bit about what happened.” 

She turned to enter the house. “Come on youngins, I have supper on the table. That dragon was awful helpful.” 

She pushed her way through the door and was gone from view. The house loomed before him, as large as a palace, or so he believed. He had never actually seen a palace, but he had heard stories. Signs of wealth were everywhere. Every window had glass. Doors had metal fixtures. The walls were painted. There was decorative metal finishes all over. 

“Come on.” Applejack said, giving Sandow a gentle push. “Let’s go. Before she gets all irritated and ill.” 

Sandow stepped through the door and into a large room. He had no idea what it was that he was looking at, most of what he was seeing being completely new to him. He stood, frozen and confused, trying to take it all in. There were lamps, glowing with strange light. Big metal boxes. Strange metal pipes protruded from the wall. It was strange, all of it strange. 

He felt another shove. “Go sit at the table. You can do that.” Applejack said patiently. 

Granny Smith was sitting at the head of the table, and tapped her hoof on the table. “Right here, next to me.” She said warmly. Sandow did as he was told, trying to figure out how to sit on the wooden bench. He stumbled and nearly fell to the floor twice, but finally figured out how to settle in. He leaned against the table, hoping that he wasn’t doing anything wrong. The table was also covered in signs of wealth. Plates. Tableware. Food. So much food. 

The others sat down at the table as well, and food began to be passed around. 

They were doing something strange with their hooves. He stared. 

Granny Smith waved a spoon at him. “Dig in.” She said. 

“How…” 

Applejack bopped her noggin with a hoof. “Sorry Sandow, I’ll explain later about the hoof thing. We’ll have to get you fitted for some special shoes. Help him somepony!” 

Sandow sat as his plate was being loaded with more food than he knew what to do with. Different types of food, all in one meal. Like the fruit salad, it was a lot to take in. Mashed potatoes. Hot buttery corn. And peas. And green beans. And other things that he didn’t recognise. More and more kept being piled on his plate. 

It wasn’t long until his plate had more food than he usually ate in a week. 

He stared, wide eyed, unable to respond to the situation. He felt something cold stab him in the ribs. 

“Go on, eat!” Applejack said, stabbing him in the ribs again with a spoon somehow held in her hoof. 

Sandow ate. He stuffed his muzzle into his plate, trying to be as polite as possible, not knowing what good manners were any more. He ate. And ate. And kept eating. Until he felt like he was going to pop. And then he kept eating for quite some time more, as more food kept being added to his plate. 

There was some kind of apple dish called a ‘cobbler’ that was the greatest thing he had ever tasted. 

Finally, he couldn’t another bite. He sat on the bench, exhausted from eating, realising the table seemed awful quiet. His neck prickled as he came to the realisation that he was being watched, every eye at the table staring at him. 

“You was starved.” Granny Smith said, her tone sad. “Feel better?” 

He was surprised when Applejack wiped his face with a piece of cloth. Cloth! Something as valuable as cloth, being used to wipe away a mess. He realised that the table was covered in cloth as well. He began to stare, taking everything in. So much stuff. Items. Material goods. Everywhere. Spoons, Forks. Things that he had heard stories about. Stuff that unicorns kept. Things he didn’t recognise. 

“You was married.” Granny Smith said, breaking his concentration. “Tell us about them.” 

Sandow sat, unsure of what to say, suddenly very uncomfortable. 

“Come on, out with it.” Granny Smith said. “How didja meet?” 

Sandow sat, trying to flog his brain into cooperation. 

“I won them. Gambling.” He replied at last, not sure what else to say. 

“What?” Said Applebloom, her eyes wide, mouth open, a buttery kernel of corn stuck to her chin. 

“I was in a logging town. I was passing through…” Sandow paused, thinking, “I had been there a few times, occasionally getting work. And somepony was offering two young mares, untouched, in a winner take all game. Took ten coppers to play.” 

“I’m confused.” Applejack said. 

“Untouched?” Applebloom asked. 

“Shush ‘Bloom.” Applejack said, glaring at her sister. 

“Their father had sold them to pay off his debts.” Sandow continued. “Over a dozen ponies had tossed in their coppers. The stallion with the mares made a fortune getting ponies to pay to play.” He paused. “A lot of the gamblers were logging camp owners who wanted the two mares to be camp mares.” Sandow scowled. 

“I don’t understand.” Applebloom said. 

“Later ‘Bloom.” Applejack said. 

“They didn’t have much to look forward to.” Sandow said. "I tossed in my coppers with honourable intentions.”

Sandow paused, reflecting, thinking about a lot of things. “I suppose in these times, they wouldn’t be mares. But fillies. They were younger than I am by a year or two.” He hung his head thoughtfully. 

“So, how didja win?” Granny Smith said curiously. 

“Oh, I didn’t win.” Sandow said, causing everypony to look very confused. 

“I knew the owners of the public house. I had done some work for them, hunting down debtors and thieves. They owed me a favour. They put tincture of Elder’s Relief into the round of drinks for the gamblers.” Sandow said, his face furrowed. “I cheated.” 

“That’s… That’s… Why, that’s a laxative!” Granny Smith said, suddenly scowling, her wrinkled brow furrowing. Big Mac snorted in surprise and disgust. Applebloom stared, her eyes wide with horror, coming to a frightful realisation. 

“I don’t know what you mean.” Sandow said. 

“It gives ya the green apple splatters!” Granny Smith said in alarm. 

Sandow winked. “Yeah it does. And it did. After a few rounds, there were explosive results. I snatched up the mares and the coppers required for play, and I high tailed it out of town.” 

“You!” Granny Smith said, her voice low. “You! Yer a rotten apple. You fight dirty. And you stole those coppers.”  

Sandow hung his head, shame prickling along the base of his ears. 

“Good colt. Sometimes, a pony has to kick below the tail.” Granny Smith said, nodding wisely. “Buncha scum got what they had comin’.” 

Sandow smiled faintly, feeling better. 

“Yer still a rotten apple, and I have my eye on you.” Granny Smith said. “So what happened after that?” 

“We ran for a long time. They were scared of me. I owned them and they knew that I could do whatever I wanted to them. And they were too scared to run, worried what others might do to them. It was a rough part of the world. I didn’t lay a hoof on them though or make them do anything. I left them alone.” 

Sandow smiled sadly, his eyes watering. 

“I just let them be.” He said. “I kept them safe. I had to beat some manners into ponies that wanted to buy them and wouldn’t take no for an answer, and nearly killed a pony that tried to steal one of them. Eventually, we made it to nicer patch in the world. I had two nice mares that were starting to trust me, a big bag of coppers and even a few gold and silver coins, and all the cockiness I could muster.” 

Sandow yawned, unable to help himself. He was exhausted. And full. 

“I returned to my sire Thud and my dam Bailey Sweet for advice.” 

“Yer damn what?” Applejack asked, her voice angry. 

Granny Smith rolled her eyes. “Shush Applejack” 

“I settled down, stopped roaming, and bought an orchard.” Sandow said, yawning again. He felt his head droop. 

“Applejack, be a dear. Get him upstairs to his room before he falls over.” Granny Smith said, her voice soft. “Good night Rotten Apple.” She added, chuckling. 

Sandow struggled off of the bench, his hind legs finding it difficult to dismount the bench, and followed Applejack through the enormous house. She stood at the bottom of a flight of stairs, gesturing at him to go up. 

He climbed slowly, Applejack behind him, his hooves heavy on the wooden stairs. At the top of the stairs, she nudged him towards the left, and he turned down the hall. She stopped him in front of a door, pushing it open. 

“This is the bathroom.” She said, “If’n ya need to go.”

Sandow stared. He had no idea what the room was, or what anything inside of it did. 

Applejack stopped her hoof in frustration. “Dagnabbit, I forgot.” We’ll show you what this is later. If you have to need to let some water out, go outside. Or anything else for that matter. There’s scrub and bushes.” She paused for a moment. “Just don’t piss off of the porch like Big Mac. Stinks when the heat of the day hits it.” 

She escorted him down the hall, to a door at the end. It was open. She pushed him gently through the door.

He stood in the room, trying to take everything in. Cloth was everywhere. And glass. And wood. And furniture. More than one table. Lamps. And a bed, a very strange looking bed, but he could recognise it as a bed. Applejack gently shoved him over, causing him to fall onto the bed. Outside the window, the sun was setting, the sky was purple and orange. 

Sandow felt another yawn escaping. 

The bed replaced the sofa he had sat on earlier as the most comfortable thing he had ever rested upon. He felt his eyes grow heavy as something heavy was pulled over him. 

“This quilt is a little old, but it’s warm as all get out.” Applejack said after releasing the quilt from her teeth. 

His head was resting on something soft. He thought he could feel feathers. He didn’t know what it was, but it was soothing and somewhat cool against his cheek, standing out in contrast to the suddenly very warm bed and quilt. The feathers inside the cloth reminded him of his father’s wings when he was still very small. 

It had been a long day. A day lasting hundreds of years. He was tired. 

Sandow slipped into peaceful slumber as his distant relative kissed him goodnight. 
	
> Chapter 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Sandow awoke. It was still dark outside the window. He could see stars twinkling. He was warm, almost too warm, sleeping in the bed of some unicorn royalty. In a palace owned by farmers. He was very, very confused by everything. He felt the pressing need to go and thought about what Applejack had said the night before. 

He needed to go outside. 

He slid out from between the blankets, landing on the floor with a quiet thump. He walked as silently as he could along the wooden floor, trying not to wake anyone else. Down the hall, down the stairs, into a large room, and eventually he found the door leading to the outside. 

The house was large enough to get lost in. He kept finding small rooms, one of them stuffed with hats and bows. 

It was a little overwhelming. 

He leapt from the porch, clearing the wooden rail, trotting through the yard, and made his way around another building. He could hear the sounds of animals inside. Animals inside of a wooden house? His mind reeled. Perhaps this was a dream and he was still in stone. 

He finally found what he thought was good spot and lifted his hind leg, letting go, standing in the darkness, only the stars and moon witnessing his relief. 

There was only the faintest hint of a glow on the horizon. 

He was alone. He allowed himself a moment to feel his grief, there in the pre-dawn, as he wandered around in the dark, unfamiliar with his surroundings. There was a painful ache in his heart. He stepped carefully in the dark, trying not to trip over anything, his belly still feeling strangely full from the night before. 

Foals must not know hunger in this marvelous age, he thought to himself, the thought piercing through the blacker thoughts of his loss. It was almost comforting. Nopony must ever go hungry, or have to eat bark from the trees during the winter, eating grass from the earth in the summer, and whatever tender shoots could be found in the spring. Fall was a tough time to scavenge, but not as bad as the winter. Even the farmers lived in palaces. This was a marvelous age to be alive Sandow concluded. 

He trod carefully upon the porch, sitting down in a wooden chair. He eased himself in, settling back, making himself comfortable, watching and waiting for the glow to blossom into daylight. It would be nice to watch the dawn. A new dawn in a new era. How fitting. 

“I think you done woke the rooster.” Applejack said, her voice filling the cool dark with warmth. 

Sandow nearly jumped out of his skin, snapped from his reflections, his mixed feelings of awe and grief. 

“I done heard you goin’ down the stairs and I thought I’d check on you after giving you a private moment to take care of things.” Applejack explained. “Big Mac is as lazy as all get out. He waits till after the rooster crows a few times before he stumbles out of bed.”  The orange mare chuckled, it was almost a musical sound. “Short but hard day today.” Applejack announced. “Spring. No apples to buck. Still lots to do. The barn needs fresh paint. We’ll need some help getting out the ladders.” She paused, thoughtful in the pre dawn ambiance. “Scratch that. We have an airborne Apple. You can help paint the spots we can’t reach. Also, maybe you can help us out and oil that goldurn weathervane. It squeaks somethin’ awful when it turns in the wind. Been needin’ an oilin’ for quite some time. And Pinkie Pie will probably throw some kind of party later this afternoon. Brace yourself.” 

Sandow sat, overwhelmed by all of the words. 

“Let it out, a little at a time.” Applejack said softly. “You may have noticed a bit of a gap in the family, a bit of a gap between Granny Smith and me, my brother, and my sister. A little something missin’.” Applejack said, her voice softening, going lower. “Sometimes things happen. Things we can’t change. Things we ain’t got no control over. And life goes on, even if we ain’t a wantin’ for it to. And the best that you can do right now is just let it out a little bit at a time and try not to let it overwhelm you. It’s gonna hurt though, when it really settles in. I know it did for me. I think Applebloom took it the worst. She was small, and didn’t understand. And she didn’t want to be comforted. She just wanted things back to the way they were.” 

Sandow nodded silently. The glow was getting brighter. 

Somewhere, a rooster crowed, celebrating Celestia’s dawn. 

“I’ve found that the hard work helps.” Applejack said. “You get kinda lost in it, and the time passes, and yer all busy and the like, and you don’t have the time to feel sorry for yerself, and the pain only comes out a little bit at a time, and you continue on. Finally another day passes and you go to bed too exhausted to think about what yer missin’, allowin’ you to get some restful sleep. After a while it smoothes over.” 

Applejack was peering at him intently in the faint light, her green eyes glittering. “Big Mac and I, we made this farm what it is because of grief. We made things work. We made our parents proud and somehow, we managed without them. We love this place because it holds their memory. And everything we do here honours the dead.” 

Sandow sat, silently, listening to the animals waking up to face the coming day. Applejack had fallen silent. He hoped that she was not offended by his silence. He just didn’t know what to say. But her words were soothing. And remarkably similar to what his dam might say. 

The dawn broke, glorious, golden rays of light piercing what remained of the velvet night, setting the sky on fire with oranges, golds, radiant hues of colour that inspired hope and the promise of a new day. The rooster continued to crow, and the farm began to come to life. 

Applejack considered her silent relative, curious if she had discovered the source of quietness in Apple family males. It seemed oddly familiar. 

Sandow yawned, feeling the first warmth of the day beginning to creep into the air, his eyes still dazzled by the daybreak, the whirl of colours in the sky remarkably similar to his own burnt orange mane. 

“You don’t quite look like an Apple just yet.” 

Sandow looked down at the voice. Applebloom was sitting next to him, looking up, still looking quite sleepy. “Every Apple has a gift from somepony else that we treasure. We look after it. It makes us responsible. Like my sister and her hat.” She fell silent and took something in her teeth that had been sitting on the porch rail. She wrapped her forelegs around his neck, taking what was in her mouth into her hoof… Which still confused Sandow utterly. He had no idea how this was happening. He felt her forelegs moving, brushing up against him, as she was doing something. He felt the softness of cloth around his neck. He pulled his head back and looked down sharply. There was a large green bandana around his neck. 

“There!” Applebloom said triumphantly. “And I was able to tie a bow in the back so it’ll be easy to remove if you need to.” 

She admired her handiwork. “Green is a good colour for you.” 

Sandow agreed. It looked good. Green cloth with little bits of white forming some kind of pattern. A bandana, a word he had never heard before. He thought about the room full of hats and bows, and wondered if green bandanas would soon be added. 

“School today Applebloom.” Applejack said. “Weekend is over.” 

“D’aw…” Applebloom protested. 

Sandow felt the radiant warmth creeping into his bones. The edge of the sun was over the horizon now. He cleared his throat, a slow careful process, wanting his words to be perfect. 

“Thank you, for everything.” He said, using his best voice, the one he used for saying that he loved somepony, the one he spoke to his own filly in, the voice he used for his dam. 

“Don’t mention it.” Applejack said, nodding. She could hear the change in Sandow’s voice, and realised that there was a lot more behind the words, but she had trouble expressing what she had heard. She hoped her own words were enough. 

“My ma always loved the sunrise.” Applejack said, changing the subject. “She loved the colour orange. Like her coat. And my coat. Like her family name. She caused a bit of a scuffle fallin’ in love with an Apple. Eventually our two families got over the little tiff and came together. This was her favourite time of day. I can remember her sittin' out here with me when I was real small, waiting for the sun to come up, knowing that her family off in Manehatten was missin’ out on something real special. They aren’t ones for early rising.” Applejack drawled, remembering, her voice full of emotion. “Applebloom was born as the sun rose, a fresh new blossom to greet the sun, my father commented. Ma had held her in somehow through the night. She was stubborn. I’m glad that none of us turned out stubborn like her, would have caused us no end of trouble. We’re all very reasonable.” 

You can’t out-stubborn an earth pony, Sandow reflected. He felt the same way about himself. He didn’t always feel like a pegasus and had trouble relating to his father at times. He had always felt closer to his mother. Scratch that, Sandow thought. He could relate to his father at times, like when his blood got riled. Thud had been a soldier before settling down. Thud was a frightful melee combatant when he was angry. And so was Sandow. Sandow had earned coin with violence, just like his father had. But Sandow prefered the gentle silence and walking down new roads. Violence was a means to an end. It was better to watch the seasons change and see new life grow. Sandow hoped that this new age was free of all the trouble and violence he had known. 

He felt as though his wings were a fluke, a notion that he stubbornly clung to. He snorted at his own mental reflection. 

“I miss my ma.” Applebloom said. “but I’m glad I have my sister.” 

“I’m gonna go make breakfast.” Applejack announced, taking to her hooves and disappearing through the door. 

Applebloom continued to sit in the porch with Sandow. Birds chirped all around. Chickens had taken to the yard, hunting for bugs. They clucked and gossiped about whatever it was chickens had to say to one another. 

In the light of the new day, Sandow pondered the tasks ahead of him and hoped that he was prepared for whatever the day brought. 

The day before had lasted several hundred years. He hoped this one would be a bit more reasonable. 
	
	
> Chapter 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The party had simply been too much. The day had been too long, his feelings had been too overwhelming, and the party had simply been too much. Sandow had escaped and sought refuge in the quiet orchard, off to find some much needed quiet. Too much noise. Strange music coming from a strange box. Six mares had arrived, ponies he really didn’t know. He couldn’t keep track of it all, everypony talking, playing, singing, and all of the noise. And those three fillies... 

It had been too much. 

And now, Sandow sat, his haunches parked in the cool grass, trying to collect his thoughts. He wasn’t even sure if anypony had noticed that he had left. He had simply escaped quietly, in such a hurry that he had actually taken wing and flown away, something he rarely did. He had gone up the stairs to his room, and then escaped from the open window. 

He fell over and rolled in the cool grass, collecting his thoughts, smelling apple blossoms and feeling a little better. 

“They meant well.” Said a voice behind him. 

Sandow rolled over and sat up, looking at Big Mac. 

“They’re all a little squirrely, especially Pinkie Pie.” Big Mac said. “But they mean well. Good mares, all of them.” 

Sandow nodded. 

Big Mac sat down. 

They sat together in silence, watching bugs fly by, watching the grass grow, occasionally looking up at clouds. 

“So…” Big Mac said after a long while, “your wives. What happened?”

“I don’t know what you mean.” Sandow replied quietly. 

“Well, you said you left them alone. But you also had a foal and one more was on the way. So something happened. What?” Big Mac asked. 

“Big Mac, I’m sorry, but I don’t know if…” 

“Talk.” Big Mac said, interrupting. 

Sandow sighed. Big Mac was sitting beside him, close by. waiting patiently. 

“Let it out before it eats ya.” Big Mac said. 

Sandow took a deep breath. 

“We traveled together for quite some time. I made sure they were looked after. I fed them. I was nice to them. And I didn’t lay a hoof on them. They were scared. Far away from home. And they knew what was expected from them. They watched every move I made.” Sandow said, casting his eyes down upon the earth, looking at the grass. “We lived with my sire and my dam for a while. I had a large amount of coin. I finally settled on getting my own patch of land. I secured an orchard with apples and some other types of fruit trees. There was a little two room cottage on the land. Tiny. Small. Had a tiny window. No glass. A sod roof. And there was no door. Just a tattered sheet of waxed canvas weighted down with stones at the bottom. A little fire pit. It wasn’t much, but it was home, and it kept the rain off.” Sandow took a deep breath. “I let them sleep in the one little room the cottage had, away from me, where they would feel safe. I heard them crying a lot.” 

Sandow fell silent, unable to continue. His throat felt tight. 

“Keep goin’.” Big Mac urged. “We must remember those we love, not silence their memory.” 

“They tried to make themselves helpful. They cleared brush. A garden was planted. Root vegetables. And cabbages. Bluebelle fashioned a broom from twigs and kept the dirt floor clean. I taught them how to make fire by scraping flint against an iron shoe.” Sandow looked upward at the sky, his face pensive. “They settled in. And then one night, Bluebelle came out their room and told me that I could do whatever I had wished with her, provided I took her outside and out of earshot, but to please spare her sister.” Sandow’s ears drooped and he seemed embarrassed. “I sent her away, back into her room. She was very confused. And this continued for quite some time. She’d work up enough courage to offer herself up, but asked me to spare her sister. And I sent her away. She became quite frustrated with me I think.” Sandow paused and chuckled, somehow still sounding sad. 

“One night, Bluebelle approached me and began to shove me out the door, saying that it was time for this foolishness to end. She actually kicked me a few times, forcing me outside. We had a long talk. A very long talk. About everything. What she wanted. What I wanted. I didn’t know what I wanted. Bluebelle knew what she wanted. At some point, she started to have some feelings for me. And she told me that she would have the final decision about her sister after she had spent some private time with me.” Sandow gazed up at the apple blossoms, thinking, silent for several minutes. 

“It was very difficult, that first time. It didn’t go well. We fumbled around in the dark a bit, trying to figure out what to do, and when something finally happened, it hurt Bluebelle. I stopped right away. We’d only just began to figure things out and I hurt her. I ran away. I left her standing there, all alone, and I felt so awful for hurting her. I didn’t return home that night. I slept off in the orchard, feeling very very guilty. I had one chance at showing her that I was a decent enough husband and I had hurt her. It was the worst feeling in the world and all I could think about was how disappointed my dam would be with me hurting a mare. I didn’t know if I would ever be able to show my face at home again. I cried all night.” Sandow said, shame audible in his voice. He took a few long deep breaths, his gaze dropping back to the ground, his wings fluttering slightly. 

Big Mac said nothing, allowing his companion to be silent for quite some time, chewing on a long stalk of grass thoughtfully. 

“So I finally went home and I found  them both waiting for me, worried sick. Bluebelle and I couldn’t figure what to say to one another. I finally said that I was sorry, begging her for her forgiveness, saying that I would never touch her again.” 

“I take it she forgave you.” Big Mac said. 

“She called me an idiot for running off and scaring her, and started poking me in the chest with her hoof. She was really angry. And she wasn’t scared of me at all now. She knew she had me under her control. I could have just kept going after hearing her cry, but I didn’t. I couldn’t. And she had the upper hoof and she knew it. I’ve never been the sort to put a mare in her place. I suppose I learned it from my sire. He really loved my dam. He worshipped her. Did everything she asked.” Sandow turned his gaze skyward. “And my own mares realised that I was almost a gelding. Spineless. I wasn’t the scary stallion that they had spent all those nights being scared about.” Sandow shook his head. 

“She called me a big lummox and gave me a lecture. She chewed my ear off for what felt like hours. She told me that sometimes it hurts a bit that first time and that it had surprised her more than it had hurt her. And I was a big stupid foal for running off like that.” Sandow paused, chewing his lip, closing his eyes. “She also told me that she would trust me with her sister when the time felt right.” He exhaled sharply and opened his eyes. 

“Yer a good colt.” Big Mac said thoughtfully. 

“We finally got around to trying again. I still bolted when she cried again, but she coaxed me back and we tried once more after I had calmed down. It got easier with time. We became familiar with one another. She started to trust me. And I trusted her. We started to make a life together. Eventually, she trusted me with her sister, knowing that I’d be careful and gentle like I had been with her. Bluebelle finally started getting fat and eating a lot. She was beautiful.” Sandow began to sniffle slightly, his eyes welling with tears. “And not too long before Hawley finally came, Azalea began to get fat. And they were both very happy. And we all slept in the same room, in a pile. Together. I had my self a family and a farm. We had made it through the first winter, Hawley was coming soon, and it was spring.” Sandow began to sniffle some more, his breath catching in his throat. 

He heard a sniffle behind him and he froze. Panic gripped him. Forcing his head to move, turning around, and looking behind him, he saw six young mares, three young fillies, and one very old mare sitting in the grass and staring at him. All words died in his throat. They looked at him, all of them, eyes watery, ears drooping, none of them saying anything, waiting for him to continue. 

Big Mac cleared his throat. “Don’t go payin’ no attention to those ponies in the background.” 
	
	
> Chapter 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It was the dawn of a new day. The last day had been very embarrassing, and the day before that had been very long. Sandow wondered what awful thing would happen this day. His mood felt a bit more sour than usual. 

He didn’t like that. 

He was alone. He’d taken steps to make sure he was alone. He needed to be alone. He sat in the still quiet, all around him the darkness retreating, birds chirping, all of the indicators of serene pastoral bliss all around him. 

He didn’t feel like crying. Not yet. He was sad, he knew that, but he felt strangely at peace. 

He had cried plenty last night. He’d fallen asleep doing it. Granny Smith had hobbled into his room and had kissed him goodnight, saying nothing. Just simple kindness. Sandow was grateful. 

Today, he was supposed to talk to somepony about learning how to read and write. He knew how to count, but reading and writing were completely unknown to him. He couldn’t understand the importance of such a thing, but the Apple family had put their collective hooves down. And Applebloom had promised to help him. 

Sandow supposed the distraction would be good for him. He had found a surprisingly comfortable tree branch. The stars retreated overhead as the daylight took hold. 

With a nod and a snort, Sandow fell back to sleep. 

Sandow snorted and awoke. He heard a voice on the edge of his mind. A somewhat raspy voice. 

“Isn’t that a great branch for napping?” The raspy voice questioned. 

Sandow opened an eye and saw the rainbow coloured pony from yesterday. 

“A rare sight,” she commented, “seeing an actual Apple in a tree. Except for Applebloom, and I don’t know how she gets up there.” 

Sandow opened his other eye and stared at her intently. 

“I fall asleep on this branch all the time.” Rainbow Dash said, staring back at him. 

“Was I in your spot?” Sandow asked, somewhat apologetically. 

“No, not really. But I do sleep there a lot so I can bug Applejack when she comes through the orchard.” Rainbow Dash said. 

A silence began to build between the two.

“That was really nice of you, what you did for those mares. Fillies. Your wives. A lot of colts, er, stallions,  they wouldn’t have stopped. They would have just kept going not caring who got hurt.” Rainbow Dash said, hovering, and looking at him with a faint smile. 

Sandow intensified the silence with a raised eyebrow and drooped ears. 

“Well you said all kinds of stuff yesterday, and today you aren’t saying anything. What gives?” Rainbow Dash demanded. 

“That was private. Between Big Mac and I. I had no idea all of you were back there.” Sandow explained, somewhat sheepishly. 

“I’ve never seen Pinkie Pie that quiet for anything.” Rainbow Dash said. “Anyways, I came by wondering if you wanted to help out the weather team a bit. We’ve got a big storm to move in soon. This area is scheduled for rain.” 

“I can’t help you.” Sandow said. 

“Is it because you are embarrassed?” Rainbow Dash asked, concern on her face. 

“No.” Sandow said slowly, the first faint hint of a drawl taking seed. 

“Well then, why not? Pegasi help with the weather.” Rainbow Dash said, her voice becoming somewhat raspier with irritation. 

“I can’t.” Sandow said, as if that explained everything. 

“What do you mean you can’t?” Rainbow Dash demanded. 

Sandow sighed. He supposed this would come out sooner or later. 

“I can’t. I am unable to stand on clouds or kick them around.” Sandow heaved a sigh and looked skywards. “I’m an earth pony with wings. I have earth pony hooves.” 

“Oh.” Rainbow Dash said, the irritation falling from her voice, and something else replacing it. “We’ll, if you can’t, that’s OK. You should probably hang out here and help Applejack.” Her voice was filled with honest concern. “I gotta go.” 

And then she took off, flying away in a rainbow coloured blur. 

Sandow dropped out of the tree, landing on his hooves, and shook himself off. It took a moment to get his direction, but he headed back towards the house, on hoof, taking time to take in everything around him. He felt a little guilty about falling asleep. There was no doubt much to be done. It was almost noon. 

“Have a nice nap?” Applejack drawled as he approached the house. 

Sandow froze, saying nothing. 

“Aw shucks sugarcube, it’s just a little nap. You’ve had a rough go. Stop being so uptight. You’ll turn out like Rarity and get yerself a complex.” Applejack said, looking him in the eye. 

Sandow nodded. 

“You put me in a bad spot Sandow.” Applejack said, her voice low. 

“I’m sorry?” Sandow offered, not knowing what he had done. 

“I done had to explain some of the facts of life to my sister after what she heard yesterday.” Applejack drawled. 

Sandow stood there, utterly confused and bewildered. 

“Sandow, this is a different age. We explain this sort of thing to little fillies and colts. Try and save them from some embarrassin’ situations, like what you found yerself in. Applebloom had questions. I imagine Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo did as well. But I wanted to thank you. You taught them something, even if’n ya didn’t mean to do it.” 

“I did?” Sandow asked, perplexed. 

“Yeah ya did. You taught them quite a number of things. All good. We’ll talk about it sometime after dinner. Which is in a little while. Applebloom will be out of school in a bit, and should be home. And we’ll be eatin’ when she does. Miss Cheerilee will be along with her to have dinner and then you two will be gettin’ situated so you can learn yer letters. No slackin’ off ‘bout that, ya hear?” 

Sandow nodded, and then paused. He looked at Applejack. “How did you know I was napping?” He asked. 

“I done found you on Rainbow Dash’s tree branch.” Applejack drawled smoothly. “I saw ya up there and left ya be.” 

Sandow said nothing in reply. Instead, he sniffed. 

“Smellin’ that, ain’t ya?” Applejack said, sniffing with him. “Apple fritters. My favourite food. I done made a name for myself eating them.” 

Sandow’s stomach rumbled fitfully, causing Applejack to back away from him, her eyes narrowed with concern. 

“You sound powerful hungry. I’m goin’ to go tell Granny to make more.” Applejack, turning and leaving into the house. 

A brief time later… 

The family had gathered around the table, Miss Cheerilee joining them for the meal. Sandow noticed that she kept looking at Big Mac and smiling. Something was clearly up between the farmer and the school teacher. And it caused Applejack and Granny Smith no end of amusement to tease Big Mac. 

“Apple fritter?” Sandow asked, looking at the fried dumpling in front of him. It steamed. It smelled delicious, unlike anything he had ever smelled before. Sweet. Fragrant. Sandow found himself drooling. He took a bite off of the corner, chewed thoughtfully, and then ate the whole thing in a single chomp. 

Granny Smith nodded. “None of this namby pamby corner chewin’, a proper Apple just gobbles ‘em down.” 

“And there ain’t no pony that can eat more fritters than me.” Applejack boasted. “And I have the ribbons and the trophies to prove it.” 

“I bet I could.” Sandow said, watching as his plate was being filled. 

Silence fell over the room. Applebloom’s ears dropped, her eyes narrowed, and her head ducked low. 

Big Mac’s silence became suddenly amplified, becoming almost deafening. 

Granny Smith sucked in her breath sharply, almost causing her to choke on her false teeth. 

And Applejack sat with her eye twitching, the corner of her mouth jerking up and down in a frightful motion. 

“Is that so?” Applejack said, glaring at him. 

Sandow suddenly realised that this was serious. There was nothing playful at all about this exchange. He slowly came to the understanding that he had pricked Applejack’s honour. 

Sandow understood about honour. 

No backing down now, he thought to himself. Might as well throw down the horseshoe. He raised his head defiantly. “Applejack, mares are only so big. There’s only so much room. I’m bigger, I know I can eat more.” 

Big Mac hurried away from the table. “I’ll get to cookin’.” He muttered as he escaped. 

“Is that so?” Applejack repeated, her eyes narrowing dangerously, her teeth bared. “Applebloom, keep count.” 

Applebloom nodded, saying nothing, fear filling her face. 

Cheerilee realised she had picked a terrible day to visit to the Apple farm. 

Granny Smith shook her head sadly. “Sandow, yer ‘bout to get the stuffin’ kicked out of you.” 

Big Mac began cooking more apple fritters as his sister began to stretch her jaw. 

Sandow looked at the pile of fritters on his plate. He looked at Applejack. And began to realise that perhaps he had stumbled into something he shouldn’t have. Too late, he realised, he had just committed himself to something that he would probably have a story to tell about later. 

Applejack stuffed a whole fritter into her mouth, chewed a few times, and swallowed. She stared at Sandow, her green eyes glittering. She scowled. Sandow hesitated before he did the same, reaching down with his head, biting into a fritter, pulling it all in, and then gobbling it down. It was sticky and delicious. And still hot. 

And more were cooking. 

Applejack took up two fritters in her hoof, and jammed both into her mouth, an impressive display of Apple family determination. She chewed a few times, swallowed, and took a small drink of milk, leaving a faint white line on her lip. 

Two could play that game, Sandow realised. He opened up his mouth as wide as he could and took in four in a single bite, all attempts at good manners forgotten. Granny Smith made an odd sound, a sucking raspy wheeze, her eyes wide. Sandow chewed, fritters hanging from his mouth, gnawing away noisily on the fried dumplings. 

Applejack looked positively angry after Sandow’s reckless fritter gobbling display. She set to work cramming the fritters in, one after another, taking one in before one was swallowed. She chewed with disturbing alacrity. Sandow slumped slightly after seeing the rapid noshing. 

Sandow threw himself into his meal and ignored his saucy relative, focusing instead on his own plate. She couldn’t unnerve him if he didn’t look, he figured. He heard sizzling as more fritters were made. 

He also heard Applejack enthusiastically smacking her lips, loudly chewing on her fritters, going at it as noisily and possible. It was a sound that couldn’t be ignored. Sandow imagined that what he heard must be what it sounds like when a dragon eats a pony. It was a horrible sound. 

Sandow began to stuff fritter after fritter into his mouth in an impressive display of gluttony, using his wingtips to shovel them in, getting his feathers sticky. One, two, a chew, three, four, a chew, a few more, he strained to pull his lips back from his teeth, made a horking sound, and then managed to shovel in a few more for the impressive number of eight. He struggled to breath, struggled to chew, but somehow, he managed to get them down. 

The sounds of Applejack’s gobbling ceased. Silence fell upon the table. 

“Oh, it’s on now sugarcube.” Applejack said. “I didn’t know you’d fight dirty against family, Rotten Apple.” 

Sandow felt a guilty twinge for a brief moment. 

Applejack swallowed a whole fritter without chewing, washing it down with a gulp of milk. “You brought this on yerself!” She exclaimed, wiping her muzzle with her foreleg. 

“Granny, I’m scared.” Applebloom whimpered. 

“We’re all skeered youngin’.” Granny Smith replied. “This is gonna end badly, if it ends at all. We might see us a ‘sploded pony!” 

“I do not wish to see an exploded pony.” Cheerilee said, her school teacher sensibilities under assault by the Apple family drawl. 

Sandow flipped a fritter into the air with his wing and snatched it with his mouth. He swallowed with a gulp. 

“And now yer getting all fancy!” Applejack said, taking umbrage. “Applebloom! Fritter whip!” 

Applebloom rose from the table slowly, holding a fritter carefully in her teeth. She walked through the room, near the wall on the other side, tossed the fritter into the air, and then whipped her self around, smacking the fritter with her tail. 

It soared through the room, trailing sticky goo. 

Applejack snatched the high speed pastry projectile from the air with her muzzle and gulped it down. 

Cheerilee sat in awe of what she was seeing. 

The exchange continued for quite some time, Sandow and Applejack finding new ways to eat fritters, until that failed and they resorted to simply stuffing them down in desperation. It became a violent contest of wills, and nothing suffered more than the innocent apple fritters. 

“Murr affle fwitter?” Applejack asked, her muzzle coated in sticky sauce and crumbs. She was sprawled out over the table. Her eyes were glassy. She didn’t look well. Her belly was fat, protruding, and she clearly had trouble breathing. 

Sandow had fallen to the floor, laying on his back, unable to move. He was confident in his victory. He smacked his lips loudly, unable to goad Applejack about her loss with any spoken words. 

“Sandow has forty nine. A new record.” Applebloom said in a small scared voice. “Am I right Cheerilee?”” 

Cheerilee nodded, her face full of terror. She had never witnessed anything like this. Granny Smith’s warning about an exploding pony was fresh in her mind. She would have never thought such a thing possible, until now. Now, she was a true believer. 

“And my sister Applejack only has forty seven.” Applebloom said, ducking low, and hiding under the table.

“Oh dear…” Granny Smith said, looking concerned. “Jackie?” Granny Smith said, her wrinkled brow furrowing. “You gonna lie there like a limp noodle and take that?” 

Applejack lie there, unmoving, her breathing heavy. After a few minutes gathering her will, she leaved over on the bench, farted loudly, and then raised her head, looking at the tray of fritters in front of her. “Mmmbleblumb.” She mmmbleblumbed wordlessly. 

“Yeah Applejack?” Applebloom said, her voice full of worry, still under the table.  

“Uflufloo.” Applejack ufluflooed. 

“I love you too Applejack.” Applebloom responded. “I speak Apple Crumble Mumble.” Applebloom explained, coming out from under the table and looking at Cheerilee. “Are you gonna die Applejack?” 

Applejack didn’t respond. She raised her head wearily and gobbled four fritters rapidly. She chewed a few times, halfheartedly, and her head fell with a groan and thump. She belched, hoping that she wouldn’t be a ‘sploded pony. And then she belched again, fear crawling through her fritter addled brain. 

“That’s fifty one, a new record.” Applebloom said, nodding. 

A groan came from Sandow on the floor and he shook his head no. 

“Applejack, no ‘splodin’ indoors. You go on outside if yer gonna ‘splode.” Granny Smith warned. 

“How is Sandow going to get any work done this afternoon?” Cheerilee asked, being a practical pony. 

“He ain’t.” Granny Smith said, her green face looking sour. “Durn fool tried to take my grandfoal in a fritter eatin’ contest. Applejack is the fritter eatinest pony ya ever did see.” 
	
	
	

> Chapter 8
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Before I can help you, I’d like to know more about you.” Cheerilee said, settling into an overstuffed chair, and looking at the pegasus sprawled on the couch. 

Sandow shifted, feeling entirely too full, trying to get comfortable. An hour or two had passed, giving him time to recover. The family had retreated to the living room, as they called it, a room larger than Sandow’s old stone cottage. Applejack lay on another sofa, looking sullen. Victory had come at a price. 

“When Applebloom and I were walking here, she told me that you hunted down other ponies.” Cheerilee said. “I’ll admit. I am very curious as to why you would do that.” 

Sandow sighed. It seemed that more history was expected. He tried to collect his thoughts, his memories, recalling everything that he had lived through. 

“I’m sure there must have been a good reason,” encouraged Cheerilee, “but what about the law? Becoming a vigilante has strict punishment now.” 

Sandow squirmed, wondering how ponies now would judge him for what he had done back them. It was an uncomfortable thought. He tapped his forehooves together, looking pensive. 

“Please Sandow, I’d like to know and understand you better, so I can help you.” Cheerilee said again. “You have a unique view of history that I’d like to hear about. You were there. All we have now are books. And books aren’t always honest.” 

“Why learn to read if the books ain’t honest?” Sandow said, the small seed of a drawl blossoming into a delicate sprout. 

Nopony said anything for quite some time. Cheerilee looked worried. 

“Still important.” Cheerilee finally said, looking concerned. “Many books do tell the truth. Plus, there is pleasure in reading.” 

Sandow frowned. He wasn’t entirely pleased with the answer. 

Cheerilee looked at him pleadingly and Sandow felt a twinge of guilt. The mare was very kind to be helping him. 

“My sire, Thud, taught me how to fight. I learned from an early age, and I was a quick study.” Sandow began. “My dam, Bailey Sweet…” 

“Your damn what?” Cheerilee asked, interrupting, and looking quite upset.  

Why do ponies keep saying that, Sandow wondered. 

“His ma.” Granny Smith said, rolling her eyes. 

“That’s awful to say about your mother!” Cheerilee said. 

“Dam means mother!” Granny Smith explained in annoyance. “I called my own mother dam before ponies got all persnickety about it. Now keep going Sandow, I’m in the mood for a story.” 

“My dam, Bailey Sweet, taught me how to speak well. The gift of a silver tongue. I wasn’t gifted at it, like she was, but I was able to talk to ponies. Endear myself.” Sandow took a deep breath and then continued. “My talents lead me to find work. My first real job was returning a thief. I tracked him down, talked to ponies that knew him, and eventually found out where he was. I cracked his skull and brought him back to answer for what he had done.” 

Applebloom sat on the floor, entranced. She looked up, her eyes wide with wonder and adoration. 

“After that, I had lots of work. Ponies would hire me to bring back thieves and debtors. Eventually, I started hunting down ear biters.” Sandow continued. 

“Why hunt down another pony over a bit ear?” Applebloom asked. 

Sandow sat, silent, staring down at Applebloom. 

There was a sudden sharp intake of air from Applejack as she struggled to sit up. “Whoa Nellie!” 

Sandow waited, sensing something was about to be said, and he wasn’t sure if he was the one to say it. Silence settled on the room. Cheerilee looked confused, as did Applebloom. Granny Smith looked sad. Big Mac sat blankly. 

“Applebloom.” Applejack said, her tone cautious and careful. “Remember that long talk you and I had yesterday and I explained a few things to you?” 

Applebloom nodded. 

“Well, ya see Applebloom, if I’m pickin’ up on Sandow’s meanin’, an ear biter was somepony that made another pony do something they might not want to be doin’, against their will. Do ya understand?” 

Granny Smith nodded, her face creased with the wisdom of old age and hard times. 

Applebloom sat for a few moments, thoughtful, and then the dreadful realisation sank in. 

Cheerilee reached the same conclusion. She bit down on her lip to keep from saying something. 

“Ear biters did bad things.” Sandow said in a low voice. “They’d get hold of an ear and take control. Bite down. Many mares had torn and missing ears. It was a common problem. A mare with half an ear had a hard time finding a good husband.” 

“Which is why you reacted the way you did that night with Bluebelle.” Big Mac said, his voice deep and low. 

“My mares had perfect untouched ears.” Sandow said, his voice a rumbling growl. “My dam taught me better.” He sat, furious for a few moments, before continuing. “I’d get a name and a mark description from a family member. Or sometimes the mare herself. And I’d go off and find whoever did it and I’d bring them back to face the consequences. I had a knack for finding ponies. My dam’s gift of speech and my sire’s gift of combat served me well. I made a bit of a name for myself. A lot of times there was no coin to pay me. I took the job anyway, it was honest work that needed to be done. I didn’t fight fair and I didn’t fight with any sense of honour. Not with ear biters, anyway. I’d ambush them in their sleep, catch them unawares, or slip them something that would make them sick. And then I’d pummel them into a wet heap so I could haul them back to answer for what they did. I took my payment from whatever valuables my prey had. I made my sire proud. I wasn’t a soldier like he was, but I had my own battle. I brought in all manner of criminals to answer for what they had done.” 

Silence hung heavy in the room. Applebloom lay huddled on the floor. After a long stretch of silence, Applebloom went over and crawled up into a chair with her brother, seeking comfort. 

“I started young, which I suppose gave me an advantage.” Sandow said, finally continuing. I would go to collect somepony and they’d laugh at me when I told them what I was there for. They’d stop laughing soon enough. Hard to laugh when you are choking on your own teeth. And then I’d tie them up and drag them back. When I got a little older, I was able to fly sometimes. Eventually I traded for a set of hobbles. Hobbles didn’t work so well. I found it was easier to just break some legs. The chains snagged on everything as I drug them through the dirt back to where I started, back to the ponies that wanted them.” 

Cheerilee winced. 

“I never earned a mark for doing any of that though, so it wasn’t what I was meant to do. I found that I much prefered farming. And being married.” 

“You are so young.” Cheerilee said, her face puzzled. 

“Maybe now,” Sandow said. “But back then, I was an adult and almost halfway to old age and death.” 

Cheerilee stammered wordlessly. 

“Most ponies would die in their twentieth to thirtieth season.” Sandow said. “My sire and my dam had just reached their thirties. Old age, disease, bad food, the plague…” Sandow paused. “And so many mares died giving birth.” He shuddered visably. “Thud had trouble moving by the time Hawley was born. His joints were gnarled. And he had hot achy joints. My dam had aged well. She couldn’t have any more foals after having me and that was a blessing. She didn’t grow old right away like other mares did. She was still rather spry in her old age. She was able to care for my sire when the fevers took him and his bones ached.” 

“I’m over a hunnert years old.” Granny Smith said suddenly, causing Sandow to break down completely. His face twitched, and he seemed to be completely unable to take in what Granny Smith had said. “And when I was a filly, things weren’t too different from what Sandow lived through. We married young. We lived short lives. And we died young, well, some of us anyhoo. Most of my foal hood filly friends didn’t make it into their thirties. Many died giving birth. I was lucky. Had good wide birthin’ hips. I’m glad to see Applejack and Applebloom have my hips.” 

Applejack flushed from embarrassment and tried to become one with the sofa she sat on. She prefered to think of them as applebuckin’ hips. 

“I’d be an old mare.” Cheerilee said, looking down at the floor. 

“If you was lucky.” Granny Smith chided. 

“We take so much for granted now.” Cheerilee said. 

“Yeah ya do.” Granny Smith agreed. “Sandow and I know what a rough life is. But we’re old.” Granny Smith said with a wheezing chuckle. “Why, I’m still a spring chicken compared to him.” 

“Sandow?” Cheerilee asked. 

Sandow looked at the mare addressing him and gave a nod. 

“In exchange for learning how to read and write, do you think you could tell me more about the history of your time? I’d really like to know. The good things and the bad things. I feel like it would make me a better teacher.” 

“That seems fair.” Sandow said, nodding once again. 

“Thank you Sandow.” Cheerilee said. 
	
	
	
	
	
> Chapter 9
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Sandow drowsed on the comfortable branch he shared with Rainbow Dash. It was a little cloudy, birds chirping, a mostly perfect day. It was the weekend again, and Applebloom was out of school and off adventuring with her friends. He had been learning how to read and write. His grief came and went. The Apple family seemed to understand that talking about it helped. Sandow couldn’t help but conclude that life wasn’t too bad. He’d lost a great deal, but he had also gained quite a bit to make up for it. He drifted, in between sleep and wakefulness, thinking about the two mares that he loved, his foal, and the life that he had left behind. 

He snorted, still drifting in between sleep and the waking world. Warm sun shone on his pelt. The branch creaked a bit more now when he lay on it, he had been gaining some weight. He could feel his green bandana flapping in the breeze. 

His thoughts drifted and he thought again of Bluebelle and Azalea. Bluebelle’s warm smile. Azalea’s ticklish giggle and how easy it was to set her off. All it took was a touch. Hawley and her tiny body. He thought of the flood and his desperate escape, carrying all three of them on his back, struggling to fly. The wall of mud rushing down from the mountain.  

His leg kicked a bit and he heard his own soft cry in his ears, pulling him from his almost dreaming state. He heard the cry again, and began to wake completely. It was not his cry. He heard a loud shriek and bolted awake completely, falling from the branch and taking wing. 

Sandow awoke in a bad mood… 

He soared through the air towards the sound, hearing more cries, growing ever louder. And a roar. He flapped as hard as he could, heading towards the dark and shadowy wood called the Everfree. It had existed in his time, and it was still here even now. 

He saw Applebloom and Scootaloo running towards him, Scootaloo’s wings flapping wildly as she ran. Both of them were shrieking. 

His almost choked when he saw Sweetie Belle. She was in the claws of some horrible half owl half bear creature. It had her by one front leg, and one hind leg, and was getting ready to plunge its beak into her belly, eating her as though she was a wedge of watermelon. 

Sandow poured on as much speed as he could muster, eyes watering as he surged forward, getting closer, hoping he would make it on time. 

Sweetie Belle was almost in its beak now. 

At the last moment, he kicked both hind legs forward, sticking his hooves out, whipping his body around in the air, tucking in his wings. 

He collided with the owlbear, striking it in the groin. 

There was a keening wail that could be heard all the way into Ponyville. 

Sweetie Belle was flung as the owlbear fell backwards, felled by the airborne kick to the groin. She flipped through the air several times, screaming as she went. She landed roughly on her side, knocking the wind out of her. Scootaloo and Applebloom were by her side in moments. 

Sandow stood, wings flared, head low, snorting and scratching the earth with a forehoof. “Fillies,” he said, “go home.” He eyed the fallen owlbear warily. It had rolled over, on to its side, and was curled into a ball of pain, crying and moaning. 

The fillies didn’t need to be told twice. They ran, Applebloom carrying Sweetie Belle on her back, the strong little farm filly not even slowing down from her load. 

Sandow considered his options. He could fly away, but the owlbear might get up and go after the fillies again. Or somepony else. That wouldn’t do, he decided. 

The owlbear was slowly recovering, getting its legs underneath it, an angry growl coming from deep within its chest. 

Sandow gulped. It was big. So very big. And Sandow suddenly felt so very small. 

He knew he needed to have the owlbear’s attention. He needed it mad. Angry. So it would focus on him and not on the retreating fillies. 

“Motherplucker!” Sandow spat. Among winged creatures, there were no words more vile. The insinuation that you preened your own mother and everything that went along with that line of thinking was enough to infuriate almost anything. 

And it certainly worked on the owlbear. It rose up and roared. 

It turned and cast a baleful gaze upon Sandow, still roaring. 

Sandow extended a wing forward, and displayed the ancient pegasus symbol for war. He extended a central primary feather in a crude gesture. It was something his sire had warned him to never do unless he really meant it. 

The owlbear, being a winged creature, even though it did not fly, understood the gesture and let out a loud angry bellow. It was hunched over slightly, its dangly bits still hurting. 

It charged. 

Sandow took to the air. 

He circled around the enraged animal, staying out of reach, launching the occasional kick when he saw in opening. He pummeled the owlbear’s head, kicked its wings, and planted one really good kick into the middle of its back, right between its wings. 

It swiped at him, unable to connect. 

“Motherplucker!” Sandow said again, causing the creature to roar savagely. 

Sandow kicked a few more times. 

The last kick went wrong. He felt talons wrapping around his hind leg, claws digging in, sending horrible pain shooting up his leg. The owlbear began to whip him around. And around. The owlbear spun around and around, gripping Sandow by his leg, causing all of the blood to travel forcefully to his brain, making him dizzy, around and round he went, over and over. 

The owlbear finally let go, sending Sandow flying, hurtling through the air, crashing into a nearby tree, causing his body to collapse at all odd angles and unnatural motions. He bounced from the tree and skidded to the ground. 

The owlbear looked on as the annoying pegasus lay there, unmoving. It moved forward, ready to gobble down the groin smashing pegasus out of spite. 

Sandow struggled to his feet, shaking himself, trying to clear his head. “Oh…” said Sandow, “You want to fling ponies into trees?!” 

The owlbear paused. This did not end as planned. 

Sandow launched himself at the owlbear with his own roar, trailing blood behind him. 

He caught the owlbear by surprise, punching forward with a forehoof to the beak, causing the beak to crack and splinter, breaking off a section. The owlbear staggered backward and Sandow dropped to his hooves. 

He looked behind him, over his shoulders, and lined himself up for a kick. He extended both hind legs outward with every ounce of force he had, kicking the owlbear once again in the groin. 

The mighty creature fell over with a thump and cry, another wailing keen that reached all the way to Ponyville once again. 

Sandow spat out a lot of blood, and wiped his head with a foreleg. The back of his head was matting with blood. And he was angry. So very angry. He had woke in a bad mood, and then this happened. 

He launched himself at the owlbear with murderous intent. 

The owlbear struggled to regain its feet while the pegasus hammered away upon it, raining down blows with furious hooves that moved too fast. It covered its face with a foreleg, screeching, trying to shield itself from the endless assault. 

It swiped at the pegasus, wanting to sink in its claws, raking and slashing at the air. 

By lucky chance, it managed to snag a wing. 

Sandow suddenly found himself at the owlbear’s mercy once again. He was flung around wildly, shaken, his wing dislocated from its socket. Sandow cursed and sputtered from the pain. He felt himself being lifted high up into the air, swung around, feeling as though his wing was going to be torn completely from his body. 

He thudded into a tree and sank to the ground, feathers tearing from his wing as the owlbear lost its grip on him. He sat up, the owlbear’s crotch inches from his nose. He lashed out and pummeled with his forehooves, hammering away at the owlbear once again. 

The brutish creature retreated, shrieking with pain, its groin a glowing bed of coals, the pain blinding. 

The owlbear squeezed its eyes shut, hunched over, full of anguish. Both combatants forced into taking a breather. 

“There it is!” A raspy voice cried. 

The owlbear howled as suddenly all around him small hooves began to pound and kick at its body, the air full of swarming angry pegasi, pastel colours flashing, all angry. 

It swiped and slashed, trying to drive the pegasi mob away. It roared furiously. And when it realised that this was a fight that could not be won, and there was no easy meal to be had, it dropped down to all fours and ran away, punches and kicks slamming into its back as it retreated, angry cursing pegasi fluttering all around. 

“Sandow?” A familiar raspy voice asked. 

Sandow fell over onto the grass and lay there, gulping in deep breaths. 

“Sandow, say something. Just one word. And then go back to breathing. I need to know if you are OK.” Rainbow Dash asked, pleading. 

“Ugh.” Sandow said. 

There were pegasi all around him, looking at him, some standing, some hovering. 

“Don’t move Sandow, just stay down. Help is coming. Your wing looks really bad.” Rainbow Dash said, landing next to him. “I saw you punching the owlbear right in the twig and berries… It was awesome!” 

Sandow said nothing. He hurt all over. His head was beginning to throb. 

“Sandow?” Rainbow Dash asked. 

“What?” Sandow said weakly. 

“Something different about you Sandow.” Rainbow Dash said. “And its awesome.” 

Sandow said nothing as he kicked his legs out, trying to get comfortable. 

“You have a cutie mark Sandow.” Rainbow Dash said. 

“I do?” Sandow grumbled, his vision going double, causing the pegasi population in the area to increase dramatically. 

“Yeah ya do. It is a rotten green apple. There’s a worm sticking out of it. And it has wings.” 

“Oh.” Sandow said as he blacked out, slipping from consciousness. 
	
> Chapter 10
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Applejack looked at the colt in the bed with a strange sense of anger and pride. She sat there quietly, feeling conflicted, in a hospital room with her sister and her sister’s two friends. Sandow looked a little worse for wear she concluded, seeing his bandaged wing. And the dozen or so stitches just behind his right ear. The doctor had commented that Sandow was far more durable than the average pegasus and told her not to worry. Nurse Redheart had done much the same. 

She still worried. 

She had just found a new family member and she wasn’t ready to lose him just yet. Loss hit hard in the Apple family. And Sandow was definitely one of their own. She had seen his cutie mark. A rotten green apple with a worm sticking out of it. And wings. A tiny set of wings that mirrored Sandow’s own. 

Sandow began to stir, slowly moving, a groan escaping his lips. 

“Girls, I want you gone for a spell.” Applejack said, causing the fillies to whine and cry out. They left the room under protest. Applejack took a deep breath… 

“Sandow Rotten Apple, what in tarnation was you thinkin’ gettin’ into a slobberknocker with an goldurn thrice cussed owlbear you daggum fool?” Applejack said, letting her breath out in one long sentence. 

Sandow squirmed, wincing, Applejack’s voice ringing through his head. 

Applejack waited patiently, tapping her hoof on the wooden arm of her chair. 

“It was going to eat Sweetie.” Sandow said weakly, not opening his eyes. “Like a wedge of watermelon from the other night. Just bite right in.” 

“I know that already you jackass.” Applejack said, feeling remarkably angry. 

Sandow opened his eyes. “I had to do it. If I flew away, it might have gone after the foals again. I had to give them time to get away.” 

Applejack fell silent. She sat there for quite some time in her chair, She scowled. She glared at Sandow. 

“Applejack?” Sandow said, his tone pleading. 

“I was thinkin’ that maybe you had tried to commit suicide by owlbear when you had the chance. I was a bit peeved with you.” Applejack said, her voice low. 

“Oh.” Said Sandow, taking a deep breath. “I think I understand. I’m not that sort.” 

“Good.” Applejack said. “I’ll let it go. And I’ll try to forgive ya for being right stupid. Pickin’ a fight with an owlbear Sandow…” She shook her head. “Lucky you have witnesses, ain’t nopony ever goin’ to believe that.” Applejack cracked a faint smile. “I done heard what ya did, bustin’ that owlbear right in his acorns.” 

“Had to be done.” Sandow said. 

There was a giggle from the hall. 

“Girls, get in here. I know yer out there listening.” Applejack said. 

The crusaders burst into the room, all of them standing up on their hind legs, leaning on Sandow’s bed. 

“You saved us!” They said in unison. 

Sandow nodded, but said nothing. 

“What was you girls doing off in the Everfree anyhows?” Applejack inquired. 

“We visited Zecora and said hello. We was comin’ back when the owlbear ambushed us.” Applebloom explained in a drawl. “Came out of nowhere and we took off a runnin’.” 

Applejack nodded. 

“We found Rainbow Dash in the orchard, near her tree. She was getting ready to take a nap. We told her what happened.” Scootaloo said. 

“It was going to eat me!” Sweetie Belle said. “I was almost gobbled.” She squeaked. “I didn’t want to be gobbled.” She finished with a whine. 

“You owe me a story.” Sandow said to Applejack. 

“I do?” Applejack said, suddenly afraid of what sort of story Sandow might ask for. 

“I think so.” Sandow said. “I’ve told you some stories. And now I’m in this bed, hurting, and a little comfort might be nice. 

“I reckon so.” Applejack said. “What sort of story you want to know about?” She tensed, waiting.

“How did you get your mark?” Sandow asked. 

“Aw shucks Sandow,” said Applejack heaving a sigh of relief, “I can do that.” She smiled. “I decided to go a wanderin’ when I was a filly, and see what the big city was like. I went to see family. The Orange side. In Manehatten. It was uncomfortable and ponies was rude. They made fun of the way I talked. All the food there was funny and weird. They made me wear my hair up all froo froo like. I got lonesome. Powerful lonesome. I hated the city. I came home as fast as my legs could carry me. And I got my cutie mark. I done been here since.” Applejack nodded a few times, smiling. 

Sandow smiled. “Not much of a story.” 

“Well, there was one time I fought a chimera in a swamp full of flamin’ geysers.” Applejack said. “Had to go rescue Applebloom cause she went off and did somethin’ right foolish.” 

Applebloom squirmed in embarrassment. 

“Now that’s a story I want to hear.” Sandow said. 
	
> Chapter 11
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Sandow sat, in the Apple family living room, in a chair, staring at a primer that lay on a table in front of him. It was full of words. Words he couldn’t quite make out, but he was trying. He was starting to recognise letters. It had been one week since the owlbear fight. His wing was still bandaged, and he was still in a lot of pain, but having a mark made it worth it. Or, a cutie mark as Applejack insisted on calling it. 

Applejack came through the door, followed by Twilight Sparkle. They both nodded in hello, Applejack sat on one sofa, and Twilight sat on the sofa closest to him. They both looked very pleased about something. 

“Sandow, I have something to share with you.” Twilight said. “I have very good news that will make you happy. I hope.” She smiled warmly, gazing at him fondly, and then exchanging a glance with Applejack. 

“Sandow, yer gonna love this.” Applejack said, happiness barely contained in her voice. 

Twilight Sparkle pulled out a thick ledger and opened it. “I had to fetch this from the royal archives. The original scroll was smudged and hard to read. Turns out we’ve had to read this particular lineage before. Are you ready?” Twilight Sparkle asked. 

Sandow took a deep breath and nodded. 

“It says here that Sweet Potato Pie married two young fresh faced and untouched mares named Hawley Apple and Honeysuckle Flower. It is also noted that Hawley and Honeysuckle were both sisters, offspring of Sandow Apple and his two wives, Bluebelle Flower and Azalea Flower, sisters. This account was added posthumously by Oliver Apple, offspring of Hawley Apple, and witnessed by Oliver’s sister, also from Hawley, Upton Pyne Apple, Mayor of Crossroads Mill in the county of Unicorn Range. Oliver Apple was highly educated and was the town’s historian. Upton Pyne Apple had foals, and those foals had foals, and eventually this bloodline leads directly to this bushel of Apples right here at Sweet Apple Acres. Honeysuckle’s foals kept the Pie name, as the Flower clan sank into some amount of disgrace due to a large amount of debt. So this is the common bond that links both the Pie family and the Apple family. I’m going to have to tell Pinkie Pie later.” Twilight closed the book and sat smiling. “The record also mentions Thud and Bailey Sweet Apple, added posthumously.” 

Sandow took a deep shuddering breath. To his credit, he didn’t lose his composure right away, he sat there, a faint smile, feeling a sense of comfort in knowing that his foals had survived. And done well for themselves. After several moments of silence, he finally lost it, tears coming even though he struggled to hold them back. 

The mares said nothing, allowing Sandow his moment of grief. He wept for a while, still smiling somewhat, his face an odd mix of sadness and relief. He took many deep breaths, taking it all in, realising he was sitting in a room with one of his own great something something grandfoals. The thought struck him particularly hard. He gazed at Applejack. 

“I ain’t callin’ you Granpappy Apple” Applejack said, reading his mind. “Ain’t no way, ain’t no how. That’d just be weird.” Applejack paused, looking thoughtful. “But Pinkie might. So brace yerself.” 

Sandow nodded, his smile getting a little stronger. He cleared his throat a few times, and then turned his gaze upon Twilight. “Thank you.” He said, his voice having more than a bit of a drawl. “I really do appreciate this.” 

“Oh, and before I forget, in Ponyville, there is mare named Lilly Valley. One of Honeysuckle’s descendants. I’ll have to introduce you two sometime. Be careful though, she spooks easily.” Twilight smiled broadly, glad that her hard work had uncovered something meaningful and was appreciated. 

“So Pinkie and I really are related.” Applejack said. “There’s hard proof of that now. I’m glad about that. I was hopin’ to get this mess sorted out one day.” 

Twilight nodded and took a deep breath. 

“Upton Pyne Apple was the first earth pony to ever hold the office of mayor in the Unicorn Range. Usually, unicorns took the government jobs. Seems the ponies remember her fondly. She brought sweeping social change. She brought law and order. She ordered a library built in the nearby farming community where a lot of earth ponies lived. She started with nothing in her life and made a name for herself, changing the world around her, Oliver always at her side. Oliver took inspiration from Smart Cookie, proving that an earth pony could be just as educated as a unicorn, even if they have to work harder in their studies because they do not have magic to manipulate books and an easier means to write. Oliver said he owed his gentle demeanor to his father, Sweet Potato Pie, a gentleman farmer who was also well educated and well spoken. Oliver left a lot of his own history behind. His mother Hawley, told him stories that Bluebelle had told her about you, Sandow Apple. How gentle you were, kind, patient, a well intentioned stallion. Oliver regretted that he never knew his grandsire.” Twilight said.

Sandow sat, taking it all in, a few tears still flowing, his breathing slow and measured. 

“A lot of your offspring went on to become memorable ponies. There’s a long list of mayors, sheriffs, judges, lawmakers, writers, historians, and the ponies that founded Ponyville, all coming from your lineage. The Apple family has a long and proud history, and you were one link on a much longer chain that connects the past to the present.” Twilight continued. 

“And,” added Applejack, “you can see where the Pie family gets their flakey crusts.” She chortled at her own joke. “Really, Sandow, what was you thinkin’ pickin’ a knockdown drag out fight with an owlbear of all things?” 

Sandow shrugged, still looking a little damp. 

“Zecora told me there was a bowlegged owlbear wandering the Everfree near her home.” Twilight said, a ghost of a smile on her lips. 

“Cheer up Sandow. I know yer sad now, but take some comfort in the fact that yer foals lived on and you’re here to look after their foals. You didn’t skip out on them, you just went forward a bit to look after their foals.” Applejack said, her face slightly confused as she tried to think about what she had said. “Er, somethin’ like that anyhoo. Yer here now, can’t change that, and Applebloom would have lost one of her best friends. Things worked out.” 

“Thanks Applejack.” Said Sandow. 

“Oh, Sandow, one more thing. Big Mac and I are going to be real busy for the next few days. A travelin’ dance teacher has come to town and Applebloom wants to join her friends in tryin’ to get a cutie mark in dancin’. Do you think you could escort Applebloom to town and back for me?” Applejack asked, her tone hopeful. 

Sandow nodded. Anything for family. 
	
> Chapter 12
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Three fillies walked down the lane, a pegasus in tow. He trailed along behind them, stopping, taking time to smell the flowers and look at little details. This frustrated the fillies, because they were in a hurry. There was a dancing cutie mark at stake. 

Sandow, for his part, was content to stroll along slowly. Since the owlbear fight, life had changed a bit. And the revelations about his family. His grief was occasional now, a passing spell, something that only bothered him every once in a while, and Sandow had concluded that there was still too much life left to live. Too much to see. Too much to do. Like spend time with fillies. Life would go on, with him or with out him, so he had chosen to go along with life and see where it led. 

“Hurry up Sandow.” Scootaloo urged, leading the way. 

“He has a busted wing.” Applebloom said, frowning at Scootaloo. 

“A wing. Not a broken leg. We’re not flying.” Scootaloo said impatiently. 

“Just what is tapdancin’ anyhoo?” Applebloom asked. 

“You tap your shoes,” said Sweetie Belle, “and make music with your hooves.” 

“Oh.” Said Applebloom. 

“I can do that.” Sandow said, gazing off into the trees along side the road. 

“You can tapdance?” Scootaloo said. 

“I don’t know about that.” Sandow said. “My sire called it clatter cantering. A combat trick when you are on the ground. Distract your enemy with your hooves, forcing them to look down. Plus, a light step and quick movement keeps a pegasus alive in combat. I suppose it is still dancing though.” Sandow’s drawl was starting to blossom. He paused and did a little shuffle step in the dirt. “My sire said I was light on my hooves.” 

Sweetie Belle nodded. “You are.” 

Eventually, they stood on the edge of Ponyville, it was late afternoon, and many ponies were out to enjoy the spring sunshine. 

“Winter wrap up winter wrap up…” A pony sang as they trotted by. 

“That song is too durn catchy.” Applebloom said. “One pony starts and then the whole town stops to join in.” Applebloom shot a look of annoyance at Sweetie Belle, who had begun to hum to herself. “Cause tomorrow spring is here.” Sweetie Belle finished. 

“Hey Scootaloo, ya remember when we had that sleepover and you dreamed you were eating marshmallows and you woke up and you were chewing on Sweetie Belle?” Applebloom asked with a wicked smile. 

Sweetie Belle immediately blushed. “Oh that’s fighting dirty ‘Bloom.” 

Scootaloo froze, blushing. ‘What’d I do to deserve that?” 

“Nothin’, but Sweetie needed a reminder.” Applebloom said. 

“You and your sass.” Scootaloo replied, continuing forward. 

Sandow chuckled and followed after the fillies, his thoughts drifting, the sounds around him fading into the background. He still marveled at the wealth in the town, even after learning that some ponies that lived here were considered poor. And had to work hard to keep what they had. Clearly, the definition of poor had changed at some point. Ponies seemed to have a lot more free time. Sandow remembered working from sunup to sundown, and there was always work to do. Now, ponies worked a few hours a day, and spent the rest of the day doing other things. Buying stuff. Sitting around. Being idle. Having fun. Taking dance lessons. It was a strange time to be alive, Sandow thought to himself. Of course, there had always been those ponies that wanted a life of leisure and took it at others expense. Thieves. Claim jumpers. Foalnappers. Sandow had seen it all. It seemed now that a life of leisure was possible without having it at the expense of others. Ponies made a living now doing all kinds of things. Like making candy. Giving dance lessons. Planning parties. Making frilly dresses. The last one baffled Sandow. Wearing clothes? Ponies didn’t need clothing. Minotaurs wore clothing and had their strange nudity taboo. 

Sandow realised he didn’t know what poverty was anymore. He looked around him, trying to take it all in, and failed. The world was confusing and strange now. He wasn’t so sure that it was better. Did ponies even realise how good they had it now? Did they appreciate what they had? Was there gratitude? Did they take all they had for granted? All of them walking around, with nothing better to do, most of them in perfect health, some of them even rather fat, with so much food that some ponies threw it away. 

Sandow suddenly felt very small and confused. A strange sense of disorientation struck him, and he lacked the words to describe what he was feeling. 

“Sandow?” a voice said. “We’re here.” 

Sandow looked down at Applebloom and collected himself. 

“You okay Sandow? You did hit yer head pretty hard. That tree has a dent in it. We looked.” Applebloom said, concerned. 

“I’m fine.” Sandow said. “The town is just a lot to take in still.” 

Applebloom nodded, looking unsure. 

There was a wagon in front of them, the sort of house wagon that you could sleep inside if you had a mind to. It was a gaudy shade of purple. There was a sign on the side. Sandow studied it intently, trying to make out the letters. He couldn’t read it, but he tried anyway. 

“Flickershine’s school of dance.” Applebloom said helpfully. 

Sandow nodded. 

A unicorn stood by the wagon. She was a pale frosty shade of blue, with a two tone lavender and maroon mane. She was looking at them. 

“We want lessons.” Sweetie Belle said. 

“All of us.” Scootaloo added. 

“Well, three of us.” Applebloom finished. 

The unicorn nodded. “My name is Flickershine,” she said, “and I would be happy to teach you. For bits. I ask five bits a lesson, just like the sign says.”  

The fillies nodded. “In my bag.” Scootaloo said. “We have forty five bits. Our life savings. We want more lessons though I think, and hope to trade.” 

Flickershine nodded. “We can work out a trade for useful things. I could always use a comfortable place to stay, a bathtub, and food.” 

“I think we can do that.” Applebloom said, nodding. 

“I think I can teach you.” Flickershine said. 

“Rarity has an extra room. She told me you might want a place to stay.” Sweetie Belle said. “And she has an enormous bathtub.” 

Flickershine smiled warmly. 

“You have a strange cutie mark.” Scootaloo said, looking at Flickershine’s cutie mark. It was a horseshoe and a music note, merged together, with note heads protruding from the ends of the shoe. 

“I dance. That’s my talent.” Flickershine said. 

“I’m Applebloom.” Applebloom said, introducing herself. “And that’s Scootaloo,” she said, pointing at Scootaloo, “and that’s Sweetie Belle,” she said, pointing at Sweetie Belle. 

“And who is tall and lanky here?” Flickershine asked. 

“My great great great great great and maybe a dozen or so more greats grandfather.” Applebloom said, causing Sandow to stammer. 

“Looks good for his age.” Flickershine said, smiling. 

“There is a really funny story about it.” Applebloom said. 

“I’ll trade a dance lesson to the three of you for that story.” Flickershine said. 

Sandow stood there, still stammering. 

“And he picked a fight with an owlbear. Kicked it right in the acorns and got his cutie mark. Honest.” Applebloom said. 

Flickershine raised her eyebrow. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo nodded. 

“He got a cutie mark for kicking something in the twig and berries. I wonder if I should try that.” Scootaloo said thoughtfully. “I wonder if Rumble would forgive me?” She added, mostly to herself. 

“Are you fillies putting me on?” Flickershine asked. “Cause the first story was kind of cute, but now I’m getting suspicious.” 

“My sister is the Element of Honesty, and saviour of Equestria. Wanna come meet her?” Applebloom said, wide eyed. 

Flickershine sighed. “Everywhere I go, I meet strange ponies. This is why I live on the road.” 
	
	
	
	
	
	
> Chapter 13
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Applebloom was sore. She lay in her bed, too tired to even be sassy. Her hooves hurt. And she didn’t have a cutie mark in dancing. Sweetie Belle didn’t have a cutie mark in dancing either, but she was a much better dancer. Scootaloo had four left hooves, but refused to give up. 

Flickershine was a patient teacher. She had several other students, but kept her classes small so she could manage her students better. Applebloom took a deep breath and wondered if Flickershine really saw any potential. Applebloom wanted to believe there was potential. Even if she didn’t have a cutie mark. Dancing was a lot of fun, and Sweetie Belle seemed to be having the time of her life. 

Sweetie Belle was good at entertaining, Applebloom realised. Singing, dancing, theatre, Sweetie Belle had a knack for putting on a show. Scootaloo was athletic. Applebloom didn’t know what she was. Her brow furrowed. 

Applejack was downstairs talking to Flickershine, working out some kind of trade for lessons. Applebloom heard the occasional bit of laughter floating up the stairs. 

Sandow had been walking her to her lessons, and then sat and waited for her, watching, sometimes nodding with approval. Three lessons so far, as much as she could pay for with her savings, and Applebloom really wanted to keep going. Which was odd for her, she realised. She usually gave up and lost interest when she didn’t get what she wanted. 

Which was a cutie mark. 

Howling laughter came from downstairs and Applebloom wondered what was up. Applebloom continued to stare upward at the ceiling. She was so tired that she didn’t even notice when she nodded off to sleep… 

The day was sunny, bright, and pegasi were overhead busting clouds. Applebloom walked down the road, Sandow at her side, her friends walking with her. More lessons had been secured. 

Flickershine had secured the use of the town’s stage, which now loomed before them. The large wooden structure wasn’t decorated and a bit of a crowd had gathered to sit in the grass and watch. 

Flickershine was sitting in the grass herself, resting, having taught several lessons today already. She was wearing a pair of shocking yellow sunglasses and holding a drink in her magic, sipping through a straw. She nodded when she saw the fillies. 

Sweetie was the first on the stage, smiling out at the audience and Scootaloo followed. Applebloom paused, remembering their disastrous school play performance. She cringed in embarrassment. She mounted the stage and took her place by Sweetie Belle. 

Flickershine warmed them up, making them repeat simple moves, hooves tapping on the wood, beating out a staccato rhythm, front hooves and hind hooves working at different paces to produce a harmonious sound. Or the attempt at harmonious sound. Scootaloo sounded like an armored pegasus falling down a flight of stairs. Sweetie Belle was concentrating, her tongue dangling out, her lips pursed together. Applebloom just tried to keep pace. 

Flickershine was matching their moves effortlessly, driving them on, encouraging them with kind words. She hadn’t even set her drink down and her glasses stayed upon her face. 

“Applebloom tells me that you can dance Sandow.” Flickershine said, calling out. 

Sandow nodded, but said nothing, watching the fillies. 

“Care to come up here and try it?” Flickershine asked. 

Sandow shook his head no, going for the silent approach, which seemed strangely familiar to onlookers. 

“Free lesson for the three fillies if you do.” Flickershine said. 

Sandow froze as three fillies looked at him with pleading wide eyes. “Oh that’s dirty…” he muttered, more than a little drawl in his voice. 

After a few moments, he mounted the stage and approached the group. He stood there, looking out at the crowd, feeling more than a little concerned about the eyes staring at him. 

Flickershine set down her drink and took off her glasses, revealing her blue eyes. She looked up and down at Sandow. “How is your wing? Think you could dance a little without bouncing it too much?” 

Sandow shrugged. 

Flickershine took a stuttering step and clacked her hooves in a simple prance, ending with a little flourish, tossing back her head, whipping her mane. 

Sandow copied the move, mostly, ending with no flourish, just standing there. 

Flickershine pranced again, kicking her hind hooves out a bit in different directions, and clicked her front hooves together in between clattering them on the stage. 

Sandow copied her moves, mostly, missing only a few steps, his mistakes coming from a lack of practice rather than a lack of skill. 

Flickershine nodded, impressed. “You are a wonderful dancer.” She said. 

Sandow noticed the three fillies were staring at him. He grinned sheepishly and began to back away. “I don’t want to take their time away from them. I hope I earned them a lesson.” He said, retreating. 

Flickershine nodded. “I hope you and I will dance again stranger.” She asked. 

Sandow tapped his hooves a few times in a shuffle step as a final gesture, ending with a powerful stomp as a flourish. He also noticed that the crowd was staring at him. He felt an odd sensation. Fear. He quickly pranced off the stage, down the stairs, and resumed his spot in the crowd as an observer, not the main attraction. 

“Dance is all about beauty.” Flickershine explained to the fillies. “Observe.” 

She began to dance, her hooves moving blindingly fast, motes of light exploding from her hooves, and she began to flicker, rapid fire winking, blinking around the stage, dancing in one spot for a moment, and then vanishing, appearing to dance in another place, only to disappear again. The sound and the lights were dazzling. She made music as she danced. Beautiful music. 

The crowd cheered. 

Flickershine stopped suddenly. “Now keep practicing. All of you have talent. Even you Scootaloo.” 

Sweetie Belle picked up her hooves and went to work. “I’m going to learn how to do that even if it kills me.” She said with a huff, kicking her hooves out, thumping out a rhythm on the boards. “I bet I could sing while I’m doing it too. And I bet my sister could make me pretty dresses to dance in. I’ll be famous.” She puffed. 

“Scootaloo, be a pegasus. Stop trying to think about it, and let your body move. Pegasi have their own rhythm. How do you think they fly through stormclouds so gracefully? Commit themselves to battle? Stop thinking so much.” Flickershine smiled a dazzling smile. 

Scootaloo closed her eyes and went to work, her timing improving slightly. 

Applebloom plodded on, always the draft pony. This was just more hard work in a life of hard work. And it wasn’t so bad. She found herself almost in time with Sweetie Belle while Scootaloo continued to tap to the sound of her own drummer. Applebloom groaned inwardly, thinking about how sore she was going to be tonight. 

As she danced, she couldn’t help but notice that Flickershine kept stealing glances at Sandow, now that her sunglasses weren’t there to hide her efforts. Applebloom smiled. She hoped she could get more free lessons out of this somehow. 
	
> Chapter 14
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Hey girls, I’ve been thinking…” Applebloom began. 

“I thought I smelled smoke.” Replied Scootaloo.

“Zing!” Giggled Sweetie Belle. 

“No really, I think we should do something nice for Sandow.” Applebloom said. “He’s had a rough go at things.” 

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo waited, attentive, Scootaloo’s wings buzzing slightly. 

“Have you noticed how Flickershine looks at Sandow? I think she kinda likes him. We should try and bring them together.” Applebloom said, looking thoughtful. 

“Because that worked out so well the last time.” Sweetie Belle said. 

“Well, now we know what not to do.” Applebloom said. 

Silence fell upon the treehouse. 

“It could get us some free dance lessons.” Applebloom said after a few moments. 

“I’m listening.” Sweetie Belle said, suddenly gaining interest. 

“Sandow is a bit shy. We need to bring those two together somehow so they can talk. So Flickershine can see how sweet Sandow is.” Applebloom said. “Sandow has lost everything. We need to give him something back.” 

“He has us.” Sweetie Belle said, feeling a sudden streak of maturity. “But a few more dance lessons might be nice.” The streak of maturity vanished without a trace, never to be seen again for a very long time. 

“I dunno, I kinda wanna see him pick a fight again.” Scootaloo said, rubbing her hooves together. 

Sweetie Belle and Applebloom practiced their synchronised eye rolling, something they were becoming quite good at, having spent so much time with Scootaloo. 

“You know, the last time didn’t turn out so bad. Cheerilee and Big Mac spend a lot of time together.” Applebloom said. “We just need to leave the love poison out this time.” 

Sweetie Belle nodded. 

“We should get a cutie mark for learning from our past mistakes.” Scootaloo said, suddenly feeling very wise. “Which reminds me, this meeting was called together today to discuss what to do next for cutie mark crusading. I think we should try dragon egg sitting.” 

The wisdom almost made an audible sound as it fled out the window of the treehouse, never to return, dragging good sense along with it, eloping to Las Pegasus. 

“That’s a good idea Scootaloo.” Applebloom agreed. 

“So where do we find a dragon with eggs we can egg sit?” Sweetie Belle asked. 

Scootaloo shrugged. 

“Maybe we can check the Everfree?” Applebloom said excitedly. 

Scootaloo clapped her hooves excitedly. “If we do that and we’re lucky, we can watch Sandow pick a fight again. And maybe Rainbow Dash will get involved. And there’ll be a big fight and lots of punching and kicking…” 

“Shush Scoots.” Applebloom said, cutting Scootaloo off. “I don’t want Sandow getting hurt again. Or Rainbow Dash.” 

Scootaloo fell silent, looking dejected. 

“You know girls,” Sweetie Belle said, trying to cheer up Scootaloo, “one day soon we really should try base jumping from Canterhorn Peak.” 

Scootaloo nodded enthusiastically as Applebloom nodded, grinning with excitement.  

Elsewhere, in the Apple family farmhouse, Sandow sat at the kitchen table with Cheerilee and Applejack, struggling to learn how to read and write. He sat, scowling, rubbing his head with his hoof. Cheerilee gently pushed a paper in front of him, and then pointed to a group of objects. 

“I want you to write down what these objects are.” Cheerilee said, smiling. 

“I know what the objects are, I can tell you what the objects are, why should I write it down?” Sandow asked. 

“What if I wasn’t here and I needed a list from you? You’d have to mail me a letter.” Cheerilee said. 

“Or just fly to wherever you went off to and tell you my self.” Sandow said, causing Cheerilee to snort in mild frustration. 

“Sandow.” Applejack said, her voice firm. “You are goin' to learn how to read or write, or I am goin' to drag you outside and thump the fire outta you, and afterwards, I’ll leave you tied up and hangin' from a tree for a few hours so you can have yerself a good think about bein' an example for Applebloom.” 

Sandow cringed and Cheerilee’s mouth fell open in shock. 

“You wouldn’t.” Cheerilee said. 

“Oh, I would. Honest.” Applejack said. 

Sandow picked up a pencil in his lips and scribbled something on a sheet of paper. Cheerilee watched his efforts curiously, her brow furrowing, her ears perked forward. 

After a long time of scratching, Sandow sat up straight and dropped the pencil. 

Cheerilee looked at the paper. She saw a lot of scratched out false starts, a few scribbles, and, near the middle, some words. 

“Tings I doo fur famly.” 

Cheerilee nodded, seeing progress, smiling. “Very good. I am impressed.” 

“Hah!” Sandow said, causing Cheerilee to look at his curiously. “I intentionally spelled ‘do’ wrong just to see how you’d respond. I suspect I’m being led on.” 

Cheerilee tittered and Applejack chuckled. 

“So you do know how to spell.” Cheerilee said. “I’ll keep that in mind. No more going easy on you.” 

Sandow frowned. “That didn’t work out as planned.” 

Cheerilee smiled and nodded. “I’ve been teaching for a long time. I’ve had students of every stripe.” 

Sandow picked up his pencil and began to scribble again, a look of intense concentration upon his face. He sat there for several minutes, scratching away, his ears wiggling from focus, his eyes crossing several times as he struggled to see what he was doing. After a good while of effort, he set his pencil down. He shoved the paper back towards Cheerilee. “I went with things I know, like you told me.” He said, smiling faintly.

Cheerilee and Applejack looked at the paper. 

“Bluebel” was scrawled carefully, followed by “Azala.” There were a few rough scratches where mistakes were made, and then the word “Hawly” was carefully written out in loopy script. Beneath those were two more words. “Thud” and “Baaly Swete.” 

“Did I make any mistakes?” Sandow asked, looking concerned. 

“Only a few.” Cheerilee said. “But I don’t care about those right now. I’m proud of you. You’ve been paying attention.” 

“I’ll be durned.” Applejack said, looking at the paper. “I don’t remember you learning these words. 

“I figured them out on my own.” Sandow said, looking sheepish. “I sat up the other night, in my room, almost till dawn trying to figure out how to spell them. I tried to spell Applebloom’s name, but it was too long and complicated. I’ve been trying to write down the things most important to me.” 

“I ain’t on that list Sandow?” Applejack said in a clipped tone. 

Sandow cringed. 

“Aw nuts, I was having a go at ya.” Applejack said. “And it is almost time for you to take Applebloom and her friends to their dance lesson.” 

“You’re getting better Sandow.” Cheerilee said with encouragement. “Tomorrow we will sit down and I will show you how to spell all of those names properly. And then I am going to quiz you on them. With and without paper. All of the Apple family names. Then and now.” 

Sandow groaned. 
	
	
> Chapter 15
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Sandow pondered his new near field manipulation shoes. Magic shoes that would allow him to hold things with his hooves and manipulate objects with near field magic. He was still utterly baffled about this concept. All he had to do was think about it a little bit, focusing his will, and the magic from the shoe would react. Objects could be held. Moved. Twisted. A spoon could be held in place. Knots could be tied. All manner of useful tasks. It would take a bit of time to learn, just like reading and writing. 

It was a marvelous age to live in. 

He had seen a movie. He couldn’t remember the name, but watching the moving pictures had fascinated him. He prefered real life, but the movie had been interesting. A film about a pioneer pony who had settled the prairie. A pioneer pony with perfect teeth, perfectly coifed hair, and not a speck of dirt to be found anywhere on her hide. 

Sandow had spent most of the movie laughing, braying like a donkey, and annoying others. The others being Applejack, her five friends, and the entire theatre. Sandow could not find one single spot of realism anywhere in the film. The pioneer mare had magic shoes and everything… Something that didn’t even exist during the golden era of expansion. 

Also, the mare kept bursting into song constantly. 

For the life of him, Sandow could not figure out why anypony would burst into song when a massive thunderstorm was rolling up over the prairie. Seemed far more sensible to secure the wagon, get some means of shelter, and prepare for the storm. 

But no. The mare had stood there, standing in the rain, her wet mane slicked to her neck, singing about her hope to find love on the prairie, a loving gentle stallion that would tend to her every need, making her a complete mare. 

She didn’t even have the common horse sense to come in out of the rain. What stallion would have her? He wouldn’t. He supposed other stallions might find a use for her, however unsavoury those uses might be.  

She had found her one true love, another pioneer pony, almost as perfect as she was, living amongst the buffalo. They met, kissed during a swell of music, sang a song together about destiny, and fell madly in love. And then a bunch of words rolled down the screen. 

Horseapples. 

He heard his name being called, it was time for supper. He snorted and headed down the stairs for dinner. Love never happened that suddenly. 

As he entered the kitchen, he realised there was a guest for dinner. Flickershine. He paused in the door frame for a few moments, feeling suddenly self conscious, and then slowly made his way to the table. 

Granny Smith was off visiting relatives. Big Mac and Applejack were already sitting down, and three crusaders sat at one side of the table, looking at him with faint smiles. 

Sandow eased himself on to the bench, sitting next to Applejack, and across from Flickershine. Big Mac sat at the foot of  the table, and each of the crusaders sat on the bench with Flickershine. 

Applejack began to load up his plate with spaghetti and mushroom balls. He wasn’t quite sure what he thought of pasta just yet. It was something new and different. Applebloom had helpfully shown him how to slurp noodles. He debated about trying to use a fork with his new shoes, and then dismissed the idea. He had no idea how to use silverware just yet. 

He dove his muzzle into his plate and began to devour his food noisily. After several moments of scarfing food, he paused, realising it was strangely silent. Flickershine, and everypony else, was watching him with faint smiles. 

At that moment, he wanted to sink through the floorboards and take refuge in the dirt below, in a nice grave, never to be seen from or heard from ever again. 

“I like to watch a hungry colt eat.” Flickershine said, still smiling, maybe even smirking, her eyes narrowed. “Enthusiastic eaters always have so much passion.” 

Sandow froze, trying to remember a word. Something that Applejack had tried to explain to him. Something about throwing sex through a window. Sex in yer window? Suddenly, he was keenly aware of it. Something inside him ignited and began to blaze brightly. A noodle, clinging to his nose, suddenly slipped off and fell to his plate. 

Applejack tittered. 

Sandow bravely lowered his muzzle back down to his plate, trying to eat as delicately as possible. He rolled a mushroom ball into his lips with his tongue, his ears ablaze with inner fire. 

“So, Flickershine," said Applejack, “we’ve told you stories about us. And about Sandow. We’d like to know a bit more about you.” Applejack shoveled in a forkful of noodles, capped off with a mushroom ball and began to chew noisily. 

“Yeah!” Sweetie Belle said, her face covered in red sauce, a stray strand of noodle clinging to her ear. The other crusaders nodded, Applebloom chewing with her mouth open, dribbling bits of noodle and sauce all over the table.

“I love spaghetti.” Scootaloo said, gnawing on a mushroom ball, marinara dribbling down her chin. “And Applejack makes the best.” 

“Eeyup.” 

Flickershine chewed her bite, looking around the table, swallowed, and spoke: “I graduated from Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. After I did, I didn’t go home. I began to wander. Earned some coin. Bought a wagon. Taught ponies how to dance. I get to see the world now, go from place to place, meeting nice ponies and having delightful dinners.” She took a bite, chewing thoughtfully, and then swallowed. “Like this one.” 

“Don’t it get lonesome somethin’ awful wanderin’ the roads and never goin’ home?” Applejack asked, her mouth still full of noodles. 

“Yes.” Flickershine replied. “Been noticing it a lot more lately. I’d like somepony to walk these roads with.” She gave a glance to Sandow and took a bite, her noodles twined carefully around her fork.

Sandow paid no attention and focused on his food, slurping noisily. 

“I’ve been all over Equestria. I’ve watched the sun rise from Horseshoe Bay, and I’ve seen the sun set in Vanhoover. And almost everything in between. There is a big world out there.” Flickershine said. “I intend to see all of it. And then see it again. And then go back and check for things I might have missed.” She took another bite. 

“I’ve been  all over. But that was before the world changed.” Sandow said. 

“Then you have a unique perspective.” Flickershine said, delicately chewing a bite. “You should go back to all of the places you have been and see what has changed.” 

“Eemaybe.” 

Sandow blinked at Big Mac, raising his eyebrow. 

“Just sayin’” Big Mac said sheepishly. 

Sandow looked around the table, keenly aware that every eye was watching him. Three fillies smirked under masks of marinara. His ears felt like a furnace. Something was up. Sandow had lived as long as he had by knowing when trouble was brewing. Like now. His eyes darted around the table, eyeing everypony, trying to decide what to do next. 

He did the only thing he could do in this situation. He bolted. He fumbled free of the bench, nearly falling, almost knocking the table over. He cleared the room in a single bound, hit the door with a bang, causing the door to snap open with a crash, and then was out the door in a hurry, running away, still unable to fly. 

And run he did. He ran until his lungs burned and his sides began to cramp. And then he kept going, tearing through the orchard, his hooves leaving divots in the grass. 

He finally came to a lurching stop near a small lake, more of a large pond, full of croaking frogs, the moon reflecting in its surface. He drew a few ragged breaths, his sides heaving, wing joint aching. 

He sat, enjoying the solitude, watching the reflection of the moon ripple in the water. There were crickets and frogs. And no meddling family. This was pleasant. It took a long while for his breathing to calm, but he finally was able to draw breath with out his wing joint feeling like it was going to pop out again. The night was beautiful. 

“What troubles you, Sandow Rotten Apple?” A voice said, nearly causing him to jump out of his skin. 

He turned. He saw a tall blue figure. She was regal looking, and had a horn and wings. 

“Out enjoying my night?” She said, gesturing at the moonlit pool before her. 

“You…” said Sandow, “you’re Celestia’s sister.” 

“That I am. I am Princess Luna. I ask that you call me Luna.” 

“Yes, Princess Luna.” Sandow said in a worried tone. 

Luna regarded him with a raised brow. “Luna. Just Luna. No more, no less.” 

Sandow nodded. 

“You and I have much in common Sandow.” Luna said. “I’ve been watching you for a long while. Like me, you are a pony lost in time.” 

Sandow stared at Luna in confusion, realised what he was doing, and then dropped his gaze. 

“I was exiled for a thousand years. And, like you, I came back to find the world had changed. I had to adapt. I had to change. I had to grieve everything that I had lost. And most importantly, I had to move on or else the world would have left me behind once again.” Luna said softly, watching the ripples in the pond. She sat down near Sandow, gesturing for him to come closer to her. 

He did, against his own better judgment. He could feel heat radiating from her body. She looked at him, her eyes full of stars and sorrow, timeless eyes, eyes that bore a hole in the core of his being. 

“I see your dreams.” Luna said. “I know your heart. And I understand some of your pain, Sandow Rotten Apple.” 

Sandow gulped and nodded. 

“I know what you have lost.” Luna whispered. 

Sandow nodded again, still silent. 

“And if you are not careful, you will lose something else. Something of great value. I know your heart still aches, but you must find the courage to move forward.” Luna said, wrapping a blue wing around Sandow, pulling him closer. “Let it out. Before it breaks you.” 

Sandow blinked, trying to hold it back, not wanting to let anything out. Especially not sitting next to the Princess of the Night. And yet, something inside of him broke, a little crack at first, and then it crumbled. The tears came, slowly at first, and then in a flood. 

Luna sat there with him, holding him, quiet, patient, looking first at Sandow and then up at the starry heavens. 

“You feel conflicted.” Luna said, after a long period of crying. “You feel a longing for another, but you feel that you betray the memory of those long gone. It is not an easy feeling. And your family, meaning well, lacked tact. They placed you in a very uncomfortable situation, doing so with good intentions.”

“How do you know this?” Sandow asked. 

“I see your dreams.” Luna said. “All of them. And all of you have pranced oh so delicately around this issue, in much the same way that Flickershine dances.” 

“I don’t know what I feel.” Sandow said. “I’ll admit, I like what I see. But I don’t think I could act upon it. Wouldn’t be right.” 

“And what does that accomplish?” Luna demanded, her tone becoming somewhat impatient. “To wreck so many dreams, including your own?” 

Sandow shrugged. “I don’t think I am ready.” 

“Sometimes Sandow, opportunities come along, whether we are ready or not. Sometimes, we must embrace the pain of moving forward, no matter how painful it might be to separate from the past. You were set in stone. I spent a thousand years locked in the moon. The past isn’t just gone from us, it is dust. Distant memories.” Luna said. 

“Easy for you to say.” Sandow said bitterly. “You still have your sister. I don’t want to hear it and I don’t need no lecturin’ from no princess about the wisdom of the ages.” Sandow’s drawl experienced a massive growth spurt. 

Luna sighed in frustration. “Fine then.” She said. “The hard way. Tell me Sandow, tell me what your beloved Bluebelle and Azalea would want from you in this situation. What did they do all those years ago when you fell into your stony slumber? Did they have the luxury of pining away like you do now, or did the harsh realities of life force them to move on?”

“Oh piss off!” Sandow spat. 

“We have all night.” Luna said, her tone somewhat irritated. 

Sandow rose to leave and found that he couldn’t. He squirmed, struggled, and found he could not move, the wing around him as stiff as stone. After several moments of struggle, he went still. 

“Damn you.” Sandow muttered. 

“Not many ponies have the nerve to speak to me in such a manner.” Luna said. 

“Well maybe more should!” Sandow said, nearly sputtering. 

Luna fell silent, waiting patiently. 

Sandow struggled to control his emotions, still feeling the sting of Luna’s words. Bluebelle and Azalea wouldn’t have had the luxury of prolonged grieving. He had left them huddled under a fallen tree in freezing rain. And he had vanished, leaving behind one foal and one more on the way. 

“You are young. Your entire life stretches ahead of you. You have a fresh start. A family that loves you and means well. The stone has been removed from your flesh, now remove it from your heart. Leave the past where it  belongs.” Luna scowled as she spoke. 

“It still hurts.” Sandow said softly. “Back then or now, it still hurts.” 

“I know.” Luna said, nodding. “But you can tell me about it. We have all night.” 

“Have I succumb to the lax behaviour of this age or am I grieving the way I would have back then?” Sandow asked in a low whisper. 

“Does it matter? It did not happen back then. It is happening now. And what you are experiencing is in some ways reflected by what goes on around you.” Luna replied. 

“Back then I would have been forced to pick up the pieces and move on I suppose.” Sandow said, still puzzled. “I don’t know anything anymore.” 

“Untrue and your self pity does not do you credit.” Luna said. “There is much that you do know and your questions prove inner depth.” 

The two sat in silence for a time, watching fireflies, listening to frogs and crickets, watching the moon rise higher into the night sky. 

“I must be going.” Luna said, a faint smile appearing on her lips. “You are about to have a visitor. I wish you the best of luck.” 

Luna vanished into a wisps of shadow and was gone. 

“Sandow?” Flickershine said. “Is that you?” 
	
	
	
	
> Chapter 16
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Sandow, I am so sorry if I hurt you.” Flickershine said. “Look, I know about everything. Everything. Every detail, every word, every recollection, every memory, I made them tell me. I know all about Bluebelle and Azalea. I know about Hawley and Honeysuckle. I know how you met your wives. I know what you’ve done. I’ve listened to all of the stories.”  

Sandow sat, staring into the liquid moonlight in the pool. He said nothing. 

“I want you to understand something Sandow…” Flickershine continued, “I am a very modern mare, even by modern standards. I am brazen and I am bold. And when I want something, I can be a bit selfish when I go after it. I apologise. I knew about everything and I still went rather recklessly forward trying to get your attention, never once thinking that it might have hurt you. I had three little fillies cheering me on and all of the rest of your grandfoals.” 

Sandow snorted and let out a surly knicker. 

“It started out with just a little crush, I saw you and I liked what I saw. But then Applejack and I talked. And then Big Mac joined us. And then the fillies and I talked. And I wanted to know more. I traded lessons for stories. And I started to like the colt I heard about in the stories. The colt in the stories started to sound a lot like the colts and stallions I used to read about in trashy old bridle buster romance novels. Somepony rough and tumble yet sweet and kind. I fell in love with the stories. And then I wanted to get to know you better, and I went about it in the worst way. All I ask is for your forgiveness, and then I promise, I will leave you alone.” 

“I forgive you.” Sandow said, looking at Flickershine briefly and then looking away. 

“Thank you Sandow.” Flickershine replied. “I guess I’ll be going.” She turned, and began to trot away into the darkness. 

The moon in the pool rippled, and Sandow saw Luna’s shadow for a moment. Something in his chest ached, throbbing dully. 

“Don’t go.” Sandow said. “We have all night.” 

“What?” Flickershine inquired, turning back and looking over her shoulder. 

“We have all night. To talk. Or whatever.” Sandow said, his voice raspy and low. 

Flickershine returned, sitting down next to the moonlit pond. “Very well.” She said, settling in. She looked at Sandow curiously. 

“So what do you want exactly.” Sandow said. “No beating around the bush. No prancing around the subject. I’d rather you just be blunt.” 

“I doubt you’d want me to be as blunt as I could be, but here goes…” Flickershine replied, taking a deep breath, and then speaking; “you. I want to get to know you. I have some romantic notion of us traveling on the road together, getting to know one another, and seeing what develops. It is a rather silly school-filly’s dream.” 

“That doesn’t sound so silly. And thank you for being honest.” Sandow said, nodding slightly. “There is a bit of a problem though.” 

“And that is?” Flickershine inquired. 

“You are a mare. You’re a fair bit older than I am. Now, that ain’t no big deal from my end, but I’ve learned a little bit about modern society. Enough to know there might be some, well, trouble.” Sandow said, gazing into the moonlit pool, watching a frog leap into the water and spread ripples. 

Flickershine burst out laughing and did so for several minutes. 

“What’s so funny?” Sandow asked, starting to frown slightly. 

“Ponies thinking I stole your innocence.” Flickershine said. “And you are so much older than I am. You’re robbing the cradle.” She laughed so hard that tears began to well in her eyes. “I am still so young and innocent my self, I should be worried about dirty old stallions like yourself.” 

Sandow, trying as hard as he could, failed to hold back a faint chuckle. “Wait.” He said. “You…” 

“No.” Flickershine said, interrupting. “No I haven’t. I haven’t found a pony worth getting to know. Colts and stallions around my age, well, they lack a sense of maturity that I desire. Plus, they never lived up to the same level of appeal as those rough and tumble sorts in the romance novels.” 

“Oh.” Sandow said, feeling himself blush. “Does it bother you that I am a widower? I mean, don’t you feel threatened by the memory of my two wives? Living their shadow?” 

“You married two ponies who both loved you. I think there could be room for one more. I’m not taking their place. I’m joining them. Well, that might be putting the cart in front of the pony... But if they can share you with each other, I am sure that they could share you with me. I want a part of what you had.” Flickershine said. “No,” she added, “still have.” 

Sandow found himself with nothing to say. 

“But Sandow, there is one more thing.” Flickershine said. 

“What’s that?” Sandow replied. 

“I am a selfish pony. I have no intentions of sharing you with anypony else. You get me? I want to get to know you, and then I want to keep you all to myself if I like what I’ve found.” Flickershine said. 

“Alright then.” Sandow agreed. “I don’t know anything about modern courtship. Or courtship at all really. Closest I’ve came was running away from trouble with Bluebelle and Azalea, and then living on the farm together. I don’t know what I am doing, what I should do, or how I should go about doing it.” 

“If I wanted modern courtship, I’d find a willing stallion who’d happily give me a roll in the hay and then forget all about me.” Flickershine said, causing Sandow to gasp. “ You, you don’t need to be anything but yourself. Your patient usual self, the sort of pony you were when your wives fell in love with you. I’d like to get to know that pony. What it is they saw in you. You did something to win them over. I might be a modern mare, but I don’t want any modern romance.” 

Sandow gulped. 

“I have always felt that love is like a dance. Something you start carefully, with slow careful steps, building pace over time, speeding up and slowing down, and then eventually working your way up to some big finish. Ponies now, most of don’t like dancing, the careful exchange, the slow steps, learning to step together, in time with one another, learning each other’s pace, finding a rhythm together, and then working up to something better.” Flickershine snorted. “Most ponies go right for the big finish and ignore the dance entirely.” She paused. “I want a dancing partner. I need to find somepony that will enjoy keeping pace with me while I build up to something grand, and not lose patience if I decide to keep the dancing slow as possible for a while to build up the anticipation and the tension. You have to put on a show. It is in all of the little steps, the careful building of the pace, that is where you find endurance. And a good dancer just keeps going for as long as the dance needs to last.” 

Sandow nodded. 

“You, you have footwork. You’ve taken those little steps. You have something I want. I intend to claim it if I can.” Flickershine said, scooting a little closer. “And there is something very appealing about the sort of pony that would pick a fight with an owlbear to save a foal. Mares love reckless bad colts and stallions. And you, you’re bad. You’ve done bad things. For all of the right reasons. I have to admit, that makes my tail twitch a bit.” 

Sandow began to blush tempestuously.

“I told you I was brash.” Flickershine said. “Celestia said I was a cheeky filly.” 

The two fell silent, sitting under the stars, close to one another but not quite touching. The stars whirled overhead as the night went slowly on. There was no more need to talk as two partners began the dance. 
	
> Chapter 17
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Three little fillies sat in their treehouse, around a table, eyeing their latest idea for getting a cutie mark. All of them seemed hesitant, unsure of what lay on the table before them, with six folded back ears, six wide eyes, and three mouths hanging slightly open in fear. 

“What are you girls up to?” 

The voice at the door startled them, causing Sweetie Belle to squeak loudly. Scootaloo’s wings buzzed in alarm, and Applebloom writhed in place on the floor.

“Oh hi Sandow…” said Sweetie Belle, looking sheepish, “we were, uh, well, thinking about getting our cutie marks as usual.” 

“I see.” Sandow replied, ducking his head and stepping inside. He sat down at the table with the fillies. He stared at the pile of strange fruits on the table. Were they fruits? Sandow wasn’t sure. Vegetables maybe.

“What are those?” Sandow questioned. 

“Well, Sandow, what you see…” Scootaloo started to say. 

“Those are some new pepper pods.” Applebloom interrupted. “Cousin Braeburn had them sent up to us by pegasus mail. The buffalo grow them. These are a new type of pepper, called a Celestia Solar Flare Pepper. The buffalo made a new strain of pepper in honour of Celestia as a gift. To be all peaceful like.” 

Sandow nodded. 

“They’re grown with dragon dung!” Scootaloo said, her voice full of a sort of manic awe. “These are almost as awesome as Rainbow Dash.” 

“So a cutie mark for eating some plant pods?” Sandow said, looking confused. 

“Yeah…” Sweetie Belle said, with a slightly evil sounding giggle. “Just some pods.”

“Sweetie no, those are oomph!” Scootaloo was cut off by Sweetie Belle’s hoof jabbing into her stomach. 

Applebloom’s eyes narrowed sassily. 

“They’re just some kinda pod thing.” Sandow said. “What’s the big deal, you fillies are holding something back from me.” 

“No we ain’t Sandow.” Applebloom said as innocently as possible. 

“I’m being hornswoggled.” Sandow said, looking at the three fillies, all of whom were looking at him, trying to look as cute and adorable as possible. 

“My horn isn’t doing anything.” Sweetie Belle protested. 

“You were all rather nervous looking when I came in.” Sandow said suspiciously. “Applebloom, as an Apple, are you fibbing to me?” 

“No.” Said Applebloom, telling what she hoped was only a tiny fiblet, suddenly feeling horribly guilty, which was almost a physical sensation, given the fact that she was an Apple. 

“Uhuh.” Sandow said. “Well girls, let’s all dig in, shall we? Applebloom, you first.” 

“Uh, well, how about we all do this together?” Applebloom said, her voice almost a squeal. She looked almost panicked now, her nostrils flaring. 

All four of them reached in and took a pepper in hoof, holding it up, getting ready to eat it. 

“Cutie Mark Crusaders spontaneous combustion go!” Scootaloo shouted just before eating the bright orange pepper, right as the others were about to eat theirs . 

There was a collective moment of silence, punctuated by a few crunching and chomping sounds. Faint sounds. There was a louder crunch as Sweetie Belle bit into a seed and crunched it between her broad flat teeth. Sweetie Belle began to sweat instantly, her horn turning an odd shade of pink. Applebloom’s bow ignited and began to smoulder. Scootaloo’s eyes instantly became bloodshot and her eye twitched alarmingly. Steam, actual steam, began to trickle from Sandow’s ears. 

There was a riotous scramble as the four ponies struggled to flee the clubhouse, seeking something to drink. Scootaloo shot out of a window, Sweetie Belle shoving her out, desperate to get out herself. Sandow shot out of the door, Applebloom clinging to his back. He hit the ground running, tail streaming out behind him, his breathing coming in fierce snorts, steam puffing from his ears, he ran through the grass like a runaway locomotive. Sandow kicked up his heels several times, trying to buck the fire away. Applebloom continued to cling to his neck for dear life, fearful the bucking pony would send her flying. Applebloom suffered horribly, knowing that she had told a fib and the horrible heat from the pepper both burning her brain and her insides. Tears streamed from her face, her ribbon continued to smoulder, Her insides being bounced around by Sandow’s bucking. After one particularly powerful buck, Applebloom accidentally crunched down on a seed loosened from between her cheek and gums. Suddenly, she was in an entirely new universe, one filled with the flames of Tartarus. Liars go to Tartarus she thought to herself as the flames consumed her. 

Scootaloo ran in circles, blinded by tears, unable to see. She mewled and whimpered, her orange tongue dangling out, her ears twitching wildly, her eyes blinking rapidly. The fire only seemed to increase in intensity. She began to drag her tongue through the grass, hoping the fire would go out. Her nose flooded with snot, making it difficult to breathe. Her wings actually felt like they were on fire. She flapped them in a futile effort to make the pain go away. Her belly was a seething volcano, her guts churned and twisted, a raging inferno of pain and torment. 

Sweetie Belle fared no better, having bit into a seed, she gave up on running and sat down and cried instead, sobbing, wiping her tongue with her hoof, trying to make the burning stop. Something popped and shot from her horn, her magic literally boiling over, sending out a shower of green sparks. There was another pop, and an even larger shower of sparks. The third pop was deafening and Sweetie Belle heard ringing in her ears. Her horn was on fire, her mane smouldering. She crossed her tear filled eyes and looked upward, and actually saw flames flickering from her horntip in her blurry vision, her horn now looking very much like a candle. She rammed herself headfirst into the ground, stabbing her horn into the dirt. There was a sizzling hiss and the air was filled with the scent of burning hair, which Sweetie Belle could not smell, considering how much snot was pouring from her nose in long gooey strands, clinging and sticking to the grass. 

Several hours later, the four of them were sitting in a long water trough, Applebloom entirely incapable of meeting Sandow’s baleful gaze. Sweetie Belle leaned over and a stream of bubbles roiled up from the water. Several fat tears rolled down her cheeks, her eyes clenched shut in pain. 

“It burns down there.” Sweetie Belle cried, trying not to sob. 

“And no cutie marks.” Scootaloo said dejectedly. A stream of bubbles rose up from between her legs. “Noooo!” She wailed, blinking away tears. “I can’t take it no more!” Scootaloo cried. “Burns worse coming out than it did going in!” She sobbed. 

Sandow bared his teeth and bravely farted, angling the frothing stream of bubbles at Applebloom, who hung her head and looked rather guilty. Sandow whimpered despite his best efforts, his ears laying flat against his skull, a single tear coming to one green eye. 

Sweetie Belle quailed when she saw a figure approaching. “We missed our dance lessons!” 

“I learned some new dance moves.” Scootaloo said, releasing another stream of bubbles in the water and whimpering, more tears coming. 

“Applejack told me what happened.” Flickershine said, looking at the four suffering ponies in the water trough. She fanned the air with her hoof. “You all stink.” She commented. “Burns the eyes!” She blinked several times. 

“I can’t smell nothing.” Scootaloo whimpered. 

Sweetie Belle wiped more snot away from her nose. “The burning never stops. At either end.” She sniffled. 

“I’m a bad pony. I deserve this.” Said Applebloom, still hanging her head. 

Sandow nodded. He lifted one wet foreleg, reached out over to Applebloom, and pulled her close for a hug. “Yer a lousy pony.” He drawled. 

Sweetie Belle shrieked as a fresh batch of bubbles rose up in the water. 

Flickershine crinkled her nose, her expression one of horror and shock at seeing the bubbles. “I hope all four of you learned something." Flickershine said. 

“I sure did.” Sandow said. “Apples ain’t always honest.” 

Scootaloo’s eyes clenched shut and she began to shake her head no. A stream of bubbles boiled forth from between her legs. “My filly bits are burning.” She hissed. 

Flickershine backed away. “I’m going to leave the four of you to think about your foolishness. Applejack has invited me for supper. You all have fun now and no more missing your lessons.” Flickershine turned and took off at a gallop, her eyes watering and her nose burning. 

“This is the last time I listen to Scootaloo’s ideas.” Sweetie Belle mumbled, shooting a glance at Scootaloo. 

“I want to sit in a bucket of ice cream.” Applebloom said, tears rolling down her cheeks. 

“I think we all do.” Sandow agreed. 
	
> Chapter 18
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Applebloom struggled to keep pace with the others, but she did not stop trying. Scootaloo was the pacesetter, leading them all on, Sweetie Belle was humming with concentration, and Applebloom merely struggled to keep up. 

Sandow gently ran a wing along Applebloom’s back, urging her on. He danced beside her, his hooves easily picking out the rhythm and adding their own flourishes. 

His wing was free from the bandage now, and it wobbled a bit as he danced. Sandow winced occasionally when his wing unfolded, but he did not break pace. 

“Very good girls.” Flickershine said approvingly. “And very good Sandow.” Flickershine added, her tone silky. “I like what I am seeing.” 

Sandow blushed, and kept dancing, trying to urge Applebloom on. 

“I’m gonna drop!” Applebloom protested. 

“Endurance!” Scootaloo shouted, her hooves flashing and kicking. “We started off in few minutes bursts and now we go for almost fifteen or twenty minutes at a time.” Scootaloo started to pant after she spoke. The little pegasus was getting tired. 

Sweetie Belle was dripping sweat. The unicorn had become a little leaner, a little less jiggly. And she knew it. She beamed, sweat trickling, still dancing, keeping up with Scootaloo. Applebloom kicked it into gear and gave it a good old fashioned Apple try. She had lots of endurance when it came for farm work, but dancing was different. Dancing exhausted her mentally, trying to keep track of her hooves and their placement. 

“Girls, you’ve actually moved past the twenty minute mark. Today, you broke the thirty minute mark.” Flickershine said, smiling radiantly. 

Rarity, down in the audience, let out a cheer hearing those words, encouraging Sweetie Belle to keep going. 

“I’m pushing for forty” Sweetie Belle grunted, her tongue now hanging out. Scootaloo nodded, now panting. 

“I could keep going all afternoon if I had too.” Sandow said. 

Applebloom stumbled, but recovered, a look of grim determination now upon her face, her little barrel flexing with each breath. 

“Dontcha let me down ‘Bloom!” Applejack shouted, sitting next to Rarity. 

“Show ‘em how it is done Scoots!” Rainbow Dash cheered, waving a hoof in the air, hovering and bouncing around mid-air with excitement. 

“The girls are getting really good.” Twilight Sparkle agreed. 

“Yay!” Fluttershy cheered, her voice completely unheard over the clattering of tap dancing hooves. She waved a hoof in encouragement. 

Pinkie Pie was dancing on the grass, mimicking the movements on stage, her long tongue bobbing up and down with her movements. She had been dancing in place the entire time and hadn’t slowed down once. Her excitement peaked and she took off, doing cartwheels around the crowd and making woo woo noises. 

Applejack shook her head at her cousin and let out a chuckle. 

“That’s enough for today girls!” Flickershine shouted. “Forty one minutes.” 

Scootaloo was the first to topple over, Sweetie Belle fell on top of her with a grunt, and Applebloom continued to stumble out a few more taps. She took a deep breath and then collapsed on the stage. 

“Ugh, I am covered in a hot sweaty pony.” Scootaloo protested. 

Rainbow Dash’s face turned an odd shade of purple-blue and then she exploded with laughter, slapping her sides with a foreleg. 

“What’s so funny?” Scootaloo said, blinking, confused. 

“Mmm. Hot sweaty pony.” Flickershine said, glancing at Sandow. 

“I don’t get it.” Sweetie Belle panted. 

Scootaloo managed to kick Sweetie Belle off of her with some effort. She rolled over on to her back, kicking out her legs, stretching, and then rolled over onto her stomach and regained her hooves. She trotted from the stage, got down into the grass, and rolled. “Ugh, Sweatie Belle.” 

“I gotta go find Soarin’!” Rainbow Dash said, taking off suddenly, rainbooming off in the distance, once outside of town. 

“Poor Soarin’.” Applejack said, taking off her hat and holding it over her barrel. “He’s in for quite a spell. Dashie looks flustered.” 

“Getting to be about that time.” Twilight said, scowling. “Makes it impossible to study.” 

“What time is it?” Sweetie Belle said, standing up on her hooves. 

“Time for ice cream.” Rarity said, her voice at a near panic, her eyes glaring daggers at Twilight Sparkle. “My treat. For everypony.” 

Rarity took off, fillies now in tow, her friends eventually falling in behind her. 

“And that just leaves us.” Flickershine said. 

“Aw, I was hoping for ice cream.” Sandow said. 

“Nothing stopping us. I’d like to watch you licking something.” Flickershine said. 

Sandow fell silent. Something twitched in his wings. Something about Flickershine’s raised eyebrow was alluring. “Please don’t spring my wings. One is still kinda sore.” 

Flickershine smiled. “I’ll go easy on you. Amazing dancing by the way. The last few lessons where you have stepped in with the girls, you put on an impressive display. I have to tell you, I like what I’m looking at.” 

Sandow nodded. “I know.” He said shyly. “And you tell me every chance you get.” 

“Let’s go get ice cream.” Flickershine said. “And I’ll behave. If I feel like it.” 



 

“Aw, look at those two.” Pinkie Pie said to Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight nodded and continued to sip her milkshake ferociously. 

“I’m happy for him.” Applejack said, leaning on Pinkie Pie. 

“Love never seems to come for us.” Pinkie Pie said sadly. 

“We’re all the right ages, we all durn good lookin’, and we all have a lot to offer. And nuttin’.” Applejack replied. 

“Maybe we should date each other.” Twilight Sparkle said nonchalantly. 

“What?” Asked Applejack. 

“Twilight Sparkle, have you been awake for days studying something?” Rarity said, eyeing three fillies and hoping they were out of earshot. 

“Yes, the solution to not being able to find a date.” Twilight said in humdrum tones. “The book said to ask out your friends. And based on the description in the book, we all go out on dates all the time. We’re doing it right now.” 

Rarity and Applejack squirmed in unison. 

“This is why I don’t leave the house.” Fluttershy said. “Life outside my front door is complicated.” Fluttershy began to fret. “Ooh, I don’t want to break up with anypony and hurt their feelings.” She began to look around the room at her friends. Tears began to fill her eyes and she ran out of Sugarcube Corner, crying and squeaking. 

“Excellent work Miss Sparkle.” Rarity commented, raising her eyebrow, causing Twilight to snort in frustration. 

“Rarity, we went to the Grand Galloping Gala together, had a terrible time apart, and then had a wonderful time afterwards once we were together again.” Twilight snarked in logical and straightforward tones. “On my birthday, we all danced together in a conga line with one another instead of other ponies.” 

“Twilight Sparkle you’re scaring me.” Pinkie Pie said, her eyes wide with fear. 

Twilight ignored Pinkie and instead stared at Sandow and Flickershine. “It isn’t fair.” She said, waving a hoof in an annoyed gesture. “The one stallion I was sort of interested in is up in the Crystal Empire, far, far away. Rarity, you and Applejack bickered over Tenderhoof. Pinkie Pie, has Cheese Sandwich even written you back yet?” 

Every head around the table drooped. “Wow Twilight,” said Pinkie, “you’re a lot of fun today, you know that?” 

Twilight’s scowl intensified. “I am going to eat chocolate until my backside explodes with plot pimples.” 

“Twilight Sparkle!” Rarity cried. “You can’t mean that!” 

“Try me.” Twilight Sparkle said.
	
	
	
	
	
> Chapter 19
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Applejack secured herself into the harness for the plow, her mind unsettled, thinking about the words of Twilight Sparkle. She leaned into the harness, the plow heavy behind her, cleaving into the soft black soil. 

Sandow was clearly the marrying sort, Applejack concluded. She tried to think about the world from his perspective, the struggle to survive, to live, to push ahead and see the next day, and populate the world so the process would continue. Applejack turned and looked at the enormous farmhouse that she lived in, and thought about Sandow’s two room stone cottage. She worked hard, she struggled to keep the farm working, but she did not struggle to survive. Marriage, love, were optional, not imperatives. There was no pressing need to band together to survive the hostile elements. 

But there was a need to band together. 

Applejack thought about everything she had faced. Discord’s return. Sombra and the Crystal Empire. Nightmare Moon. The world was still a hostile place, but the types of dangers had changed. 

Or had they? 

Discord, Sombra, Nightmare Moon, all problems from the past, all of them dangerous in their own way. And who knew what sort of monsters might have existed during Sandow’s time. Coming together and forming a family had to been of vital importance. 

Almost as much as coming together and becoming friends had been for her, Applejack pondered. Applejack and her friends had been bound together through the Elements of Harmony, changed forever. Merged. No longer separate as an entity. 

Applejack turned the plow and began to create another furrow, her legs pumping and quivering as she pulled forward through the moist and fertile earth. 

Friends, family, the lines seemed to become indistinguishable, blurry. Perhaps Twilight Sparkle had noticed the same thing and had confused it for something else. Where did one end and other pick up? Applejack concluded that she did not know. 

Sweat trickled down her neck, making her mane cling to her pelt. 

Intimacy was just another line, Applejack realised. At some point, you drew a line that you did not cross, and that defined a boundary. Or did it? Boundaries, like fences, changed over time. Didn’t they? 

Applejack could not reach a conclusion on that line of thought. 

She ferreted out a tiny bit of thought, something she could chew on as she laboured, and thought about Sandow and his perspectives. Sandow focused on family. For all of his grief, he was already bravely pulling forward and becoming involved with Flickershine. While Applejack could not understand all of his thinking, or how he saw the world, she understood that he valued family above all else, and that Sandow wanted, no, needed family. Sandow would rebuild and survive. On some deep level, Applejack knew that one day, Sandow would leave the Apple farm and strike out on his own, to leave his mark on the world. 

Thinking about this caused a pang of sorrow. 

She turned, and began to plow up another row, leaving behind her a furrow. 

Life was all about leaving a fertile furrow behind you, planting seeds, leaving life in your wake. Applejack understood this on some deep fundamental level as an earth pony. It wasn’t so much as a philosophy as something in her bones, as much a part of her as her marrow. 

Family would come in time. She wasn’t in a hurry. There was no need for desperation. For now, friends had seen her through. She thought about the victory celebration in Canterlot after Discord’s defeat. All of them had come together, they had seen each other through. 

Applejack supposed that she could see Twilight Sparkle’s point of view. They had passed the point of friendship a long time ago, and into confusing territory that was full of dangerous philosophical pitfalls if you didn’t watch where you stepped. Depending on you chose to look at it, you could see their relationship as any number of things. 

Thinking about this made Applejack feel worried. Sweat ran from her back, down her sides, and trickled down her legs. Her muscles began to burn slightly, and the heavily corded muscles in her back quivered. 

Twilight Sparkle had simply confused and muddied the issue, as she always had, overthinking and turning to books for answers, and reaching a conclusion based on text rather than real world principles. 

Applejack paused, unmoving, the harness going slack, as she pondered the fact that she understood Twilight well enough to know that. That was a deep level of understanding, at least in Applejack’s mind. She leaned into the harness and continued her task.

Rarity would see it in a completely different way, of course, as would Pinkie Pie, or Rainbow Dash, or Fluttershy. 

Rainbow Dash saw her friends as fellow competitors in the game of life, and occasionally, rivals. Rainbow Dash played to win, and her loyalty sprang from this, knowing that she needed friends to even the odds and level the playing field. Rainbow Dash drew her strength from knowing that she was the best of the best, and she needed the best of friends to be her very best. She was a deeply flawed pony, and needed all of her friends to balance out her various weaknesses and shore up her many strengths. By herself, she was a powerful athlete, crippled by many character flaws. With her friends, she was a force to be reckoned with, and she had shown this time and time again. 

Applejack turned the plow again, ready to plow another row. She wiped sweat away from her muzzle with a foreleg. 

Fluttershy saw her friends as an outlet for her kindness, the kindness she wanted to show to everypony. But Fluttershy was shy and scared of most everything, so she kept her kindness bottled up, and for the longest time, her only outlet had been her animal friends. Becoming the Element of Kindness had changed that, and Fluttershy’s acts of charity toward her friends was now a part of her nature. She could be counted on for anything. Again, her weaknesses had been shored up by her friends, making her a force to be reckoned with. 

Something nagged at Applejack’s mind. She could feel it tugging. She leaned into the harness with a grunt, knowing that whatever it was that was teasing at her mind would only come out with hard labour. 

Pinkie Pie was her own can of worms. Her need for popularity, to be the center of attention, to always have fun, and to be deeply involved in her friend’s lives. Pinkie Pie defined herself as others saw her, and she always worried about how other ponies saw her. She was constantly on the edge of concern, always trying to make sure other ponies smiled, and always held herself responsible for the moods of others. And if she lost her connection to her friends… Applejack shuddered. She had seen both sides of Pinkie Pie, and accepted them both. They were one in the same really, two parts to the same pony. Pinkie Pie could always be counted on for a laugh, but she depended and needed the laughter of others to keep going. She didn’t handle other unhappy situations very well, and required her friends to carry her though those rough patches where there was no laughter. 

Applejack snorted when she thought of Rarity. Her mind drifted to a sleepover long ago, with Rarity and Twilight Sparkle. Applejack smiled, she had been to bed with Rarity. Applejack made a mental note to bring that up to Twilight Sparkle and see if she could shake some of Twilight’s thinking. Applejack knew that she and Rarity were as close as sisters and it wouldn’t take much to blur the lines had Applejack leaned that way. Rarity understood hard work, perhaps more than any other pony in their group. Rarity shared a common bond, carving out a life through back breaking labour. Rarity worked hard. Long days hunched over a table, or her sewing machine, many many hours invested into her dreams, and her constant worry over success. Applejack understood it. Every ounce of effort. Rarity’s largesse manifested from her constant struggle, and she felt empathy for those who also struggled. 

A powerful thought struck Applejack, the notion that had been tugging at her mind. She was defined by her friendships, her own honesty a manifestation of allowing her friends into her heart as family. She trusted them enough to be honest with them, even when being honest hurt. And she could trust them to keep being her friend, no matter how painful those moments of honesty might be. 

She could tell Rainbow Dash that she was a flighty little pegasus that spent too much time napping. She could tell Pinkie Pie that she was an overbearing annoying pink pony. She could tell Fluttershy to pull herself together and pony up. She could tell Twilight Sparkle that she was being a manic neurotic mess that was once again making a mountain out of a molehill. She could tell Rarity that she was being a self righteous uptight snob. 

Applejack could say all of these things and still have friends. Applejack could be honest and her friends would still be her friends, still love her, still treasure her. 

She took a deep breath and turned the plow again. 

Sandow was defined by his need for family, much in the same way she was defined by her friends. It hadn’t taken Sandow long to graft into the current Apple family tree. Once he had his bearings, he threw himself into getting to know his new family, and now, he was working to get to know Flickershine. 

Sandow was defined by duty, devotion, and dedication. And without those things, he was lost. And Applejack understood that now, as she pulled the plow through black earth, under the warm spring sun. She would be lost without her friends. Equestria might be lost without her and her friends. 

The character of being an Apple ran deep into the heartwood of the family tree. Applejack understood this now. Meeting her distant ancestor allowed her a rare glimpse into the family past, and she understood now why the Apples had survived through the ages. The Apples had existed in the old world, had survived the long walk through the ice and snow, they had settled the new world, and they had survived into the modern age. 

Applejack smiled. She would have to give Twilight Sparkle a good honest piece of her mind. And Twilight Sparkle would listen, because Twilight was her friend and depended on Applejack’s honesty. 

But that would come later. There was still plowing to do. 
	
> Chapter 20
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“You’re a wonderful flier!” 

Rainbow Dash soared near Sandow’s wingtip, the rainbow maned pegasus helping with Sandow’s therapeutic recovery, getting him airborne again. Sandow was sore and stiff, but flight was possible again. His large oversized wings allowed him to glide with effortless ease. 

“That’s it Sandow, ride the current. There’s an updraft here!” Rainbow Dash encouraged. 

Sandow truly appreciated Rainbow Dash’s efforts. Dash knew about flying the same way his sire, Thud, knew about combat. Thud had been a remarkable flier, but Rainbow Dash was so full of helpful information that it was like learning how to fly all over again. 

And Rainbow Dash, who loved attention in any form, loved discovering that she was an excellent teacher. 

Sandow felt little orange legs tighten around his neck, Scootaloo holding on for dear life. She was there as a little extra weight, to help Sandow exercise his somewhat atrophied muscles. 

“You may be the best glider I’ve ever seen Sandow. You barely even need to flap.” Rainbow Dash announced, rolling and banking in a lazy dive, and then rising back up slowly, testing the currents and checking the updrafts. “You might not be fast, but I bet you could glide over the ocean and see the rest of the world!” 

Sandow’s mind seized upon that thought. Seeing the rest of the world sounded inviting. He’d never thought of that before. “You really think so?” Sandow asked. 

“Yeah,” replied Rainbow, “there’s these birds, albatrosses, they fly over the ocean. They have big oversized wings like yours.” 

“I don’t want to fly over the ocean!” Scootaloo shouted. 

“Aw, come on Scoots, dontcha want to see the world?” Rainbow asked, grinning broadly. 

“I CAN see the world! I’ve never been this high up, ever. I think I’m scared of hights!” Scootaloo replied, real panic in her voice. 

“Most pegasi have to work really hard to make it to this altitude Sandow, you’ve pretty much rode the updrafts, you’ve barely put any effort into this at all, that’s pretty awesome!” Rainbow shouted. “I have to come up here all the time as the weather captain and map the cloud layouts for optimal rain dispersal and other egghead stuff. It gets tiring. That’s why I nap so much.” 

“And here I thought it was ‘cause yer lazy!” Sandow drawled playfully. 

Rainbow barrel rolled away from Sandow, grinning crazily, and laughing at Sandow’s words. She rolled over on to her back and flew that way for a while, and then slowly rolled back over. “You okay Scoots?”

“NO!” Scoots said through chattering teeth. 

“Maybe we should think about heading back.” Rainbow Dash said, her smiling fading. 

Sandow relaxed his wing muscles slightly, allowing his feathers to angle in such a way that he began to descend. 

“Tomorrow I am going to work you as hard as Flickershine makes you dance Rottensauce. I’ll show you lazy.” Rainbow Dash said, angling downward. 

Sandow groaned, and realised he had brought it on himself. He smiled at Rainbow Dash’s nickname for him though. 





“I think I’m doing something wrong.” 

Applejack looked at Flickershine, who looked troubled. These sorts of talks were becoming common. Applejack prepared herself for the coming mare to mare conversation, not at all feeling like a mare at the moment. It was an unusually warm spring day and she had been planting seeds. She was covered in dirt and sweat, and she was hot and itchy. 

“We’ll talk, but I’m goin’ for a swim.” Applejack turned tail and headed for the waterhole, which was still a bit chilly, but it would have to do. 

Flickershine followed, stepping high through the tall green gas. 

It didn’t take long for Applejack to get to the waterhole, less than a half an hour of walking, not much being said along the way, mostly just idle chit chat about the weather and the apple blossoms and anything else that was meaningless but said to pass the time. 

Applejack wasted no time, cannonballing into the water with a splash. 

Flickershine stepped into the water and shivered, and then threw herself in. 

“Oh my that’s cold!” Flickershine said, her mane clinging to her neck. 

“Only for a moment and then it ain’t so bad.” Applejack drawled in reply. “Now,” said Applejack, bobbing in the water, “You mentioned somethin’ about doin’ somethin’ wrong.” 

Flickershine floated in the water, her heart racing from the sudden chilly plunge, the warm sun shining on the parts of her above the surface, creating an odd contrast between what was above and below the water’s surface. 

“I think I am doing something wrong.” Flickershine said, repeating her earlier words. “I know Sandow is getting sweet on me, but he isn’t making any moves yet.” 

“Ayup. That’s Sandow,” replied Applejack, “he’s not going to make those moves either. Now, I ain’t sayin’ that we rush ahead and scare him off like we did the last time, but if’n you want him to get a little sweeter, you’re gonna have to make the first few moves, based on what I know of Sandow and how he was with his wives. And you may have to be prepared to run him and down and maybe even give him a good stern talkin’ to. Sandow is the slow and cautious type. He’s a big draft pony that don’t do anythin’ until he’s given a sign to do it. He’ll pull a wagon, but somepony has to tell him when to go.” 

Applejack dunked herself below the water, rinsing sweat from her face and her ears. 

“Big Mac is the same way with Cheerilee. Those two have been downright painful to watch. Big Mac is all slow and careful like, and Cheerilee ain’t bold enough to stomp her foot down and make my brother giddyup. I think they’ve been kissin’ though. Or at least Big Mac has been thinking about it. I caught him in my room practicin’ kissy faces in my mirror. He durn near died from embarrassment.” Applejack said, rolling over and floating on her back. 

“A kiss might be nice.” Flickershine said, leaning back in the water. “Or even just a nuzzle. Something. Sometimes I think Sandow’s still a statue. I flirt with him to no end and he doesn’t respond. I lay it on real thick and he just sits there, a perfect gentlecolt, off being his usual self. I can’t seem to reach him. It is frustrating. I’ve done everything but throw myself at him. And I have a feeling that if I did throw myself at him, he’d let me drape my body all over his and wouldn’t do a thing. I just want him to touch me and let me know I’m desirable.” 

“He ain’t gonna do that.” Applejack said, feeling the sun on her belly. “Remember, yer talkin’ about the pony that ran off and hid in the orchard during his first encounter with his wife. Granny Smith says Sandow is skittish. Big Mac is skittish. And my daddy was skittish. My mama had to be all aggressive and assertive and make her feelin’s known loud and clear. My mama got her marefriends together and they done kidnapped my daddy. My mama sat him down and told him how it was gonna be, and my daddy was wise enough to listen. Caused a whole heap of trouble between our families though. Daddy was the quiet and reflective type, seems to always be the mares in the Apple family that are the straight forward and sassy type. Mama married in, but she fit in with the family right well. I suspect you might be a bit sassy yerself Flickershine.” 

Flickershine blushed, her flesh warmed by something other than the sun. 

The two mares floated in the swimming hole together, now in silence, enjoying the sunshine and the beautiful day. Birds were chirping, bees were buzzing, and butterflies flitted about, looking for flowers to rest upon. It was a nearly perfect day. 

“I suppose I’m going to have to resort to gardening.” Flickershine said after many minutes of silence. 

“Gardening?” Applejack replied. 

“Yeah,” answered Flickershine, “it is time to go plant tulips.” 
	
> Chapter 21
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Well then, this was not what I was expecting, Sandow thought to himself. He had been told that Flickershine had wanted to see him, and that he was to meet her at her wagon. A blanket had been spread on the ground, along with a picnic meal, and Flickershine was sitting on the blanket, smiling fetchingly, her mane tied into one single long braid that clung to her neck and made Sandow feel an uncomfortable tightness in his barrel when he looked at her. 

Sandow gulped a few times, feeling a sensation of panic, which started off as cold chills in his frogs, trembles and wobbles in his legs, and a nervous hitching in his barrel. His wings began to feel uncomfortably hot. 

She’s beautiful, Sandow thought, feeling a pleasant warmth and a sad sensation of guilt at the same time, his emotions still in terrible conflict with one another. Sandow still had trouble figuring out why somepony as beautiful as Flickershine had any interest in him at all. 

“You are just going to keep standing there all night aren’t you?” asked Flickershine. 

Sandow struggled to find words, but nothing seemed willing to spring into his mouth. After a few minutes of struggle, he nodded. 

“Come on over here, sit down, take a load off you daft draft pony,” invited Flickershine, patting the blanket beside her with her hoof. 

Sandow did he as he was bid, carefully stepping over and sitting down, settling himself down on to the blanket, oh so terribly close to Flickershine. There wasn’t a lot of room for personal space. Sandow could feel the heat coming from her body, and it made his own body uncomfortably warm. 

“Now, let me explain something. Applejack and I, we came up with all kinds of scenarios on what to do with you, and how for me to deal with my little problem I am having with you. And I am having a little problem with you Sandow… Which is why we are talking. After Applejack and I talked, and remembered the failed attempt at supper that night, we decided that sterner measures were in order, but they had to be gentle and not so in your face,” explained Flickershine. “Make no mistake though, before this night ends, I am going to be in your face. I should make that clear.” 

Sandow nodded, his mouth dry. He felt something tease his lips… an apple slice hovered invitingly, glowing with Flickershine’s magical aura, which he nibbled and took in, crunching as quietly as possible. 

“We’ve been seeing one another and getting real friendly now for a fair bit of time. Now, I realise, it has only been a month or so, give or take a little time. And you and I have been seeing each other almost daily. We’ve been having these little dates and excursions almost every day, we dance together almost every day during the fillies lessons, we have been getting to know one another and get comfortable with one another, and you haven’t made one single move towards me as a mare, other than a few sweet words, a box of chocolates, and that adorable heart melting attempt at writing a love letter,” said Flickershine. “There is almost nothing to talk about. No story to tell. We meet every day, we dance a bit during the dance lessons, you occasionally look at me all moon eyed, and that is it. Nothing else. A less patient mare might have died from boredom,” added Flickershine as she levitated up a juicy slice of orange and teased Sandow with it.

Flickershine fed him a few more bites, and took a few bites herself. 

“Now, I must be doing something right here, because you haven’t run off yet and you haven’t gotten all angry and steamed to the point of telling me off, which I know you will do if somepony steps on your hooves, so I am going to have to make the assumption that you are alright with this, unless of course you are finally willing to spill your guts and voice your opinion,” guessed Flickershine. 

Sandow allowed himself to be fed more fruit as the conversation fell into a lull, also being fed a few bites of pound cake and some spicy black pepper pimento cheese spread on crackers. Fireflies danced around them, the stars began to twinkle overhead, and the moon was beginning to rise over the treeline. 

“Applejack and I both came up with some terrible plans to make you see reason. We had a lot of fun. Did you know that Applejack’s mother had to kidnap Applejack’s father because the big lug was too shy to leave the orchard? Big Mac is slow on the draw as well. Seems the entire Apple family is cursed with big slow lunks, I wonder where they get that from?” teased Flickershine. “Makes a mare feel safe, if kinda frustrated at times,” quipped Flickershine. 

Sandow felt a powerful blush building up in his face. He felt magic pulling at his front legs, causing him to drop down into a laying position, on his belly, his front legs folded before him. Flickershine reclined next to him, so close that he could feel her breathing on his face. Sandow felt his own breath catch in his tight throat. 

“In the end though, what Applejack and I discussed the most though, was something we have in common. Can you guess what that is?” questioned Flickershine, leaning in even closer, her muzzle faintly grazing Sandow’s cheek. 

It took every ounce of will that Sandow had not to bolt. He could feel it, a powerful impulse in his legs. He thought about Flickershine’s question, it tumbled through his mind, teased his senses, and no words formed to make a reply. Flickershine’s closeness was making him dizzy. He turned his head to gaze at her, feeling his heart beginning to thrash around inside of his barrel like a caged animal. 

“Applejack and I have one very important thing in common, and it practically makes us sisters. In fact,” whispered Flickershine breathily. “I think what we have in common will make us sisters one day. Come on, take a guess at what that is Sandow…” begged Flickershine, her eyelids becoming lazy and settling over her blue eyes like two sleepy twins being put to bed. 

Sandow could feel Flickershine breathing on him. He could smell her. She smelled like flowers. She smelled of soap. Sandow felt his eyes closing against his will and he felt his breath draw powerfully through his nostrils. She smelled like apple blossoms. Sandow felt a little drunk. Flickershine clearly wasn’t fighting fair, she pulled no punches. Smelling so strongly of apple blossoms was just plain fighting dirty, and Sandow took a deep breath and made himself ready to tell her exactly that. 

All that came out of Sandow’s mouth was a contented sigh. Sandow silently cursed his body for betraying him. 

“Well, I guess that was a response at least,” giggled Flickershine. “What Applejack and I have in common is our shared love of you. And make no mistake, I am in love with you Sandow Rotten Apple. Not just the stories, but you. I love everything about you. I love you enough to go into this night carefully, mindful not to be too brash and hurt you, because I learned from my last mistake and I have no desire to repeat it and hurt you again,” explained Flickershine. 

Sandow turned his head, causing his snoot to brush up against Flickershine’s muzzle. He felt her inhale sharply, her body tensing, her eyelids blinking rapidly for a moment. Sandow pulled away, embarrassed for bumping into her. This is what personal space was for, to avoid these embarrassing social blunders. He took a deep breath and made ready to apologise for being an insensitive clod and bumping Flickershine’s nose…

All that came out was another sigh. Sandow inwardly cursed his body’s second betrayal. 

“Ugh, the worst thing is, I know you aren’t teasing me on purpose. For a moment, I thought you were finally going to kiss me there and then you looked all embarrassed. Let me guess, you bumped into me by accident and now you feel embarrassed and ashamed?” questioned Flickershine. “I guess I was foolish to think you’d make such a sudden bold first move,” added Flickershine. 

Sandow’s eyes went wide with panic, his barrel suddenly heaving. He willed his legs to work, it was clearly time to go! Nothing happened. His legs remained unmoving. His wings were becoming uncomfortably hot through. Run run run! Sandow begged his traitorous limbs. 

“You shouldn’t be embarrassed and ashamed Sandow. I want you to bump into me, that is why I invited you here. I wanted to spend a little time bumping tonight. I was so hoping that we could have our first bump tonight,” said Flickershine teasingly. “Just one little innocent bump on the nose. I need to know that you are interested in me Sandow, that our feelings are mutual. Just one little bump is all that I ask,” pleaded Flickershine, her eyes nearly closed now as she leaned in even closer, reclaiming lost ground from Sandow pulling his head away. 

Sandow willed his body to do something, anything, anything at all to allow him to escape from this situation. This was almost as awkward as the first time he had known a mare. In some ways, this was actually worse, Sandow concluded. He had been able to run away during that encounter. 

Sandow was frozen in place now, and his heart knew that Flickershine’s magic was not responsible. No, his own body had betrayed him. 

Sandow looked down cross eyed at the tip of Flickershine’s muzzle, now a scant inch from his own. Sandow’s body tingled alarmingly as he realised that he and Flickershine were sharing the same air, breathing in and out, hot moist air between exchanged between them. She was too close. Sandow closed his eyes and braced himself, knowing that escape was impossible and that things had gone too far to stop now. 

Sandow felt his whole body ignite as Flickershine gently pressed her lips against his and kissed him, a soft and mostly innocent kiss, kneading her lips against his, applying a delicious and delightful pressure against his snoot. She pulled away a second later, Sandow could hear her heavy breathing… The sensation of the kiss and her heavy breathing were too much, Sandow felt his wings unfurl, bursting open with explosive force. 

His eyes still closed, he could hear Flickershine giggling sweetly, no doubt having herself a grand moment of triumph because of his embarrassing response. 

He opened his eyes, just in time to see that he was being ambushed for the second time, Flickershine’s lips meeting his again, and this time he felt himself kissing back, his body’s betrayal complete. 

His wings throbbed with their own heartbeat as the kiss continued, and finally, after several impossibly long moments, Flickershine pulled away. 

“So, tell me Sandow, anything to say?” questioned Flickershine. 

Sandow struggled to say something, anything, but no words came. After several minutes of awkward silence, he shook his head no. 

“Are you mine?” Flickershine asked in pleading tones. 

Sandow nodded, the best that he could do at the moment. 

“I have to say thank you for making this moment perfect,” whispered Flickershine. “No need to say anything, just keep being you and I’ll keep being little ol’ me, and we’ll have ourselves a nice night together now that I have my bump,” added Flickershine. 

Sandow nodded, feeling himself relax slightly, except for his wings, which were full of coursing blood and hot itchy feathers. The night air blew through his plumage, reaching his blood filled wings, cooling his body and his fevered emotions. Pegasi, prone to overheating, had developed odd ways to dump excessive body heat, and wing erections were perhaps the most embarrassing of all of them. His boiling blood cooled as it traveled through his throbbing wings, the night breeze tickling between his feathers, leaching away excessive heat through the thin skin of his wings. 

Flickershine was sipping at a cold drink, distracted, flushed, her own breathing heavy and rapid in her nostrils, trying to cool her own overheated body. 

It was entirely too easy to for a pony to overheat. 

Sandow leaned forward and sneaked a quick peck on her cheek, causing her eyes to open wide in surprise. She looked at him strangely, her eyes now damp, one ear flickering back and forth, her lips trembling. 

“You know Sandow, you say the most when you say nothing at all,” sighed Flickershine. 
	
> Chapter 22
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The table was surrounded by family. Granny Smith was grateful for this, the Apple family had lost a few members. But now, the table was surrounded by family and potentially, two new family members. 

Ayup. Both of them was most likely to be an Apple soonish, if not laterish. 

Granny Smith studied Flickershine intently, thinking a great deal about the young mare. She was the right type. She was sassy, full of fire, outgoing, strong willed, and beautiful. She’d make a fine Apple. Flickershine was busy listening to Applebloom, but her gaze was on Sandow. 

Her eyes fell on Applejack next, who was busy eating green beans and listening to Applebloom telling a story about school. Applejack had her hat off, and her mane spilled around her shoulders. Applejack was the spitting image of her mother. 

And then there was Big McIntosh. Big Mac quietly nibbled a salad slathered in sweet oil and apple cider vinegar, looking thoughtful, occasionally sneaking a warm glance at Cheerilee who was sitting beside him. 

Next to Big Mac was Cheerilee, who was a hearty eater that was shoveling in her food, taking bites of whatever, adding various bits to Applebloom’s story about school. She occasionally looked at Big Mac, and when their eyes met by accident, both of them would look away, blushing. Cheerilee was also the right sort for an Apple. Outgoing, gregarious, honest, good with foals. And wide foal rearing hips. 

Little Applebloom was busy telling a story, using her spoon to make gestures, waving her forelegs around to make her point known, her eyes wide and flashing. her face happy and bright. Applebloom was a little sass pot, a firebrand, and a good filly. Granny Smith felt a warm feeling of pride when she looked at her. 

And then there was Sandow. Who was eating very little, staring all mooneyed at Flickershine. Poor colt had it bad. Probably one of the worst cases of lovesick Granny Smith had ever seen. Sandow probably hadn’t heard a word that Applebloom had said. He only had eyes and ears for one pony in the room. Sandow had it bad. 



 

The table quieted as Applejack tapped on her plate with her spoon, asking for quiet. “Flickershine here has an announcement for us all, I dunno what it is, but I hope it is what I think it is,” Applejack said, looking around the table, her belly full of food and dessert. A large mug of cider sat before her. 

The Apple family and Cheerilee all turned their attention to Flickershine, who was grinning sheepishly, her eyes darting nervously toward Applejack. 

Flickershine sat silently, meeting the eyes of everypony around the table. 

“Well, get on with it,” Granny Smith said, setting her spoon down. 

“Well, Sandow and I had ourselves a really lovely evening last night, and after some initial troubles trying to communicate, Sandow finally made his feelings known,” explained Flickershine. 

Applejack took a deep breath, wondering and hoping about what Flickershine was going to say, family pride swelling in her chest. 

“Stop teasin!” demanded Granny Smith. 

“I plan to pull up stakes soon and move on. Sandow wants to come with me and live on the road,” Flickershine said, her voice low, her eyes now downcast. 

There was a clatter as Applebloom dropped her spoon full of ice cream on the table. 

“Eeewhat?” Big Mac muttered in confusion. 

“And here I thought y’all would be announcing yer plans to marry,” said Applejack, who was stunned and blinking rapidly. 

“Well, that might come later. Right now, Sandow and I are just happy to dance. We don’t feel a need to hurry,” mentioned Flickershine. 

“I was worried this day might come,” groaned Granny Smith. 

Sandow tried several times to say something, anything, but each time words failed and all he could do was look around the table, meeting each set of eyes for each family member. His wings fluttered nervously several times, and he gently tapped his hoof on the table, trying to think about what to say. 

“Apple seeds have to be planted elsewhere,” Applebloom said, her voice cracking slightly as she said it. 

A flame of searing intensity blazed to life in Applejack, who felt a strong sense of pride for her sister. She reached to Applebloom and stroked her gently, rubbing her shoulder, thanking her wordlessly. 

“Applebloom is right, there are Apples all over Equestria, we shouldn’t try to hold Sandow back if he has a powerful urge to wander,” said Granny Smith. 

“The fillies are good dancers. If they keep practicing and develop their own routines, they’ll become fine dancers someday,” said Flickershine. “And, I should say this right now, we plan to come back. I intend to settle here in Ponyville. I just want to show Sandow around, do a little sightseeing, dance a while, and then we plan to come back here and settle, if you’ll have us,” Flickershine added. 

“This will always be your home,” replied Applejack, looking at Sandow. 

“Thanks for understanding. This was not an easy choice for me. I want to go off and see the world a little, it has changed so much. It is a very different place than it was. I want to see what good ponies died for, trying to settle this land and making it what it is today. I want to see the sun rise from one ocean, and then I want to see the sun set into a different ocean. Flickershine tells me both are real pretty,” said Sandow, spilling out his heart. 

“So long as you come back, I guess I’ll letcha go,” mumbled Granny Smith, smiling faintly, peering at Sandow.

There was a nervous exchange of glances between Cheerilee and Big Mac, and they reached out and hooked fetlocks together. 

“Well, we were also planning an announcement tonight,” said Cheerilee nervously. 

“Eeyup,” agreed Big Mac. 

“Big Mac finally got around to asking me that question I’ve been waiting to hear,” announced Cheerilee. 

“Eeyah I did,” added Big Mac. 

“You two are gettin’ married?” inquired Applejack impatiently. 

“Eeyup,” Big Mac said, answering his sister. 

“That’s happy news,” Applebloom said. 

“It took him long enough,” Cheerilee groused goodnaturedly. 

The two couples exchanged a knowing glance, knowing that each of them were starting very different journeys together and that it would take them to very different places. Two wanderers were hitting the roads together, while two homebodies were settling down to build a home together, the one thing they both had in common was that they were setting off their journeys with somepony that they loved.

“Sandow Rotten Apple, if you get that pretty mare in a family sort of way, you had better come home before that foal is born or so help me, I will give you a good stern talkin’ to that you’ll never forget,” threatened Granny Smith. She raised her spoon and waved it menacingly at Sandow, who grinned in embarrassment. 

“Granny, I think we both know that it prolly be Flickershine who’d make the first move towards that situation,” said Applejack, now able to laugh. 

“Oh, you all would be surprised how bold Sandow can be once he warms up,” said Flickershine, grinning rakishly. 

Sandow ducked down in his seat, suddenly looking very nervous. 

“Why, just last night, after I had to work my feminine wiles on him so I could finally kiss him, he bravely and boldly took advantage of me and kissed me on my cheek and then he couldn’t look me in the eye for almost an hour without giggling,” remarked Flickershine. “The nerve of some colts,” she added. 

There was a terrible wheeze as Granny Smith exploded with laughter, rocking back and forth in her seat, banging a hoof on the table. 

“Geeze Sandow, you should be ashamed,” giggled Applebloom. 

“Big Mac isn’t any better,” laughed Cheerilee. “He actually fainted after he proposed and kissed me!” she exclaimed. 

Applejack laughed riotously at her brother, throwing her head back and guffawing, pointing with her hoof. 

The old green mare watched her family celebrating, and wondered how much more time she had, her breath whistling in her lungs from her laughter. she took comfort in knowing that the family would continue after she was gone. 

Apples were only as good as the seeds they left behind. And Granny Smith had left behind some fine seeds. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
> Chapter 23
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It was difficult to comfort a crying friend, Sweetie Belle reflected, wrapping her foreleg around Applebloom’s shoulders. The three Crusaders had been in their treehouse, having a meeting, when Applebloom had simply fallen apart. She couldn’t talk, she couldn’t even get out one word, her sobs to overwhelming, and both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo knew why. 

Flickershine was leaving, and taking Sandow with her. 

“Aw, ‘Bloom, they’ll come back soon, it won’t be forever,” Scootaloo said, trying to comfort Applebloom. 

Applebloom kept making ”hiyunck hiyunck hiyunck” sounds as she sobbed, she seemed immune to consolation. She pulled both of her friends in closer, never wanting to let them go, just like she didn’t want to let Sandow go. 

“We’re all really lucky to known him. He fought an owlbear for us. And there was the unspeakable pepper incident. And so many other good times. He’ll only be away for a little while, and then I am sure we’ll have more good times,” squeaked Sweetie Belle, her own feelings now threatening to overwhelm her. “We found him,” she added. 

“Yeah, we did, by accident,” replied Scootaloo, her own barrel hitching, causing her wings to jerk. “Greatest mistake we’ve ever made, and one of the only ones I can think of with a happy ending,” she continued. 

The three Crusaders held on to one another, glad to have one another to hold on to. 



 

“Pinkie Pie, I wanted to apologise for my outburst a while back.” 

Pinkie Pie peered at Twilight “Creepy” Sparkle. She knew exactly which outburst that Twilight was talking about. Twilight had been in a real funk lately, and had been almost impossible to live with. 

“I may have spoken out of turn, about all of us dating,” apologised Twilight. “I’ve been thinking about what I said and why I said it. I’ve been having some problems lately.” 

“I know,” chirped Pinkie Pie, now smiling at her friend. 

“I’m lonely Pinkie. I have friends and I am lonely. There is a contradiction here Pinkie, and it is very troubling to me,” Twilight confessed. 

“Well, as long as you are not hitting on me Twilight, I guess we can talk,” Pinkie said with a barely repressed giggle. 

“I wanted to talk with you first, to sort my head out, I figured you’d forgive me without making me work for it like Rarity or the others might,” said Twilight, now looking down at the grass, looking at the blooms of clover. 

“Of course you are forgiven silly, even if you were acting kinda creepy there for a while, telling everypony that we were dating,” Pinkie Pie said, now sitting down on her haunches in the grass, making herself comfortable. 

“A long series of events happened that really set me off,” confessed Twilight. “I mean, Sandow gets found as a statue, gets turned back into flesh, is immediately taken in by a warm and loving family, finds happiness, and then finds love, the sort of love that ponies write books about, all in very little time. And even before he was a statue… When he was alive long ago. Married. A foal. He had a family back then too. I am jealous, that is what I am. And what do I have? Wings? My accomplishments? Princesshood? While I appreciate all of these things, and I would never give them up, there is one thing I really really want and I don’t have it, and seeing every other pony around me having something I want is tearing me apart! I don’t know how to deal with it. I’ve wasted my life in study, I am wasting my life in the library, and what I really want is some great romantic gesture to happen, some romantic event, somepony to come along and profess some great love that will echo through generations, I really really want to feel needed, loved, and appreciated!” she heaved breathlessly, now finally taking a deep breath after so many words. 

Pinkie Pie learned forward, wrapped a leg around Twilight’s neck, and gently kissed her on the cheek. 

“What was that for?” asked Twilight. 

“To show you that I understand, I am your friend, and that I forgive you,” explained Pinkie Pie, patting Twilight on the shoulder. “I have a lot of the same feelings. I want some big hunky stallion to come along and sweep me off of my hooves too. I am a silly pink party pony, I am obnoxious as can be, I can be incredibly annoying, and something tells me that I am not the sort of mare that causes the romantic sort to develop a fixation,” she finished. 

“But- but- but that’s not true,” sputtered Twilight. 

“You are an egghead, and I am a spastic dweeb,” Pinkie said with a sad smile. 

“No!” retorted Twilight. “Just no! It sounds like you are giving up, just like I have.” 

“Well, what do we do about it?” asked Pinkie, her blue eyes twinkling faintly. 

Twilight was forced to wonder if Pinkie Pie might be putting her on. She carefully considered her friend, studying her intently, trying to gauge if Pinkie Pie was being serious. With a pained feeling defeat, she realised she could not tell. She could never quite tell with Pinkie Pie. 

“We form a herd of militant mares, hunt down what we want, and then claim them as our own?” asked Twilight in a low voice, making sure that nopony nearby might hear her. 

“Yeah…” Pinkie Pie agreed in a low whisper, nodding. “And Applejack has rope too.” 

“That doesn’t seem romantic,” Twilight retorted. 

“Maybe some stallion right now is wishing that some mare would come along and make a magnificent romantic gesture. With rope,” Pinkie argued. 

“Rope,” replied Twilight Sparkle thoughtfully. 

The pair of mares chortled and giggled together, now sharing a secret plan. 

“And a branding iron,” Pinkie exclaimed. 

Twilight Sparkle raised an eyebrow and shook her head “no.” 

“Or not,” conceded Pinkie Pie. 

“Maybe we should try the Grand Galloping Gala again,” suggested Twilight. 

This time, it was Pinkie Pie that raised an eyebrow and cast an annoyed glance at her friend, gently shaking her head and booping her friend’s nose. 





Flickershine studied the inside of her wagon. Technically, two ponies could live inside of it, sleeping inside of it anyway, if they were real friendly. Of course, Flickershine usually slept outside when he weather allowed, only the cold and the rain driving her inside. There was a hammock that she hung from a pair of trees whenever she had the chance. 

But the wagon was really cozy. She wondered what it would take to lure Sandow inside and canoodle with him for a while. Hmm, canoodling, Flickershine thought to herself. She turned and looked over her shoulder, peeking at Sandow, who did not see her peeking at him. 

Flickershine pulled her head free of the wagon, turned about, and studied Sandow. He was valiantly struggling to read a book, sounding out each word phonetically, slowly, and then speaking it normally once had it puzzled out. Sandow was getting better. The Apples had been downright hard on him trying to get him to read, and rightfully so. Flickershine had also placed her hoof down and demanded that Sandow be able to read stories to her, poems, and other things of interest. 

And Sandow placed as much hard work into reading as he did anything else. 

He was sitting under a tree, his back up against the trunk, holding the book in his hooves, turning the page with a wing, a stalk of grass hanging from his lips. His green bandana hung from his neck, and his mane, now a bit longer, hung down into his eyes a bit. 

Hello handsome! Flickershine said to herself. 

For a brief moment, Flickershine wanted to be a book, and have Sandow turn her pages with his wings. She tittered softly, thinking about the tickle, causing Sandow to look up from his book and smile at her. 

Flickershine swooned a bit at the smile. 

Collecting her thoughts, she sat down in the grass, pulled out a notebook, and began to make plans for one final dance number, hoping to leave a breathless audience wanting more, knowing that she would return one day soon. 



 

The three Crusaders had finally composed themselves. They remained together in their treehouse, now quiet and thoughtful, understanding that together, they had learned an important life lesson. 

Their adventure together into the woods that day had been rewarded, their bravery and their desire to explore had returned something dear to them, and while it was no cutie mark, it was a very similar process, a constant need to keep searching, keep looking, and eventually, there would be something worth finding. 

It had been Applebloom that had suggested that perhaps, they really begin searching inside of themselves, and there had been a discussion, a common understanding that they were growing up. In a short time, they had learned so much about life, only recently, learning about sacrifice, bravery, where to kick an owlbear, the birds and the bees, what it meant to have character, Applebloom had learned a very important lesson about telling fiblets, Sweetie Belle had discovered something new about herself, something that only dancing satisfied, and Scootaloo had realised that she was the sense of timing that kept her friends together. 

And not just in dancing, but almost everything. 

And now, they sat in the clubhouse, looking at one another, realising and knowing that they were no longer quite filly foals, but rapidly transitioning into fillies, and then, one day entirely too soon, they would be mares. 

It was a sobering thought that had left them silent. 

This would be their last summer as foals, and summer was coming soon. It is a difficult thing to stand at the precipice of change, knowing that you cannot turn back. 

Applebloom stuck her hoof out and her eyes darted to her two friends. “Together?” she asked, her eyes still darting. 

“Together,” said Scootaloo, bumping Applebloom’s hoof with her own. 

“Forever,” agreed Sweetie Belle, bumping the two other hooves with her own. 



 

Off in distant Canterlot, two sisters stood together on a balcony, watching as the day transitioned into night. 

“There could be others,” Luna mused, a half smile on her lips. 

“I know,” agreed Celestia. 

“We need to have Twilight perfect some kind of spell to detect lifeforms trapped in stone,” Luna announced. “History could have so much to teach us.” 

“I agree,” replied Celestia, watching the first stars of the evening twinkle. 

“And then somepony must go out into the world and try to find them. We may have little ponies set in stone all around us,” said Luna, her horn glowing, the stars winking into existence in the night sky. 

“Perhaps Twilight and her friends would not mind doing a little looking,” Celestia mentioned, leaning on sister and sharing her warmth. 

The two sisters fell silent as the night came to life slowly around them. 
	
> Chapter 24
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The dance number had gone off without a hitch. The whole routine had been flawlessly executed. Flickershine had enchanted everypony’s hooves with her sound and light spell, and Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Sandow had put on quite a show, with Flickershine watching from the side of the stage. The audience had been dazzled. 

So dazzled in fact, that nopony had noticed that Sweetie Belle had gone through a dramatic change of life mid routine. Sweetie Belle had placed her heart and soul into her dance, and she had shone like the star she was destined to be. It was not until afterwards when the Crusaders and many others had noticed the change. 

And Sweetie Belle did not seem happy. 

In the festive mood of the party that was being thrown to celebrate their dance recital and Sandow’s grand farewell, Sweetie Belle was broken hearted and had to be comforted by her friends. 

“I don’t want things to change,” Sweetie Belle cried, wiping her nose with her foreleg. 

All three of them were in a small changing room behind the stage. The adults had given them some space, a private moment alone with one another, a chance for friends to comfort one another during troubled times. 

“Change?” asked Scootaloo.

“I don’t want to leave you two. I have mine, you don’t have yours. I don’t want to go off and face my life without both of you,” Sweetie sniffled. 

“This doesn’t have to break us up,” Applebloom said comfortingly. “We can still be friends and keep crusading.” 

“But if I am going to go off and be a dancer, that might mean leaving you behind,” Sweetie Belle mumbled tearfully. 

“No, we can stay together. Look at my sister, and Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. They are all good friends with Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. They all have different lives but they stick together. Plus, I know a little something in store for all of us,” Applebloom said, hugging Sweetie. 

“Whassat? Sweetie said, her voice hitching and halting. 

“I overheard my sister talking with Rarity and Rainbow Dash. They’re going to make sure that we all go to university together when the time comes,” Applebloom announced. 

It was now Scootaloo’s turn to break down, and break down she did. She clung to Sweetie Belle and began to sob, muttering about Rainbow Dash being the best big sister ever. The three fillies clung to one another, all of them knowing that change was on the way, and they had seen the proof of it. A simple pink heart with two masks, one white and smiling, the other black and frowning had appeared on Sweetie Belle’s backside. What it actually meant was anypony’s guess. But it was a sure sign that change was coming. 

“You don’t hate me for getting mine first do you?” Sweetie Belle asked. 

“No,” Applebloom sniffled. 

“Not at all,” Scootaloo added, now wiping her nose. 

“It just means we did something right. We were there to support one another until it happened. Now, we stay together till all of us have one,” Applebloom said. “One of us had to be first, and I am glad it was you. If it had been Scoots, she would have bragged our ears off.” 

“Yeah,” Scootaloo agreed. “Waitaminute! Hey!”

“She’s right though,” Sweetie Belle said with a sad half hearted giggle. 

“We should get ourselves together and go out and join the party,” Applebloom said. 



 

Pinkie Pie was not enjoying her own party. Some of her curls had drooped, but she was still trying to put on a brave face. She didn’t like saying goodbye. She knew she wasn’t losing a friend, but the friend was going away. And that wasn’t easy to deal with. She sat with Twilight Sparkle, who was also being a bit of a grump. Together they were watching Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, all of whom were basking in the warm adoration of ponies praising Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. Pinkie Pie wrapped a foreleg around Twilight Sparkle and heaved a Pinkie Pie Sigh, an impossibly long sigh that exited with a flood of emotion. 

“I want a foal that I can feel good about,” Twilight grumbled. 

“I know,” Pinkie Pie replied, rubbing Twilight’s withers. 

“Look at them, I mean, look at them. Look how happy they are,” Twilight whispered, leaning in close to Pinkie Pie. 

“You help out quite a bit with those fillies,” Pinkie Pie answered while hugging Twilight. 

“I guess I do,” Twilight muttered. “But they’re not my fillies.” 

“You really do feel strongly about this,” Pinkie Pie said, suddenly forgetting about her own troubles. Her curls sproinged as she turned to give Twilight her full attention. “Maybe you can be like Celestia and take on a full time student! It would be just like being a mother! And maybe that could hold you over until we can find you some nice stallion to settle down with and have a happy life,” Pinkie added, suddenly very bright and cheerful once again. 

Twilight Sparkle sat there in stunned shock, her eyes wide with surprise. “A student? A full time student? That’s brilliant Pinkie Pie, how did you-hmmmflumphlumph!”

Pinkie Pie jammed a cupcake into Twilight Sparkle’s maw before Twilight could go into full blown Twilight Sparkle mode. “I gotta go make ponies smile Twilight, you have a nice time,” Pinkie Pie quipped as she made a break for it, wiping a frosting covered hoof across Twilight’s cheek as she departed. 



 

Sandow was having some trouble with all the hubbub. It was a farewell party, and he was having some trouble with the idea of farewell. Part of him didn’t want to go, but he didn’t want to stay either. Second thoughts lingered in his mind. 

The wagon was packed. It had new axles. New wheels. A little work had been done to the inside and the outside. A selection of books for him had been carefully stowed away. Sandow discovered that he liked reading and being taught how to read had probably been the nicest thing ever done for him. Mostly, he liked history books. He was not above stealing one of Applebloom’s Daring Do novels and trying to give it a read however. 

Flickershine liked historical romance novels. He had tried to read through one but it was too embarrassing. The stuff that was in the book he had tried to read… Some of it was stuff that he suspected Flickershine wanted him to do to her. The first few chapters had caused a bit of a problem with his wings and he couldn’t understand but half of the words. The other half, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. The book was confusing and one chapter described a stallion under a mare. He had no idea how that worked and the very idea had caused his brain to burn with hidden fire. 

The worst of it was, Flickershine’s bookmark fell out and Sandow didn’t know where it went in the book. And now Flickershine knew that he had been reading it. It was not a good situation to be in. 

The party happened all around Sandow and Sandow somehow felt alone in the middle of it all. Applejack was with her friends. Flickershine was with the Crusaders, receiving adoration from the crowd. 

The crowd was all around and Sandow didn’t know half of them. He felt badly out of place and wanted nothing more than to depart and find a quiet place of reflection. It looked as though Big Mac has already done the same thing. He had been here to watch his sister dance, and now, he was gone. Peering around him, making sure he wasn’t being watched directly, Sandow slipped away. 

Once away from the gathering, he spread his wings and took off, figuring a little flight would clear his head. The coming night was cool and inviting, and the wind felt good in his feathers. Finally, he was free of the noise and the stress of the crowd. 

“Oh no you jerk, you don’t get off that easy!” 

Sandow winced. 

“You can’t bail on us like that Sandow!” Rainbow Dash scolded. “You come back this instant!” she commanded. 

“I don’t care much for crowds,” Sandow protested. 

“But there are ponies in that crowd that care for you, you, you… wormy apple you!” Rainbow Dash chided. 

Sandow sighed and banked to turn back, Rainbow Dash flying by his side. 



 

Flickershine winked at Rainbow Dash to thank her for returning Sandow to the party. Sandow was sitting next to the wagon, looking a bit out of place, and Flickershine was watching him as she stood with the Crusaders, who were getting all the praise and compliments they deserved. 

The crowd was what Flickershine lived for, and she saw some problems in the future with Sandow. He didn’t mind performing, but he was not one for crowds. Slipping away from the herd of ponies around the Crusaders, Flickershine made her way to Sandow. 

She kissed him, passionately, in full view of everypony, causing a few catcalls and cheers. Sandow blushed and gave Flickershine a shy look, but no longer looked so uncomfortable and out of place. “Out in the road, there are going to be ponies who want to talk to us,” she warned. 

“I know,” replied Sandow. 

“Think you’ll be able to handle it?” Flickershine questioned, looking concerned. 

“If I have you with me at my side,” Sandow said shyly. 

“How do you do that? You are just too sweet for your own good,” Flickershine said. She hauled Sandow in for another kiss, a long involved kiss that left Sandow completely breathless when she finally pulled away. The crowd around them made ‘woo woo’ sounds and demanded another show. 

If Flickershine was anything, she was a consummate showmare. She gave the crowd something to look at. 

The party continued well into the night, and everypony managed to have a nice time. 



 

The dawn was bright and warm and the sun shone down on Ponyville. A crowd of ponies stood saying goodbye. There were no tears, not yet, but there were some sniffles. The entire Apple family had made the trip into town to stand around Flickershine’s wagon, and to see Sandow and Flickershine off as they began their journey. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were there as well, and Cheerilee stood with Big Mac, soon to be an Apple herself. 

Applebloom approached with a fresh green bandana in her mouth, and made a gesture for Sandow to kneel down. He did, and Applebloom slowly tied on the fresh green bandana after she removed the faded green one he was wearing. 

“Now you come back to us when this looks ratty and faded,” Applebloom begged, tears finally starting to flow. 

“Come back to us Sandow,” Sweetie Belle added. “You too Flickershine. Thanks for helping me get my cutie mark.” 

“Watch out for bowlegged owlbears,” Scootaloo warned, smiling while sniffling. 

“You come back once you’ve seen the world and you’re ready to settle down,” Applejack said, wrapping her foreleg around Sandow and squeezing. 

“Eeyup,” Big Mac agreed. 

“Come back before I get too much older,” Granny Smith said, now crying openly. “I want somepony to have some foals before I get too old to enjoy them.”

“Come back when you’ve run out of books we’ve packed up for you,” Cheerilee said, wiping her eyes with her fetlock and leaning on Big Mac.

“I love you all,” Sandow said in a small voice. “I don’t intend to stay away forever. Part of me doesn’t want to go. It will only be for a little while. Applebloom, no getting your cutie mark until I come back,” Sandow said, kissing Applebloom on her cheek. 

“Okay,” Applebloom sniffled. 

“That’s the silliest thing I’ve ever heard,” Applejack muttered, shaking her head. 

“We’ll be back before you know it,” Flickershine promised, hitching herself to the wagon. 

After many more words, more tears, and many promises, the Apple family watched as Sandow and Flickershine began their journey. The worlds had to end sometime, and so did the hugs and kisses, and eventually, the couple had to go, as painful as it was. The two ponies walked down the road that led out of Ponyville, Sandow turning and looking over his shoulder a few times, and Flickershine pulled her wagon. 

Applebloom wanted to follow, but clung to her sister’s leg instead, bawling large tears of grief. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo did their best to comfort her as the two ponies began their walk to the horizon. 



 


Epilogue
 

Applebloom read and reread the letter she had pulled from the mailbox and had torn open with her teeth. She began to dance in place, a happy dance, squealing with joy, and then she ran for the farmhouse. Sandow’s letters arrived every week, but this one was the one she was waiting for. 

She flew up the steps to the porch and rammed into the door, causing to slam open. Applejack and Granny Smith stared at her, blinking, Granny looking a little annoyed about the door she had just crashed through. 

“He’s coming back!” Applebloom said breathlessly. “Flickershine is going to have a foal!” 

“I told you he wouldn’t last six months around that mare, she’s brazen,” Granny Smith said to Applejack with a knowing grin. 

“I doubt he has had a chance to see everything yet, he’s only been gone for about five months,” Applejack said, her face happy but her voice sad. “He really wanted to see everything he could.” 

“He’s seen enough to know to come home,” Granny Smith announced. “And with Cheerilee having a foal, our little patch of Apples is about to grow.” 

“Yeah it is,” Applejack agreed. 

“I’m going to go tell Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle!” Applebloom said, running off back through the door and down the steps, and off into Ponyville.