> You never know...
>  by x0jackie0x
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> An unexpected opportunity (part 1)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	”Dammit, this sucks.” Jackie Trade had known it was coming. How could she not? She wasn’t the first, nor would she be the last. With the economy in its current declining state, Manehattan was becoming one of the worst places to own a small business, especially one like hers. As she reluctantly hung the ‘Out of Business’ sign on the front door of her store, the earth pony looked back one more time at the empty room, still somewhat smelling of oil and old, worn tools. The room simply stared back, cold and dark. As she slowly emerged outside onto the busy street, she locked the door and handed off the keys to the landlord, who had ‘graciously’ agreed to watch her cart as she finished up.

”So sorry about the whole ‘doubling the rent’ fiasco. I feel really bad about you having to close your shop.” The landlord's tone easily indicated otherwise. In fact, it sounded like the old pony was glad to be rid of her. Most likely unsatisfied with the money he made from her, he somehow modified the contract and doubled her rent without her knowing. She really should've taken the time to make a copy. It happened so quickly, she had to assume that he had claims almost immediately, despite the previously lower price. Must’ve forgotten to mention that to the new tenants. Jackie shot him a dirty look, holding herself back from mashing up his muzzle.

She was certainly able to. He wasn’t an old geezer, but she wasn’t a tiny mare either. In fact, she was quite large, standing slightly taller than the average stallion. She brushed her scruffy brown mane out of her face, her glare locked on his head, playing images in her mind of stomping him into the ground. Then again, jail didn’t sound too inviting, even though she would most likely be able to handle herself.

”Thanks for the concern. You know where to shove it.” At that, Jackie hitched herself into her cart and left behind her shop and the landlord’s smug grin, heading towards her apartment not too far from her shop. That had been another bonus. Sure, it was downtown Manehattan, certainly not known for its… friendly neighborhood, but it was convenient, if not a little rundown. Maybe that’s why her shop closed. She posted flyers and was willing to make long trips to do the job, but it got to the point where ‘Jack of all Trades’ was turning into an unwanted title.

With the economy going the way it was, not only did it kill her business, but she saw a growing trend of specialists being hired instead. No longer did others want a pony that could do the job. Rather, they wanted one who was meant to do it. General repair? She could do it. Plumbing? She could do that, too. Rearrange your furniture? Might as well, since it was extra money and an easy job. She was able to do almost anything. But her ultimate downfall, the one she cursed herself for time and time again, was the second half of her title: The ‘Jack of all Trades… but a master of none’.

The others were professionals. They were meant to do that work. Couldn’t do much else but their job was their life. Knew it inside and out, while Jackie, on the knowledge of almost any task was well below professional status. She knew the job maybe half as well as the professionals and as hard as she tried, she couldn’t really progress much farther than that.  

She thought back to her cutie mark. She didn’t get it because she could do all those things. It appeared because she wanted to do them. She wanted to help as much as she could, in any way she could. Living at home with her parents, Jackie tinkered with and helped fix various objects and such around the house, even wandering around and asking the neighbors if they had anything that was broken. Jackie figured the more she learned, the more ponies she could help. 


~ ~ ~ ~ ~


"Mom, look! I think I fixed it!" A small brown maned filly with a large pair of glasses resting on her muzzle bounded into the living room, holding a small... something in her mouth. It was wrapped up in tape from top to bottom, with a few nails that had not been hammered in fully seen around the edges.

"Jackie Trade, stop running around with that! Crazy kid..."

The young pony apologized and carefully set the item down in front of her mother, beaming at her. Her mother, an earth pony named Clover, simply looked at the object in front of her with a slightly puzzled expression. The filly's smile didn't fade even after the extended silence between the two.

"Um... Jackie, is that a birdhouse?"

"Sure is! It fell from our tree and broke, so I wanted to fix it! Can't leave the birds without a home, no matter how annoying they are!"

Her mother chuckled and picked up the small structure in her mouth. She placed it on her lap and turned it over a few times, examining the work, pausing every time she reached a nail. She finally set it back down and smiled, ruffling her daughter's hair.

"Well, at least it won't fall apart now. And the nails could act as perches, right?"

Jackie simple stared at her mother, immediately realizing that as a possibility. Then she nodded and tried to look like that was her intention the whole time.

"Y-yeah, that's totally what I was going for!"

"Well, let's go hang this up. I'm sure the birds will be happy to know that you fixed their home for them."

"Yay!" Jackie was far too little to hang it up herself, so her mother leaned over and let her climb onto her back, the young filly once again holding the birdhouse in her mouth. Despite the little one's objections and excitement, her mother walked slowly and carefully, not wanting to throw her daughter from her precarious perch. She pushed open the door and started towards the tree where the birdhouse hook could be seen.

"Ooh, ooh, there it is, Mom!"

"I see it." She stepped next to the tree, the hook at the perfect height for her daughter to reach from her back. Jackie leaned against the tree with her stomach and used both of her front hooves to slide the birdhouse into place. Almost immediately, a blue bird flew by and hovered near the birdhouse as if inspecting it. Cautiously, as if it understood how it was now constructed, landed on the primary perch sticking it head through the hole, then eventually sliding his whole body through. After a moment, the bird stuck its head out and whistled at them gleefully, flying off most likely to gather materials for it's nest.

"Did you see that!? It liked it! Maybe they won't be so loud anymore!"

"I wouldn't count on it, honey. But you should be glad that you went out of your way to do something nice, even if there was a small ulterior motive."

"Ul...teri...or? What's that mean?" Jackie racked her young brain in an attempt to define the new word, but failed miserably.

"Don't worry about it."

"Hey, mom, can I have a honey bun? I did good, right?"

Clover simply laughed at her daughter's bluntness. It was too cute and she did do something nice without being (completely) selfish. "Sure, why not? Only one though. Don't need you getting all pudgy."


A few years later...


"Mom, Dad, I'm home!" Jackie, now in her early teen years, walked through the front door and dropped her school bags on the stool near the door.

"Hey, honey! How was school?" Her mother called out from the kitchen. She was pouring herself a drink while her father was sitting on the couch, his left hind leg in a cast.

"Eh, it was normal. Nothing exciting. How's your leg, dad?"

"Still in pain, but nothing new either." Her father, a unicorn named Gem, was resting on the couch, his leg propped up on a stool. Jackie stared at her father's broken leg. It had been two weeks since he had been hit by that carriage and the driver had left town. Fat chance they would ever get to sue him.

"You didn't fall off the stairs again, did you?"

"Almost, but I caught myself this time."

"We need a ramp!"

"We can't afford it. We've been over this."

"Yeah, but..." She was interrupted by her mother knocking on the wall to get their attention. Clover smiled that same motherly smile she always had and took a sip of her drink.

"We'll figure something out."

Jackie frowned at those words, not wanting to hear them. After all, it wasn't the first time they used that excuse and never did anything about it. But she would. "You're right. We will. I will. I'm going out."

"Where are you going, Jackie?"

"I'll be right back!" With that, she rushed to the door, grabbing her school bags on the way out. After she was outside, she poked through her bags to see how many bits she had left. Not very many, but enough to get started. "Why didn't I ever think of this before? I've been helping everyone out except my own parents! I'm such an idiot!"

Luckily, the hardware store was still open and she immediately spent her precious little money on nails and a few boards. She could borrow the tools from the neighbors. After exiting the shop, she made her way to the neighbor's to the left of their house. An old unicorn stallion and his wife lived there and were happy to let her borrow the tools. She grabbed a hammer and wood saw and returned to her house, dropping everything near the front steps. "Alright, Jackie. You learn hooves on. It shouldn't be that hard, right?"

It only took her an hour to finish her project. She stood back and inspected her work, finding somewhat numerous yet largely negligible malformations. The platform seemed a little warped, but the wheels wouldn't even be touching the middle of it. It also looked a little off, but the basic design was there and it was sturdy. All in all, it should be good enough. She placed it on the step, finding her measurements to be off as well, making it wobble a tiny bit. Still negligible, and not half bad for her first time. Now it was time to show her parents. She pushed open the door, making sure to step over the ramp on her way in.

"Mom, Dad. I have something to show you." Her father gave her a puzzled look, her mother walking towards her slowly.

"Is everything okay, dear?"

"Yeah, it should be. Come on, I built a ramp and I want Dad to try it out."

"Hang on, give me a sec." Gem levitated his crutches to his side and with Clover's help, propped himself up. Jackie pushed the wheelchair closer to him as he walked around the coffee table and watched him plop himself down.

"Alright, I'm ready. Show me your work." Gem pushed himself over to the open door, waiting for Jackie to hop over the ramp before trying it out himself.

"Is it safe?"

"Yeah, of course it is. I tested it out and it doesn't wiggle that much. See?" Jackie pressed hard on it with her hooves, showing off the sturdiness, the ramp only giving slightly under her weight.

"Well, let's try it out!" Her father's horn lit up and a soft aura surrounded the wheels slowly rolling him forward to the edge where the ramp met the stairs. He pushed forward another inch and the wheels connected with wood. As he lifted the magic from the chair, gravity grabbed hold and quickly rolled him to the sidewalk. It was a little steeper than it needed to be, Jackie noted, but it worked. There was no major warping and more than enough room for the wheelchair to move around on it.

"Perfect! You did amazing, Jackie! Come here and give your old man a hug!" Jackie rushed forward and gave her father a big hug, her mother leaning against the doorway with a smile on her face.

"It's just a simple ramp, Dad. Nothing special."

"You're kidding, right? This makes it so much easier for me! And to be honest, the labor was much cheaper than I expected it to be." He winked at his daughter as Clover laughed at his joke.

Jackie walked back to the ramp, inspecting it one last time. "I mean, it's not great. Once I save up a little more money, I can reinforce it or rebuild it into something better. Maybe I could even..."

"Hey, Jackie." Clover poked her head with a head to get her attention.

"Yeah? What's up, mom?"

"You might wanna look behind you."

"Huh?" Jackie peered behind her, but only saw her father smiling at her and chuckling. "What am I looking for?"

"Oh, for the love of... Look at your flank, smart one!"

Jackie lowered her view to her flank, noticing something that most definitely wasn't there before. A lightning bolt with a hammer and wrench had appeared in a place where a cutie mark would go. That would mean...

"My cutie mark! Holy crap, yes!"

"And it only took a few minutes to notice. You owe me five bits, dear."

"That bet was only two bits!"

"I also won the first bet, remember?"

Jackie rolled her eyes, not surprised in the slightest. Those two were always making pointless bets. "Dear Celestia... What the hay was bet this time?"

"Well, when you left the house suddenly, we decided to bet on what you were going to do. I... thought that you were going to get a honey bun..."

"Oh gee, thanks, mom." She watched her dad carefully roll up and down the ramp a few times while he chuckled.

"Well, you obviously know what I bet on. Five bits, please."

Clover put on a grumpy face and tossed her bet at him, Gem catching the coins with his magic. Jackie looked at her cutie mark again, and smiled.

"I'll bet you two had no idea I'd have gotten this baby. Score!"

"That's a bet you would've won, too. We're proud of you, Jackie."

"Thanks, mom. Now for the hard part... Figuring out exactly what it means."

Both of her parents gave her a blank look while she examined it. Could it be construction? Maybe general repair? Then it clicked and she grinned widely.

"You two feeling lucky?"

Gem shook his head, holding his bits close to him. Maybe he realized it was a rigged bet, something he picked up after being with Clover for a few years.

"Well, what is it, hun? Don't leave us in the dark."

She gave it one last look before choosing he answer. She felt it was the correct one, since she thought back to what she was feeling when she got it.

"I think... I think I got it because I love helping."


~ ~ ~ ~ ~


But now… Well, helping was nice, but it didn’t pay the bills. No business back home, barely getting by in the city, she did everything she could simply for money. It was nice to see the happy look on satisfied customer’s face, but they were becoming few and far between. Jackie no longer looked for it.

”Hey, watch where you’re goin’, mare!” A small shove shook her out of her less-than-wistful daydreaming. She quietly apologized and kept walking, not really surprised to find herself in front of the complex she lived in. She had walked these streets so many times, she could probably find it even if she was walking blind. Sighing, she locked up her cart and took everything she had up in one trip, halfway expecting the cart to be gone in the morning. Theft was a certainty in this area and she was lucky to end the day with the vest on her back. She only lived three stories high, so the trip wasn’t too straining, at least on her. But each step creaked beneath the her as she climbed, and she wondered if today would the day the floorboards would finally break apart. Shoving open her door, she gazed upon the familiar layout of her barren apartment.

”Home sweet… ugh.” She dumped her tools and supplies onto the floor with a loud clatter, probably ticking off her next door neighbors Didn't really matter to her, since they were normally just as loud and more often. Jackie was glad she was a hard sleeper. She opened the fridge and pulled out a carton of milk, along with some cheap daisies and a honey bun. A winning meal for sure. She really needed to stop buying junk food. Sitting down on her mattress, she pulled the meal towards her and absentmindedly chewed on the flowers, not really paying attention to the muffled noise coming from the neighbor’s place. Sounded like they were arguing again.

Finishing off the flowers, she took a sip of milk and started on the honey bun, arguably the best part of her day so far. Its sweet glaze, the tasty dash of cinnamon in the middle and the overall fluffiness made her sigh lightly. Jackie liked them a little too much, the evil treats contributing to her already hefty weight. She savored the treat as long as possible and was quite disappointed when the last bite was taken. There were only a couple of swallows left, so she chugged the milk and chucked the empty carton towards the garbage can. It bounced around the rim for a second and finally fell in, causing her to smirk.

With a heavy sigh brought on by frustration, she let her sore muscles relax and flopped backwards onto her mattress, a simple one without a bed frame. She felt that she didn’t need to waste money on that, when she could still get a good night’s sleep. Halfway under the pillow lay her prized possession, the one thing that followed her as often as possible and was really the only consistent thing in her life. Her small stuffed Ursa Minor bear, whom she cleverly named ‘Ursy’. Pulling him close, she cuddled the toy and stared blankly at the wall, trying to figure out what she was going to do for money. ”Maybe they need some help over at a construction site somewhere. Few of those around.”

It was only mid-day. She needed to get up and look for work, but her motivation had hit rock bottom and was threatening to go into the negative, if that was even possible. Still, the lingering threat of going hungry was enough to get her going. Lying there for a few more seconds, she quickly threw herself up to avoid her body rebelling, ignoring the desire to lay there like a piece of meat. Staring out the window, Jackie remembered how much she missed being home. It was nice there. The outskirts of the city were so much different compared to the clustered mess that was downtown Manehattan. Here, vendors lined the streets, selling their wares while the occasional performer would try to grab attention by doing some crazy trick for a small tip. Most likely there was some nearby alley that held a mugger and their unfortunate victim. She would never understand the appeal of big cities.

Tucking Ursy back under the pillow, she left her apartment, headed down the stairs and out onto the street, determined to find work. ‘Help wanted’ signs were nowhere to be seen, but the she could see a construction site off in the distance. The building looked to be already halfway completed, but there might still be an opening this late in the game. She felt guilty, but she halfway hoped that some poor pony was just barely too injured to work. Maybe the foreman wouldn’t mind taking on a mare. Jackie was more than capable of heavy lifting and it wasn’t the first time she was in that line of work. After all, working at one of these sites helped her open her own shop. If not, she might have to stick with doing whatever she could for a while.

Jackie trotted briskly down the sidewalk, keeping a slight eye on those around her. It was downtown, after all, and pockets naturally seemed begging to be subtly scrounged through. The construction site was a few blocks down and while she was quite capable of handling herself, there was the random daredevil who managed to snatch something from her. The last one wasn't quite so skilled and was lucky to leave with only a smashed muzzle.

She stopped at a crosswalk and stood off to the side, scanning the small crowd walking with her. Nothing out of the ordinary. It was your average mix of ages, races and genders. She recognized one of her neighbors but didn’t bother saying 'hi'. They were signaled to cross and Jackie stayed on the outside of her group, habitually patting her vest, something she quickly picked up on after the first time someone picked her pocket. Reaching the other side of the street, she lost view of the construction site, but headed straight down the strip trying not to bump any of the ponies around her. Most of the group that was with her had dispersed except for a couple of younger stallions and one older one.

Jackie finally reached the construction site, the loud noises somewhat comforting to hear. Familiarity is one hell of a clincher when it comes to decisions. But she didn’t see any signs asking for help nor did she see anyone that looked like the foreman. She noticed a trailer off to the side and knew that if he was anywhere, that would be the place to look. Trotting over with a smile that took a small bit of effort to conjure, she knocked three times and stepped back. Jackie hoped he wasn't the typical foreman type. Always rude and not too socially adept. She certainly wasn't expecting to see the pony that opened the door.

“Rivet? What the hay are you doing in the trailer?” 

"Jackie Trade! Hey, it's been a while!" Rivet laughed loudly and chucked the mare on the shoulder. He was powerfully built, certainly fit for where he worked, with deep and friendly voice. He was the first friend she made after moving to the city and proved to be a good one, as not only did he help her get her first job, but he was able to snag her an apartment as well. He was a sweet guy and a single father; His colt was old enough for school, allowing him to work a regular job. Jackie admired him greatly for that but never had any interest in him except as a work buddy. They never hung out regularly, the only exceptions being at work or maybe the occasional bar visit. Jackie wasn't a big drinker, but Rivet was. More than once she had to help the stallion home.

”What’re you doing here? Hey, how’s your shop goin’? I haven’t been able to stop by, been a little too busy.”

”Well, that’s the thing, big guy… I had to close up shop. My rent was doubled...” She rubbed the back of her head, her smile now forced. Rivet cocked an eyebrow at her, a concerned expression replacing the bright smile.

”So, are you asking for money or a job? ‘Cuz I hate to be a jerk, but I have neither for you. We have just barely enough to cover those working already.” Hit the nail on the head. Despite the words that were spoken, his tone was soft and caring. It still stung her a little.

”You know I’d never ask you for money out of your pocket. You have a colt to look after. I just came to look for a job, but… I’m sure I can find something elsewhere. Luckily, my apartment’s paid off for the month." Despite her slightly positive outlook, there was that nagging thought that told her this would happen.

"I really wish I could help, girl. I'd let you borrow money, but I'm short as it is."

"No ,no, don't worry about it. Just, if you could, keep an eye out for me. It was good seeing you again, but I gotta find somewhere to work by the end of the day.” Head hanging, Jackie left the worksite, with her friend wishing her good luck after her. "What did you expect? You might have to end go live with mom and dad for a while." Lost in thought, she walked headfirst into another pony somewhat roughly. Startled, she quickly apologized, making sure they were okay, but quickly recognized him as the older stallion from the group. She was puzzled, as he should have been long gone by now. He was slightly taller than her, a unicorn and his age was showing on his face.

”Excuse me, I couldn’t help but overhear your predicament.” 

She should have figured. This old pony had been following her, but for what reason, she didn't know.

”You have a reason for butting in on other pony’s business?” That sounded less harsh in her head, but he shouldn’t have been eavesdropping. Jackie tried to make herself seem a little more intimidating, not quite sure what to make of him, but she didn't want to take any chances. She liked being able to choose between fight or flight.

”You can put all that away, young lady. I mean to cause no issues with you. Name’s Thatcher. Instead, I have an offer to extend towards you.”

”...Jackie. What kind of offer?” Now she was suspicious. A random offer from a random pony just sounded like trouble.

”You ever hear of a place called Ponyville? The look on your face tells me no. Quite a small town. Real peaceful and everything, but we get our share of excitement. That’s beside the point, though. I own a small roofing business there and I do quite well for myself. However, I’m getting on in years and my productivity has slowed down a tad. Strangely enough, not a single pony was willing or able to help me out and I know Manehattan has a lot of workers itching for a steady job.” 

Out of instinct, Jackie’s desire to help came rushing forth, pushing her to ask more, with the optimistic side of her hearing the words ‘steady job’ and pushed just as hard. Then the realistic side slapped her and told her to think for once in her life. She found it very odd that there wasn't anyone in his town to work for him. She couldn’t help but wonder what his game really was. Nobody just walks up to a random pony and ask them to help work in another town. Maybe.

"Why me? Not only am I a stranger, I'm an earth pony. Not really born to do the job."

”I’m a pretty good judge of character. I saw you lose your shop and you kept your cool. You headed to your apartment and came right back out, without missing a beat. You hated asking your friend for money, despite needing it. Even now, I have the feeling that you’re on the fence about my offer, which is good. Means you’re willing to listen. And besides..." He looked at her cutie mark and smirked. "'Born to do the job' doesn't really apply to you, does it?"

”L-Lucky guess... Anyway, so what’s the whole offer? There’s obviously more to it than that.”

Thatcher nodded and continued, the smirk still present. ”Here’s the whole offer: I need someone to help me out in Ponyville. You look like you're trustworthy enough. It includes free room and board, although with a smaller paycheck. You’re also free to seek out smaller jobs during the times when you aren’t working.” 

She must’ve had a crazy look on her face, because he chuckled, mentioning that she looked like she liked the idea. ‘Free room and board’ was the clincher this time. Sure, she’d have to move, but it sounded like it was worth it. A smaller town would also be great for a small business, in case she was no longer needed for roof work. "Almost too good to be true, but what other choice do I have?"

”Okay, you lured me in. When… when do you need me there?” She couldn’t believe what she was doing. Leaving the city to work for a complete stranger and live in some new town she never heard of usually would have gone against every bit of good judgment she had. 

”You’re up and leaving quite a bit. I think three weeks, including travel time, would be adequate. It’s only a six hour train ride, so that leaves you plenty of time.”

”Hmm... I might be able to leave in two. If you’ll leave me your address, I’ll send a letter a week before I...” 

He was already levitating a quill and paper, scribbling away, a drop of ink flung from the quill tip and landing on the pavement. Waving the page around to dry the ink, he rolled it up and let the page hover in front so she could grab it. Jackie didn’t really have a place for it, so she plucked it out of the air and stuffed it in her vest. It was a little uncomfortable, but she at least she wouldn’t lose it.

”I’ll be waiting for the letter and make sure everything’s set up for you before you arrive. My wife and daughter should be pleased to meet you.” 

Jackie just kind of stood there, dumbfounded. ”A wife and kid? What the hay is he thinking? How can he just trust a random stranger around his family?” 

Thatcher suddenly chuckled again. She must have been making a face and spoke as if he knew fully well what she was thinking. 

”Like I said, I’m a good judge of character. Besides, what reason would you have to hurt an old stallion and his family?" 

"I know, but..."

"I’ll be seeing you in a few weeks, Ms. Trade.” With that, he simply trotted off towards the train station, humming to himself. Jackie still hadn’t quite come to terms with what she agreed to, but it was a steady job with no rent. Her parents might freak out, but there was no other obvious choice. She didn’t have much to pack. It might only take her three days to actually clear everything and leave. She’d have to take care of her apartment, say goodbye to her parents, and… that was actually about it. She decided to tell Rivet the news, since he would be the only one who would care, besides her parents.

Trotting along the fence back into the site, she saw him going over some blueprints with one of the workers right outside his trailer. She didn’t distract him from that, so she waited off to the side. He noticed her anyway and motioned her over.

”Everything all right?” His smile had returned. Once, she thought of what might’ve happened if she had fallen for him. Playing it in her head did nothing for her and she abandoned the idea, knowing that he would always be just a friend. Still, that genuine smile of his was endearing.

”Strangely enough, I think it is. I just got a job offer from an older stallion in a town called Ponyville." 

Rivet shouted at a couple of workers that were just sitting around, then focused back on Jackie. ”Ponyville, huh? That’s quite a trip. Doing what?”

”Roofing, of all things. Says he’s getting old and needs some help, but there wasn’t anyone back home that could help him." The idea was still strange to her and she would love a second opinion. "What do you think about all this?” 

Rivet thought for a moment and ended up shrugging. He was never a hard thinker. Not dumb, but he certainly didn't have a head for deep conversations.

”I think you know what you’re doing. You do, right?” 

”I think so. I’m kinda desperate and it’s not like I have much here, other than you and my parents. I’m a little excited about it, too. Free room and board with a stable job? How can you ask for more than that?” She chuckled and lightly rubbed her face with her hoof. Everything was kind of building up to a sharp point, starting to affect her in multiple ways.

”When do you leave?”

”Couple of weeks. Probably not even that long. Not like I have much to pack.”

”Make sure you stop by before you leave. Gotta have one last drink and I promise you won’t have to drag me home.”

”You better not get smashed. I really don’t wanna show up for my new job a mess. I’ll stop by, don’t worry.” She sighed heavily, and then laughed for no good reason. ”I must be going crazy. Anyway, I need to get everything set up for me to leave and go visit my parents. You’ll be here?” He pointed to the incomplete building sitting in front of him and cocked his eyebrow.

”Does it look like we'll be done anytime soon? Of course, I’ll be here. And since you’re leaving, you can buy the first round.”

”Hold me to it. You know how my memory is.” She left Rivet to his work and as she left, heard him yelling again at somebody for being lazy. Shaking her head and feeling a smile creeping onto her face, she headed towards her apartment to pack and pretty much spend the rest of her time with her family. She had no need for the apartment and train tickets were cheap enough. Honestly, Jackie realized she could be out of here in two days and be more than ready. She’s been working hard though, and a small vacation would be nice. 

She’d send a letter in a few days. Surely, Thatcher would be glad to have his help arrive sooner rather than later. Jackie was scared, though. She lived in the city where things were tough but she never traveled before. Jackie tried thinking of what might happen, racking her brain with all sorts of different scenarios. Then she lightly knocked herself on the noggin, telling herself the same thing she always did whenever she worried about the future.

”Just calm down. You never know, do you?’
> An unexpected opportunity (part 2)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"Come on, Timid! We're almost there!" 

Timid Dreamer could see her brother waving at her in the distance. She was on yet another happy outing with Dig Dancer, her older unicorn brother. Headed towards the Everfee forest, the two would do a little exploring and maybe even find a few interesting items in the process. The forest was wild and mysterious, so who knows what they would find? She smiled warmly at the colt and ran as fast as she could to keep up with him. He stopped at the edge of the forest and waited for her to catch up, throwing a hoof around her and hugging her tightly.

"This forest is pretty creepy, isn't it, sis?" He looked on confidently. Dig always had that air about him, like he knew what he was doing and how he was going to do it.

The tiny pegasus, barely older than 6 years of age, gulped nervously and gazed up at her brave brother. He was strong and always moving forward. Whenever he was around, Timid never felt scared but this forest stirred something inside of her that she couldn't shake. She pressed herself closer against the colt, shivering slightly. Dig laughed and ruffled her long mane.

"Don't you even worry for a second. This part of the forest is actually pretty calm. Besides, if anything were to happen, you know I'd protect you, right?" 

"I'm ready, Dig." Despite her nervousness, her brother's enthusiasm strengthened her. They passed the tree line and entered the dreaded forest, wind rustling the branches and creating a creepy ambiance that made Timid regret her decision. "Dig's with me. I'll be fine." They ventured further into the forest, almost to the point where they could no longer see the entrance. It had grown very dark, the canopy blocking out most of the light. Dig lit up his horn, allowing them to see a good bit around them.

"So, you see anything interesting? You never know what you can find in a forest like this one." The glow from his horn shown like a lantern, illuminating everything around there immediate area. It didn't go much farther than that, as if the darkness was swallowing the light itself.

Excited and quickly throwing away her fears of the forest, Timid began searching the ground, imagining valuable treasures that had to be right beneath their hooves, just waiting to be discovered. She giggled while moving small plants out of the way, aided by her brother who stayed by her side and helped her move some heavier objects, like rocks or fallen branches. She thought she caught a glint of something shiny, when it suddenly became dark, almost pitch black. Timid, not taking her eyes off the spot, complained at her brother.

"C'mon, Dig! Bring the light back, I can't see!" No answer. After several moments, the young filly felt scared again and looked behind her. Dig was nowhere to be found. The wind had died down and there was not a single sound to be heard. Feeling around in the darkness only confirmed that she was alone.

"D-Dig? Where'd you go? This isn't funny!" Timid slowly spun in a circle, desperately searching for her brother. The silence in the forest was started to press down on her, frightening her.

"Brother, please! Don't scare me like this!" She began to edge towards the entrance, wanting to leave the wretched area, but afraid of leaving Dig Dancer behind. Timid heard a twig snap to her left and she saw another glint of light, faint but definitely there. It didn't move any closer and she was unsure of approaching it.

"B-brother? Is t-that you?" Her legs were shaking and she could barely hold herself up. Out of the silence came a low growl that seemed to rumble along the ground. Timid's eyes shot wide open and her entire body froze. It only took a moment to realize what this was. Unable to look away, the gleam of light rose higher and the filly could see the faint outline of a rather large timber wolf. The wolf's mouth opened, his jagged teeth holding a malicious gleam of their own. She swore she heard a low guttural laugh. Tears began to stream down Timid's face, staining her cheeks as she stared into the face of horror. 

She cried, unable to move from the spot, much less run away. The timber wolf stepped out of the brush slowly, towering over her. It was monstrous, a tall jagged pile of horror, with piercing eyes staring straight into her own. It halted, as if contemplating the meal before him, then pounced with nasty jaws wide open. Timid fell to the ground and screamed as loud as she could, praying for her brother to come to her rescue.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Timid woke up with a start, her throat dry and her scream only a light wisp. Her back was rigid and tears soaked her face as she stared blankly at the wall in fear, the image of the monster still in her mind. She sat there in silence, her consciousness catching up to her, letting her realize that the nightmare was over. Her muscles relaxed and her shoulders slumped, exhaustion taking over. Almost every day for far too many years, she would have nightmares similar to that one. Always her brother disappearing or always involving timber wolves.

Stretching her body painfully and wiping her face dry, Timid slowly pulled herself out of bed. "I'm a full grown mare. I shouldn't be having nightmares anymore..." She held back a sniffle and reached for her favorite scarf, gazing at it sadly. The white scarf, or rather her old foal blanket, never left her sight. She always wore it and when she wasn't, it was almost never more than ten feet away. The end was stained with dirt, due to it being so long that it dragged along the ground. It didn't help that she stepped on it every once in a while, even tripping herself up when she did. Wrapping it around her neck, she walked over to her dresser and stared at herself in the mirror.

Her long brown mane was very messy; She must have been tossing and turning all night. She set the brush on straightening it out, not taking very long despite the length. Luckily her mane was quite cooperative. Her soft, light yellow coat was flattened in some areas, which were taken care of with a quick brushing as well. Her tail, almost the same length as her mane, was not as messy but still required a brushing. Satisfied with her work, she set the brush down and caught her own eye in the reflection. Her green eyes were accented by slight bags beneath them, the result of these nightmares and the lack of sleep. Not much she could do about that. She set her mind elsewhere, trying to shake off the night.

"I wonder if father is back yet. He's been away for a while." Her father, Thatcher, went to Manehattan to look for someone to help him out back here in town. Timid thought it was a bit weird that there wasn't anyone in Ponyville to do the job and thought it was even weirder that he was going to be bringing someone back with him. Some stranger working for father? She wasn't quite happy about that. What if he was mean or something? She wouldn't want someone like that around them, even if her father needed the help. She'd help him herself, if that's what it took.

Nonetheless, the trip was made and he should be returning any day now. Timid saw no reason to remain upstairs, wallowing in her troubles, so she left the room, already smelling the welcome fragrance of breakfast. She closed the door and glided down both flights of stairs into the living room. She liked living in the attic. She had her own little window where she could see a nice section of Ponyville, not to mention it was quiet up there. She heard her mother, Landscape, in the kitchen and stood over by the door frame.

"Good morning, Timid. Did you sleep well?" 

She caught her mother's eye, which always had that same look of concern for her. Her mother, Landscape, was a unicorn as well. In fact, Timid was the only pegasus in her immediate family, much to the couple's surprise, but she wasn't treated any differently. She was more of a joker than her father was, and liked to tease her daughter from time to time. Whenever she woke up, though, her mother had a different attitude.

"Same as always, mother."

"I don't know why you insist on staying up so late almost every single night. You only hurting yourself, you know."

Strangely enough, neither of Timid's parents knew about her constant nightmares. Another plus about sleeping in the attic. Her screams were rarely heard during their deep sleep. Only her brother knew about them and he was the only one she could talk to about them. But he wasn't around anymore...


~ ~ ~ ~ ~


"Show me again, Dig! Go back to the last page!"

"Okay, okay, calm down. Here we go." Did Dancer went back a page containing an ornate drawing of an ancient land, one that no longer existed. At least as it was depicted. In it's place were nothing but old ruins and dusty rocks.

"I'll bet that place was amazing when it was still in one piece." Timid, only 5 years old, traced one the bolder lines with her hoof, gazing at the page with a smile on her face.

"You better believe it. A prosperous city and everything, but war made it fall apart."

"War..." There was much that the young filly did not know much of, war being one of those things. She knew enough to not like anything about it. "That's terrible."

"Yep... But at the same time, these ruins are there for us to learn from, so history doesn't repeat itself. One day, I hope I can travel to a place like this and see what I can find. Archaeology is amazing."

Her brother turned the page, this one containing nothing but text, which bored Timid. She nuzzled her sibling and wiggled closer to him, waiting for him to turn to an interesting page. It wasn't long until a voice called from downstairs.

"Dig, Timid! Dinner's ready!"

"Sweet, I'm starving! C'mon, Timid." Dig closed the book and stood up, stretching a little. He waited for his sister to stand up, which she did and he headed for the stairs.

"Dig!" Timid stood there, feeling a little dejected.

"What? Oh, my bad. Alright, climb on."

Timid giggled as her brother laid back down, letting her climb up on his back. She used her tiny wings to balance herself before holding on to his neck. "Alright, I'm ready."

"I think I spoil you too much."

"Older brothers are supposed to spoil their younger sisters. It's... the law or something."

"Is that so?" They descended the stairs, the wafting aroma of freshly cooked food caressing their senses.

"Totally. I don't make the rules and I don't want you to get in trouble. I gotta take care of you too, you know."

"Thanks for looking out for me, tiny."

"I'm not tiny!" They reached the table and Timid hopped off her brother's back onto her seat, eagerly awaiting her meal.

~ ~(Five weeks after her sixth birthday)~ ~

"Treasure, treasure!" Timid stood close to her brother just outside the Everfree forest. She looked past the tree line, her excitement growing. Even if it was creepy, she wanted to run in and starting searching for mystic and wonderful treasures and artifacts. They didn't tell their parents, wanting to surprise them with all kinds of cool objects.

"There might be loads of treasure in there. After all, nobody ever goes in, so that must mean that nobody has ever dug around, right, Dig?"

"Exactly. Who knows what we'll find?"

There was a cold wind that blew through them, but they both looked on confidently. They had been told multiple times to stay away, that the forest was dangerous, but never was a reason given other than that. They were just being parents, after all.

"Come on, let's go!" She tried her hardest to push her brother forward, but with no luck. He laughed and hurried with her to the first tree, setting a hoof inside the perimeter. Nothing bad, so far, so Dig lit his horn and insisted that he go first to light the way. The light didn't go very far but far enough to properly see a short distance in front of them.

"Alright, let's start digging!" Timid set upon a patch of dirt near a tree and used her hooves to quickly clear away the dirt. There could gems or artifacts or even gold! There was no telling what they would find. A few eerie sounding birds set the mood and filled her with nervous excitement.

The next few minutes was spent slowly moving deeper into the woods, until Dig felt that any farther was too far. Timid felt a little disappointed, but knew her brother was right. Besides, there was plenty of ground to dig up and Timid had intention of unearthing every inch.

"I still got nothing. How about you, Timid?"

"Same here. Not even a shiny rock."

They both froze when a twig snapped in the distance, causing a few birds to fly off. An awful stench had replaced the smell of freshly turned dirt and Timid automatically ran to her brother's side, taking cover behind his legs.

"D-Dig, what is it?"

"I'm sure it's just a rabbit or something. Nothing to be worried about." He didn't sound too sure of himself. "Let's head back. We've been here long enough."

Timid stuck close to him, her eyes darting around. They didn't hear another twig or any other sound except their hooves impacting the dirt and rocks around them. The stench had grown stronger, almost making them gag. A rustling to their right made them halt, and they noticed a pair of golden eyes staring at them from behind a tangle of bushes.

"Timid, we need to leave. Now!"

Whatever was stalking them noticed their urgency and emerged from the bushes, revealing itself as a deadly timber wolf. Two more appeared on both sides, almost completely surrounding them, the forest's entrance their only route to safety. The beasts stared at them, hunger evident in their eyes and slowly inched closer to their potential prey.

"Oh no... Timid, run. Run!"

Timid couldn't move. Fear had taken her and left her unable to respond. She stared in horror as the three monsters that stood before them advanced, their intentions dark and evil. Dig kept trying to push her along with his back hooves but she was frozen on the spot. He dared not turn his back in case they used the distraction as an opportune moment to attack.

"H-help..." Her voice came out as barely a whisper.

The first wolf seemed to have gotten impatient and lunged for the stallion. Dig responded immediately by halting the wolf with his magic and hurling it against a nearby tree. The wolf collided with the large object and broke apart, no longer a threat. The other two wolves were now a little more wary, since their target was a viable threat. The one on their left lunged as well, Dig easily catching him in the same manner.

"Dig, look out!" Timid yelled it as loud as she could muster, but it wasn't enough. She watched as the last remaining wolf rushed forward and caught her brother with it's claws, raking across his flank. Dark red grooves were left behind, which quickly began to bleed profusely. Her brother screamed in agony and in a fit of anger threw the wolf he had hold of against the one that had attacked him. They both broke apart like the first, leaving a pile of wood and debris as their corpses.

"Come on, Timid."

"D-Dig, you're b-bleeding..."

"NOW! We have to get out of here!" Her brother, quite injured, pushed her towards the entrance with his muzzle, limping as he went.

~ ~(Timid's sixteenth birthday)~ ~

The meal was left untouched, along with the presents from various members of her family. Her parents, Uncle Flash and her cousin Collision, even some from the neighbors around town; they all gave her something for her birthday. But the one things she really wanted, the one thing that comforted her after a nightmare, that wrapped her up in that old blanket and held her until she stopped crying, the one thing that never blamed her for anything...

"Timid, aren't you going to eat some of your food?"

She felt a hoof rest on her shoulder but did not react. She just stared at the table, tears in her eyes and simply ignored everything around her.

"Timid, baby, please..."

"He's gone, isn't he?" She raised her view to match her mother's, her voice weak. 

"Now, Timid, we don't know that for sure..."

"It's been over a month, a full month! He should have been home by now! Every other expedition he went on, he was home when he said he would be! There hasn't been a single letter or sign that he's okay! What if he's... he's..." She pushed away from the table and rushed to her room, blocking out any attempts to stop her. She shoved the door open and ran to her window, flapping her wings as hard as she could to stay aloft as she stared out the window. Maybe... just maybe he could be walking home that very minute. He's a big brother and nothing could stop him. 


~ ~ ~ ~ ~


She looked at her mother with glazed eyes, but shook herself out of it. No need to bring on questions that she didn't want to answer.

"I probably should get to sleep earlier. We'll see tonight." She heard her mother scoff, a normal reaction. It wasn't the first time she had said that, nor would it be the last.

"You always say that. But, it's your choice, I guess. As long as you're able to function throughout the day, then I can't really complain, can I?" She finished making breakfast and slapped some hay bacon, biscuits and a few apple slices on a plate, hovering it in front of Timid. She grabbed it with her mouth and took it to the table, a few utensils, napkins and two cups floating in behind her. She sat down and waited for her mother before eating.

"When will father be back?" Thatcher had been gone for at least a week and Timid was starting to get worried. She had never been to Manehattan and had no idea what it was like, but the idea of a big city made her nervous.

"He should be back today. He said he was going be back today, regardless of whether or not he found someone. Don't worry, he'll be back soon." She gestured to Timid to begin eating. The meal didn't take long to finish and Timid's mother asked her to clean up the table. She was wiping off the dishes when Landscape called out to her.

"Actually, honey, don't worry about the dishes, I'll finish those up. I need you to make a run to the market for me, instead." 

Timid dried off her hooves and trotted over to her mother, who had taken to the couch, finishing up a short list. Timid had already grabbed her saddlebags and was adjusting them when found the list rolled up and floating neatly into her right saddlebag. "Are you sure that's all you need?"

Nodding, Landscape bid her farewell and made her way into the kitchen while Timid left the house. It was a perfect day, enough clouds to provide shade, but pleasantly warm with a nice breeze. Good weather was always a plus and lifted her spirits slightly. She would have rather waited until her father had returned from his trip, but with the warm sun softly beaming down on her and the breeze sifting through her mane ever so slightly, she didn't mind being out. However, even the nice weather couldn't keep her gaze from drifting towards the Everfree Forest. Cold, unfeeling and mysterious were a few of things that ran through her mind as she stared at the forest edge that ran near her house.

"Of all the spots in Ponyville, my parents had to live here..." Wrenching away, Timid tried to banish the emptiness and instead busied herself with thoughts of the marketplace. The warmth of the sun returned to her, but she couldn't fully shake the feeling that the forest was staring at her, as if waiting for her to set hoof inside it's boundary once more. She pulled open the flap of her bag and unrolled the list, double checking her money to make sure she had enough.

"Let's see... Yeah, I have more than enough. Probably should've checked before I left the house." Satisfied, Timid rolled the list back up and dropped it into the nearly empty saddlebag. As she casually trotted towards the center of town, the feeling of the breeze prompted her to unfurl her wings, flapping them a few times to stretch them out. She had the slightest temptation to take off in flight, but resisted it. She wasn't a very good flyer, and preferred to be on the ground. Certainly not the worst thing in the world, but it only aided in making her feel a little less confident about herself.

Thankfully, Ponyville was a small town and it wasn't long before Timid found herself nearing the hustle and bustle of the market. Stands lined the streets, displaying goods in excess. Fruits, vegetables, freshly baked breads, and even an ice cream stand could be seen. "I know ice cream isn't on the list. What do I need to pick up? Lettuce, broccoli, potatoes, carrots..." Dragging the list from the bag, she could see that she wouldn't be here too long. Everything she needed was within sight, except for the broccoli. Probably on the other side of the fountain. She wanted to get this over with. Her father could already be home and she wanted to hear everything about Manehattan. She also wasn't too comfortable being out here amongst the rather large group of ponies, so the faster her trip, the better.

It wasn't too difficult to walk around unnoticed. Her quiet nature resulted in a lack of interaction with the townsfolk, whether or not it was intentional. It was fine. All Timid needed was her parents and... She needed to get on with shopping. No doubt Thatcher was already home, waiting for her to return. Using this as motivation, she quickly bounced between stands, quickly obtaining what her mother required for tonight's meal. Except for the broccoli. Looking around, Timid came to the realization that she had circled the fountain twice and was unable to locate it. The thought of asking a passerby unnerved her, so she set about making another trip to the far end of the market. She probably wasn't looking hard enough.

No. She had already spent too much time here. Certainly her mother could do without the broccoli for tonight; they already had a big enough meal. Disappointed, Timid sighed; even though she knew her mother wouldn't be annoyed in the slightest, she would have much rather found everything. However, on her way out of the market, a small sign adorned with green caught her eye. "There it is! I must've walked right past it while looking at the list." She hurried over to the stand hoofed over the bits for the veggies, stuffing them into her saddlebag and trotting home with a small smile on her face.

Her somewhat good mood made the trip even quicker and was happily surprised to spot her father walking through the front door as she neared the house.  picked up the pace and was practically galloping home, relieved to see her father arriving safe and sound. More than once, she nearly upended herself by stepping on her scarf, but the wind eventually caught it and let it furl out behind her, tethered snugly to her neck. She was excited to see him back, but more than anything, she wanted to know who he found.

Reaching her house, she pushed opened the door, maybe a little rougher than she needed to and found her parents sitting on the couch. Timid rushed over and gave her father a tight hug, almost tossing her saddlebags to the floor. It's not like she was scared he was going to disappear or leave for no reason, but she cherished their presence. She broke the hug and hurried to the kitchen, setting all of the veggies neatly on the counter. Coming back to sit on the couch with her parents, Timid made herself comfortable and immediately began the interrogation.

"So, what was Manehattan like?"

"Well, kind of what you read in books, Timid. Not a very nice place, but it has its merits. Very large, but certainly not the largest city I've been to. Also smelled a bit, but I was downtown to begin with." 

Timid giggled a bit at that, but pressed on with the question she really wanted to ask.

"Did you find someone to work for you? What's he like?" 

"Well, she seems quite capable of handling herself. Her name's Jackie Trade. Her size took me off-guard, that's for sure, being just as tall as I am. But I was able to see how she acted around others and I'm pretty sure she's quite nice, might be a little rough around the edges."

"A mare? How'd you find her?" Landscape seemed a bit surprised at this. Timid didn't really understand why, since she felt another mare would be easier to get along with. Plus, there were a few mares around town who did manual labor, so it wasn't too strange.

"Actually, I was heading back to the train station when I found her. Turns out she used to own a shop in the city but they doubled her rent and she was unable to keep up with the payments. So, I followed her at a distance for a bit to see how she acted. For a pony who had just lost their shop, she held herself together quite well." 

"That poor pony." It was sad to hear something like that. Ponyville was such a nice place and Timid didn't believe she ever saw anything like that around. The city must be a difficult place to live.

"Is she a unicorn as well?" 

Thatcher shook his head, saying she was an earth pony, of all things. Even though she was never a judgmental pony, Timid couldn't help but wonder why this mare would take a job she was ill suited for.

Landscape wasn't looking too happy about the situation. "Are you sure it was a good idea to hire her, dear? We really don't need her injuring herself." 

"I know the risks. I have a feeling she'll be fine. Besides, if she does fall off, I can always catch her. My magic's good for something, right?"

"I guess so... When will she get here?"

"Oh, I gave her three weeks."

"That's... quite a long time, Thatcher. Shouldn't you have..." 

Thatcher interrupted his wife, something he doesn't do all that often. "She's picking up and moving pretty much her whole life from the city she was born in. I think three weeks is just enough time for her to get everything prepared. Besides, she said it might not take that long anyway." 

As if it called out to her, Timid gazed in the direction of her brother's old room. It really hasn't been changed since he left, only cleaned up and straightened. She would go in there every once in a while when she was down and it sometimes helped her feel better. The new worker coming in would need a room and she knew she wasn't the only one silently dreading the moment when they would have to finally clear out the room.

"Well... we're going to have to find a spot for Ms. Trade." Landscape's tone was soft and definitely sad. It had been lingering in the back of all their minds. Timid sat there silently, tears forming in her eyes. She didn't want it to happen, but she knew that cleaning up his room was necessary. She gave a start when she felt a hoof on her shoulder and looked up to find her father looking at her through misty eyes. She leaned into a hug, one that she shared with her mother, as well.

"I know it's hard but... maybe this will bring some closure. Leaving his room as it is won't make us feel any better about losing him. We'll all do our part, but we can wait until we get her letter."

Timid didn't want it to happen. That room meant something to them all. But her father was right. It would help ease their pain.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~


A week passes. Timid grows more and more tense as each day goes by, signaling one step closer to Jackie's arrival. She was nervous, but excited as well. She wanted to meet her. Maybe this Jackie was nice and would be friendly. At the same time, this stranger was going to be living in her brother's room. There was no hatred in this thought, only sorrow. 

She was lounging on the couch, reading a book when her mother asked her to check the mail. It was late this morning, but Timid didn't need to check, as she heard a loud thud come from right outside the door and smiled softly.

"The mail's here!" Timid hurried to the door and pulled it open to find a gray pegasus mare with a blonde mane stuffing a few letters into their mailbox. Timid quietly greeted her, which caused the mail mare to turn around and smile at the voice. Her slightly skewed eyes found the other mare for a brief second, but then one seemed to drift, as if going about its business.

"Well, hey Timid! How's it going! Sorry for the mail being late!" Ditzy Hooves was the only mail mare in town. Not that they really needed another, but sometimes she could get caught up or lose track. She was also quite infamous for losing mail but it never stayed that way for long. She was as sweet as could be and one of the few ponies that Timid wasn't nervous about being around, despite them only interacting whenever the mail was delivered. She had an amazing memory too, which was very helpful for her job.

"Oh, it's not a problem, Ditzy. You know we don't care. How is your morning?"

"Just fine, but I was a little late getting out of the post office this morning. Um... a muffin was blocking the exit." She licked her lips, apparently in memory of the evil muffin keeping her from doing her job, but Timid just giggled.

"Anyway, I need to get going. The rest of the town still needs their mail. Have a good day!" 

Timid bid farewell to the mare and cringed when she almost hit a small tree. Heaving a sigh of relief, she opened the mailbox and looked through the small pile of envelopes. "Bill, bill, sweepstakes, b... wait." Sitting there in her hoof was a letter from Manehattan addressed to her father. Using her teeth, Timid hurriedly ripped open the envelope after tucking the others under her wing and scanned the paper nervously.

"Hope I'm not bothering you, blah, blah, blah, ready to leave, blah, blah, blah, I'll be there arriving on..." She did the math in her head. "If today's the... and she's coming on the... She's going to be here in two days!?" Luckily, her father hadn't left yet and her mother was in the kitchen making a snack. Timid rushed into the house, letter in her mouth and dropped it on the counter in front of her mother.

"What's got you in such a rush, honey?" Landscape hovered the letter in front of her and Timid saw her eyes widen a bit, but really no other reaction. She then called her husband down to show him the letter. Thatcher simply sighed.

"Well, I can't say that I'm disappointed she's coming over so quickly. The sooner, the better, but I did expect at least another week. This just means..." He didn't have to say it. It was one of the reasons why she ran in so quickly. Her father checked the time and chuckled lightly.

"Hey, buck up. It's not like we're hiding him or anything. He wouldn't mind what we're about to do. Now, let's get it over with. We'll feel better when it's done." He stood aside and let Timid and Landscape go up first, crowding around Dig's door on the second story. Pushing open the door, Timid walked in, the air warm but somewhat stale from the lack of air circulation. Thatcher walked in behind her with a couple of cardboard boxes.

Despite their collective lack of motivation, they set about clearing the room slowly. Landscape stripped the bed and rolled everything up nice and neat, while Thatcher took care of the heavier items that lay around the room. Timid edged over to the desk where she had neatly arranged all of his smaller findings in strange little patterns. She examined a few arrowheads, ones that were actually Dig's first findings on his trip. They were dull and still had a bit of dried, packed dirt on them. She looked over every other object slowly before wrapping it up and setting it gently in the box, trying to find the best way to fit them together. More than once, she watched her mother sit on the bed, tears welling up in her eyes and every time, she wanted to go over there and cry with her.

The room was finally cleared out and felt somewhat barren. Strangely enough, it did make Timid feel a little better. She couldn't quite explain it, but she felt a little less heavy. Not that her brother being gone was weighing her down, but a clean slate seemed to have lifted her spirits. It's not like they were hiding him, like her father had previously pointed out. He would still be there, just not in his... this room.

They all sat down on the bed and leaned against each other. The hard part was done. Now to wait for their new arrival.


__________________________________


The train ride had been surprisingly comfortable and Jackie took advantage of it by sleeping like a rock. The seats were plush, the breeze was cool and the snack cart had more than enough to satisfy her sweet tooth. More than once she woke herself by snoring too loudly. She didn't mind that, since the best part of waking up was getting to go back to sleep, if you were able. Back home, she'd sometimes set an alarm early just so she could slap the snooze button once or twice. Yes, she had lazy days almost down to an art. She may have been a hard worker, but she certainly appreciated her downtime.

A male voice rang out over the train's speakers, announcing their arrival to Ponyville. Jackie gazed out the window but could only see the train station at the moment. It kind of looked like your normal station, but there was something... different about it. Shrugging, she hitched up her saddlebags and waited for the train to fully stop before heading towards the exit. Last thing she needed was to arrive at her new job with a bloody nose. The conductor bid her a good day and stepped aside to allow her onto the wooden platform. Jackie stepped away from the train, moving with the group that left with her.

Once they exited the station, the group dispersed, leaving Jackie by herself in a strange new town. She figured out what was different about this place. It was brighter. Not weather wise, even though the air was much cleaner here. No, the feeling itself was much brighter than downtown Manehattan. 'Peaceful' was the word that came to mind. The station let out into the main part of town and Jackie could see the townsfolk going about their business without being in any particular hurry. The most amount of activity she saw was the far off market, where ponies were selling their various produce and wares. 

Jackie never had a chance to stroll before, since she was always brushing past over being lightly shoved out of the way, but here, she had all the room she would need. So she strolled towards town, coming upon the bustling market. She could see that the large majority of stands were produce stands, which wasn't surprising but a nice change of pace. Manehattan had supermarkets that held sway over the food, so it was rare to find anyone selling much of that. Lettuce, tomatoes, apples, flowers of every type; Jackie's mouth watered as she gazed around. The looked leafy and delicious, nothing like the cheap stuff sold back home. Despite eating on the train, being around all this fresh, fragrant food was making her hungry again.

Everyone was friendly here. More than once she was waved at by a total stranger and would awkwardly return the gesture. The air was crisp, vaguely sweet smelling and a light breeze blew through her mane. There was no litter blowing past her hooves, nor were there other ponies roughly pushing past her. There was plenty of space to walk, even with quite a few ponies tugging carts behind them. Multiple times Jackie could spot a few fillies and colts chasing each other around or playing games out in the open.

The variety of shops was usual but, like the stands, food and produce were the majority found. She noticed that quite a few houses were located in the main square, which was odd to her, since the square would usually be reserved for businesses. She thought about it and concluded that it might be much easier to open a business in a place like this. Small towns still need things repaired and built and she hadn't noticed a shop much like hers. They must be contracted out. She kept that in mind just in case her new job fell through.

"Alright, enough walking around. It's time to meet your new boss." Jackie asked a random passerby for directions, who happily pointed her towards the edge of town. She was a little surprised that the pony knew exactly where it was, but in a town like this, everybody must be pretty close. Thanking her,  headed off, now wondering about how his family would feel about her arrival. Where she would be living also crossed her mind, but she can't imagine that he rented a place just to have her stay in it. That seemed like a bit too much trouble to go through. Maybe it was a small place in town. Wherever it was, it had to be better than her apartment back home. A box would be better than that place.

It didn't take her long to reach Thatcher's place. Such convenience pleased her, not to mention the look of the place was very appealing to the eye. It was a very nice two story house with what she assumed was an attic, adorned with flowers and the like. When she saw the front door, she hesitated. Now, Jackie had no problem talking to Thatcher before, but seeing not only her new employer at his home, but his family as well, set her on edge. She felt like she was intruding. Shaking her head and swallowing her fear, Jackie strode up to the front door and raised a hoof to knock. 

She never got the chance. The door flew open before she even touched it, revealing a small pegasus whose excited smile gave way to a very nervous look. Timid stood frozen for a moment, eventually backing away from the door, her head held low. Jackie could only stare as this new mare regarded her with an uncertain look.

"Crap. There's goes my good first impression." Jackie didn't quite know how to react. Here she was, some stranger to this pony and the mare, who she assumed was the daughter, backed away like she was brandishing a weapon at her. "Now what?"
> Getting to know the place...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"I'm... living here?" 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Is... is everything okay?" 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"I-It's not pudgy." 

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

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

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

"Um, Jackie?"

"Yes?" 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Do they pay others for work?" 

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

"Why would you need to worry about that?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Eeyup." Simple greeting.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


______________________________________________


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"But I..."

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


~ ~ ~ ~ ~


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

	“Mmmff…” Sheets rustled around on a large wooden framed bed almost immediately as light began to shine on them. The accursed light was coming from the window that was set into the adjacent wall. 

“I don’t remember leaving those shades open...” Jackie tugged the sheets off of her head, clearly annoyed by that which was interrupting her precious sleep. As a last ditch attempt, she covered her face with her pillow, but was now too awake to even think about sleep. “I gotta get up anyway.”

Halfway cursing a certain princess in the process, she crawled out of bed and stood, visibly stiff. Jackie was finally up and ready for the day. Well… not really. She appeared exhausted, her mane and tail were messy, and the look on her face would’ve kept a rabid dog at bay. Let’s just say she was up and… alive.

Still somewhat annoyed, the mare rubbed her eyes with a heavy hoof and stretched, multiple joints popping loudly. She was never good at waking up. The worst at it, actually. She always felt that waking up is a bad thing and should be taught as such in schools. Or at least make nap time mandatory, for no other reason than it was nice to take a nap. She could be such a lazy pony. Licking her dry lips, she tromped over to the end table next to her bed and felt around for her glasses. "Did they fall down again?" Jackie pulled the table a few inches away from the wall and felt behind it. It only took a moment until she felt her hoof bumping into her missing specs.

As a little experiment that she had no clear motive for, she picked up the glasses with her teeth and tossed them straight up into the air. She wanted to try to catch them on her face, for some strange reason. The framed lens reached their peak and came back down, only to bounce off of her muzzle and onto the bed. No surprise there. Balancing them on her muzzle, this time with her hooves instead of tricky, unreliable precision, Jackie blinked a few times, allowing her eyes to focus.

Her nice, cozy room... It always seemed warm, no matter the weather outside. The window let a large amount of light in, both a good and a bad thing; Good, because she could see, and bad because she could see that a particular object was missing, a piece of clothing to be exact. In fact, there wasn't a day that went by that didn't have the large mare crawling around for some lost item, scatterbrained as she was.

She was almost late for work, so she didn't have time to gripe about it. She never used the closet, so she knew it wasn't in there. It wasn't hanging from the bed post, the desk or on the floor. It could have fallen under the bed. Crouching down, Jackie peered underneath and found a dark mass of something. "There you are." She can't imagine how it got down there, though. Alas, knocking it out from underneath the bed only revealed the dark mass as Ursy and not her vest.

In a fit of frustration, she tossed him at the pillow and watched him bounce around a bit before coming to rest on his stomach. He was still quite durable, despite being almost as old as she was. It wasn't until she plopped herself onto the bed that she noticed it felt strangely lumpy. Throwing the blanket aside, she found her confounded vest lying there in a slight wad. The mare must've kicked around a bit more than usual while she slept. Jackie whipped it around to straighten it out a bit and threw it on, the rough yet comfortable fabric easily conforming to her body shape, thanks to years of wear.

Now that her search was over with, Jackie hurriedly exited her room. Thatcher was the type of pony to begin working before help arrived and the last thing Jackie needed was to get lectured for her being late again. She didn't sleep in on purpose. It just happened, no matter how hard she tried to wake up. Even with the urgency of the clock, her stomach objected and drove her to the kitchen instead. As it was, hunger was a priority in the morning and with the weather growing hotter, she would need a full stomach just to get her through the day. 

Heading to her cabinet full of delicious goodies, the pudgy mare pulled out a few wheat buns and a jar of peanut butter. Just to get her started, she opened the jar and dipped a bun inside, hastily devouring it. She would save the other two for later. Just in case, she grabbed a couple of energy bars and two bottles of apple juice, as one could never be too careful during a heat wave. She found her saddlebags sitting on a stool next to the front door and dropped them in, wanting to get a move on. Jackie found it a little weird that Timid and Landscape weren't around, but knew she would see them later. She almost had a hoof on the door knob but froze when a voice called out to her.

"What, no morning greeting? Shame on you, Jackie Trade." Relieved to hear at least one familiar voice this morning, Jackie spun around to find her best friend already trotting towards her with a smile. She wasted no time in giving her a small hug when she was near. The hug was gladly returned. 

"Morning, Timid. Sorry, I woke up a little late." It had been two months since these two mares met and they had grown very close to each other in a short amount of time. It always surprised her how comfortable Timid was around her, especially since the shy little mare once was unable to look her in the eye. But now, the two were almost inseparable. As a result, unless she was at work, the two were usually within eyesight of each other, more often within reach. They would walk around town, go to the fair, take naps under the apple trees or pretty much anything they felt like doing.

In fact, it got to the point where Timid felt comfortable enough to take Jackie to the old trails her and her brother used to walk. From what she said, the siblings used to look for buried items along them. Whenever Jackie walked these old paths with her, she would spot a sad smile from time to time. She felt that her own words were a little improper, so she wouldn't say a thing and stayed there next to her, while Timid would talk about the kinds of things they had found, what the siblings did together and, with a certain amount of reluctance, the nightmares she would have. That explained the mysterious unmentioned stallion in the pictures. Jackie figured her was her friend's brother, but that still didn't explain where he was or why he was never mentioned.

"So, off to work? It’s very hot outside, so please be careful. I'm worried about you two."

"Don't worry, we'll be fine. We know what we're doing. Buuut I do need to get going. I'm late as it is."

"Oh, sorry about that. Here, I'll let you out." As the door opened, the heat wave snuck through the door and caused both of the mares to recoil slightly. Just thinking about it made it her cringe. "Are you sure you'll be alright, Jackie?"

"O-of course I will. Don't worry so much." She was caught off-guard when Timid suddenly leaned forward and nuzzled her neck. This gesture was somewhat uncommon between the two, but Jackie always felt a little awkward afterwards, since it never failed to make her blush. Timid seemed unfazed and didn't notice her discomfort.

"Wow, it really is too hot. You're flushed from the heat." Her incorrect assumption only furthered the embarrassment.

"Yeah. Heat. Let's go with that..." She stumbled slightly over her farewell and strode out the door as casually as possible. As soon as the she heard the door shut behind her, she heaved a visible sigh. A small gesture like that, while innocent, was actually quite painful.

Jackie wasn't the type to deny her attraction to the fairer gender. This was part of the reason why she was nervous about meeting the daughter in the first place. From the moment she saw her, she found Timid and her overly long scarf to be very cute. However, she left it at that, since she was the boss' daughter and she didn't want to jeopardize her new employment opportunity. But the more she knew about her and the closer they became, the more her feelings grew and the more it scared her.

She had no idea how Timid felt about her. They became really good friends unbelievably fast, but was that all she was to her? Maybe there were feelings being hidden from her, too. Or maybe she only thought of Jackie as a sister or something. "Maybe... She racked her brain for a different possibility and received none. The chubby mare wanted her feelings to be known so badly. With every hug, nuzzle, or even the slightest bit of physical contact, Jackie simply wanted to wrap her forelimbs around her and hold her tightly. Crushes are unknowingly cruel.

To add to the pain, Timid's introverted attitude completely turned around. Whenever she was around, it was almost as if she was a different pony. She would be talkative and a little animated, with the slightest bit of reservation in her actions. Sometimes when Timid would start talking, it would look as if she had trouble stopping. Jackie found her at her cutest here, since she didn't realize what faces she was making during their one-sided conversations. Some of her most genuine smiles would appear while she was rambling and she couldn't help but felt lucky when she saw them. Timid's smile was warm and could light up a room.

The obvious was holding her back: if Timid didn't feel the same way, then she risked losing her as a friend. If Landscape or Thatcher found out, she risked losing her job and never being able to see her again. Both of those options would kill her and out of respect and almost sheer will, she stayed quiet.

The heat forced to her pause to wipe her brow. It was unnaturally hot out. She really regretted not losing that weight like she promised to herself, stabbing herself with mental daggers for breaking her own promise. But this heat was oppressive, as if willing her to lie down and give up, maybe go home and quit soaking up all the heat. It seemed like a good idea, but on she trudged, her heavy hooves getting heavier with every step. She had a job to do. There was a pony waiting on her to do her part and she wasn't going to let him down. 

Despite the somewhat short distance to the job site, the heat made it take forever. In the distance, somewhat distorted by the heat, she could see a tool bag on the ground next the house and a ladder peeking at her over the corner. Thatcher was nowhere to be seen.

"Crap, I hope he's okay." Rounding the corner of the building, she was relieved to find him sitting down and leaning against a tree with his eyes closed. His coat was matted in spots from sweat and an open bottle of apple juice sat next to him. Jackie took shelter under the shade as well, since the sun had heated her own coat and was starting to burn the skin underneath.

"Thatcher? You doin' alright?" She watched his eyes slowly slide open and regard her with exhaustion.

"Oh good, you're here. This heat's draining me. Help me up real quick."

The mare bent down, allowing him to lay a forelimb around her and slowly stood up. He carefully balanced himself, waiting until he is head was clear before letting go.

"Dear Celestia, it's hot... I'm telling you now, we are not staying out here all day."

"I had a feeling you'd say that."

"What tipped you off? The killer heat or my bright shiny smile?"

"A little of both." It wasn't hard to see the damage from where they stood. The tree that had fallen over had already been cleared, leaving an incredibly mangled roof for them to fix. Luckily the wall was still standing, the only real damage being on the top of the structure.

"Well..." She wiped her brow again, the sweat accumulating faster than ever. They might as well have been sitting in the largest outdoor sauna ever created. "...let's get started."


~ ~ ~ ~ ~


They didn't last four hours before they had to stop. It was noon and the sun was at it peak, beaming its entire wrath upon them. More than once, Jackie almost fainted and fell of the roof, but Thatcher balanced her with his magic. He tried to help out as much as he could, but he became somewhat disoriented, they officially called it a day. Both sat under the tree, barely able to move.

"W-why is it so h... hot?" Thatcher's breathing sounded labored, as if it took a good deal of effort just to drag air into his lungs. He had resumed leaning against the tree, while Jackie was laid herself flat on the ground, a warm bottle of juice in front of her. 

"I wonder... who ticked off... the weather team? There's no reason for this heat."

"Maybe we'll get a... a doozy of a storm tomorrow or... something. Ugh. That's it, we're done. No more torture."

His surrender was like music to the mare's ears. At this moment, she wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep in the fridge. But she had almost no strength left in her legs, so figuring out how to get there would be the first hurdle. Yet a small beacon of hope shined on them when out of nowhere, an unexpected guest showed up.

"Oh my goodness! A-are you two alright!?"

Jackie slowly turned her head to find Timid standing there with a pair of full saddle bags, looking quite concerned and even a little afraid. Her mane was a little frizzy from the heat and she seemed to be sweating a little as well, but was otherwise unfazed. Pegasi seemed to handle the weather changes much better than unicorns and earth ponies.

"Just a bit of heat exhaustion, that's all." Thatcher attempted to sit up a little straighter but gave up halfway through the motion.

"Please tell me you're done for the day. I don't want you to end up getting hurt."

"We're... good, Timid. Trying to catch our breath and all, but we are done for today." She watched as Timid dug into her bags and pulled out two somewhat fresh bottles of juice. Just what they needed, since their own supply dried up almost an hour ago. Jackie chugged hers, letting the refreshing liquid quench her terrible thirst.

"What are you doing out here? Grocery trip?"

"Yeah, just needed a couple of things. Also wanted to check on you two. It was a good thing I did." She unfurled her wings and slowly waved them back and forth, trying to cool them off. It only pushed hot air at the two tired ponies, but feeling it move around instead of just hanging there was somewhat nice. Thatcher capped his bottle and stretched.

"Alright, Jackie, let's get out of here. Gather the tools but leave them by the tree." 

With an enormous amount of effort, Jackie lifted her heavy body and walked around, her limbs shaking slightly. Bending down to pick up each tool made her head pound, but knowing that they were about to be heading home kept her going. Timid had busied herself with helping her father stand up, using a wing to keep him balanced. She dropped the tool bag into a nook between the roots and stood next to Timid, waiting for Thatcher’s confirmation.

"What are you waiting around for? I'll be right behind you. Get going."

"Are you sure, Father?"

"Go. Jackie worked much harder than I did today. She needs your help more than I do."

While she didn't 'work harder' than Thatcher, she did exert herself more in the physical sense. Still, magic can be draining, but he seemed okay and Jackie wasn't in the mood to argue. She felt Timid's wing extend across her back and hold her steady, causing poor Jackie to blush again. A simple helpful gesture, but it felt different to her as she was held near the smaller mare's body for support. Her exhaustion kicked back in, pushing the embarrassment out, but she forced herself to walk, thankful for the pony next to her. 

"You can make it, Jackie. It's not that far." She smiled warmly, even though her eyes looked slightly worried. With  keeping her standing, she had no doubt that she could easily walk the distance. Timid tried to take her mind off the pain by chatting a little, but talking made Jackie's head pound a little harder, so they walked in silence. In no time, they were home, that welcome abode providing shelter from sweltering weather.

Timid left her side briefly to open the door and led her into the house. The cool air on her sweaty coat made it seem colder than it was, but it felt wonderful. Gently collapsing on the floor allowed the smaller mare a chance to help her father out, but he was already halfway to the couch. She shut the door behind them, the outside heat no longer seeping in. Thatcher flopped onto the couch and both ponies breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"I'll get you two some water." 

Jackie watched her hurry towards the kitchen and noticed Landscape descending the stairs.

"You two look exhausted. Were you able to finish?"

Jackie shook her head and made a low grunting noise. She heard Landscape tell her to lift her head and did just that, feeling a small cushion slide beneath her chin. Her head fell back down onto what had to be the most comfortable cushion in Equestria, she was sure of it.

"On the other hoof, you, my dear husband, have made a huge mistake."

"What's that?"

"You're sweaty. You're on my nice, clean couch. That's the mistake."

She heard a groan and then hooves on the floor as Thatcher slid off the couch and onto the floor, lying down in the same fashion as Jackie, though without a comfortable cushion.

"Here you go, Jackie." 

Looking up, she saw Timid holding a cup in her mouth and watched her set it down in front of her. Her eyes focused on the spot where Timid's mouth had been. Jackie scolded her after a moment for being silly. It felt extremely cliché and it's like her mind was attempting to make her see all of these little things to embarrass her. Casting it away, she took the cup and slowly drank the entirety of its contents. Landscape called to her when she was finished.

"Jackie, no offense, but when you're able to move, I need you to take a shower. I know you worked hard, it's just a little unbearable."

"Mother, th-that's kind of rude..."

"It's the truth. Same for you, Thatcher, but you can wait."

A grunt of acknowledgement from him. Jackie gave herself a few more moments before forcing herself to stand up. At full stance, she became a little dizzy and lowered her head slightly, trying not to let the blood flow so quickly.

"Take your time, Jackie. There's no rush."

Nodding, she carefully made her way up the stairs and into the shower, shedding her vest and glasses. She turned the knob to 'cool' and gave herself a minute before she immersed herself, letting it rinse away the sweat and dirt from her pores. After a few minutes, her felt a little clearer and she decided that a little hot water would be nice. That was a somewhat bad choice since the warmth was quite pleasant and almost made her fall asleep then and there. She kept herself awake by shaking herself every few seconds and finished up, somewhat enjoying the drowsy feeling.

Grabbing her vest and glasses, she had one thing on her mind: her bed. Not to take a nap, but to simply lie on it and not take it for granted. Tossing her vest into the corner of her room near the desk, she fell muzzle first onto her bed, which turned out to be more amazing than she ever remembered. Jackie felt herself sink into its plush frame, but didn't feel herself sink into a nap. The lights went out before she even knew what was happening.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~


A loud knocking noise jarred her awake from her dreamless nap. Poor Jackie felt more tired than ever; her muscles were sore, her back ached and her eyes refused to fully open.

Another round of knocking, followed by the slow creak of the door opening. She looked over to see Timid poking her head through the crack. Timid must not have noticed her eyes were open and quietly snuck over to the bed. Out of a strange instinct, Jackie closed her eyes again before she reached her. The hoof steps stopped and she had to imagine that the mare was sitting only a foot away from her.

"Um... Jackie?" Her voice sounded so tiny. Was she really nervous from just being in her room? She somehow felt the mare as she got closer to her and whispered in her ear.

"J-Jackie? Wake up..."

"Mmmff..." That was a horrible attempt at sounding asleep. Without warning, she felt Timid's hoof press against her muzzle and her eyes shot open. Jackie wasn't expecting direct contact and her sudden awakening seemed to have made her jump a little.

"Ah! I... I'm sorry! I just wanted to see if you were okay, because you didn't come down after you were done and... and um..." Timid looked troubled at the thought that she might've disturbed her. That wouldn't do at all. The larger mare covered her mouth and yawned, stretching out her neck and popping a joint or two in the process.

"Don't worry, it's cool. I didn't even realize I had fallen asleep. How long was I out?" 

"A half hour or so. Not very long. I already took a shower." 

Jackie could tell. Her mane had been brushed back into its perfect flowing form, and her coat looked a little fluffy. She wasn't wearing her scarf, however. Must've needed a washing. Her mane tie was still in place, keeping it from drifting in every direction.

"Sorry about that. Didn't mean to fall asleep." Jackie sat up and briefly remembered she wasn't wearing her vest. Her face became rather flushed and she was sure that it was her mind messing with her again, but she felt a little odd, for some reason. She wanted to cover up, even though there wasn't anything to see.

"No, don't be sorry! I shouldn't have barged in here like that. I just wanted to check on you..."

Jackie just smiled at her. Timid was so cute and thoughtful, that she wanted to squeeze her. It hurt to not speak her mind, but as always, she stopped herself. Her desires didn't warrant possibly hurting her best friend's feelings. She let one forelimb move forward and pressed lightly on the mare's muzzle.

"Boop."

The simple action, while it was one she did not minutes ago, halted her apology.

"Um..."

"Timid, you're good. You're not bothering me, alright?" When the mare nodded, Jackie smile and laid back down, facing the ceiling. Timid watched her without saying a word. "Something to talk about, something to talk about..."

"So, how is it that pegasi aren't as affected by the weather as the others? I've always wondered that."

"Well, I'm not exactly sure. Never really had an older pegasus to relate to, so I figured it was something how earth ponies are naturally good with growing or building things, kind of like you."

"Well, maybe you could convince them to bring a little rain. This heat is killer."

"They'd chase me off. Or maybe they wouldn't even look twice at me."

"You know I'd go with you, just in case. They'd think twice about being mean to you."

"I'm sure they would. After all, you... um, you're tough and I'm sure that many ponies don't mess with you, even back in Manehattan, right? Y-you might even be able to convince them to change the weather." Instead of rambling, she was getting compliments.

"I'm not that tough. I was jumped by a thug once. Knocked me in the head pretty well."

"Still, you're... you're pretty tough, Jackie." Glancing over, the mare was smiling at her, but her gaze kept darting back and forth between her and the bed sheet. She could never tell how Timid felt when she acted like this. Since she was pretty shy to begin with a simple compliment could be just a simple compliment. That's probably all it was. Still managed to make her blush, though. Timid noticed as well, her face turning almost the same shade of red. Then Jackie spoke, against her better judgment.

"Yeah, well... I'd rather be cute than tough."

"Hmph. You don't mean that."

"Actually, I do. Being cute is much better." A heavy silence dropped between the two. Jackie kept mentally hitting herself, trying to cut off the line of thinking that said 'flirting with your friend is okay'. She had no choice; her mouth was making its own decisions. As if to heighten the tension, she subconsciously scooted closer to the smaller mare while her heart was trying to force its way out of her chest.

"Well... I don't think I am."

"You shouldn't think that. I'm surprised you aren't out there trying to bag yourself a stallion. You know they'd be lining up." This was also spoken against her better judgment.

"Oh, no, I couldn't! I haven't even thought about that part of my life yet. I... I don't think that's for me..."

"What do you mean 'not for you'?" Even if it wasn't a true topic change, Jackie was grateful for the small distraction.

Timid furrowed her brow, trying to find the best way to explain it. Jackie kept quiet, quite interested to see what she would say.

"I guess I'm happy the way I am. I think."

"...I'm not really catching on."

"Oh, sorry. Let me put it this way: I have my mother, my father and you. You're my best friend and that's all I need." Her blush seemed to have lightened up a bit and she smiled. Jackie almost melted. She was so sweet that it nearly killed her. Now her brain was fighting with herself and the war was brutal. One half told her to confess her feelings. The other said it would grab her by the tail and toss her out the window if she even got close to doing that. Then the words 'best friend' echoed amongst her thoughts and the chubby mare cried a little on the inside. She decided not to say anything. She was Timid's friend. Her best friend. And she wasn't going to ruin that for any reason.


_________________________________________________________


Timid sat there by the edge of the bed, watching her friend Jackie lie there, looking a little flustered. She didn't quite understand why. They tossed a few little innocent compliments back and forth, but each one seemed to further the mare's inner tension. It was true though. Jackie was a tough pony, like her brother, and she admired her for that. But it was a little different. Her brother loved her very much. He was always protective of his sister and made sure she was comfortable, but didn't coddle her. He acted just like a good brother should.

She was getting a different vibe from Jackie. Despite the fact they were really good friends, the large mare had no obligation towards her or her well-being, and yet she was always right next to her, making sure she was comfortable. Of course, maybe she was just being friendly, but she felt there was a little more to it than that.

Timid wasn't lying when she said that a love interest never really crossed her mind. Her friend was more than enough and she wouldn't want some other pony getting in the way of what they had. They could be friends for life and Timid wouldn't regret a single minute of it. Since Jackie brought it up, naturally she thought on what she might be looking for in a stallion. She didn't even know where to start, but didn't feel like exploring this right now. They were having a nice conversation.

"Does that make sense?" 

Jackie nodded, her smile seeming slightly fake. She did seem happy, but there was a little... She didn't know what to call it, but there was something else in that smile. "Maybe she wanted to hear a different answer? What kind of answer could she be expecting?" Jackie stretched, her joints popping loudly. Timid saw her soft-looking belly vulnerable and unprotected and decided to poke it; her friend curled up in an instant, trying to protect her weakness.

"Noooo, I'm really ticklish right now!"

"You shouldn't have told me that." Timid put on her best eerie smile and unfurled her wings, ready to use them as instruments of torture in case her hooves were blocked. Advancing further made Jackie freak out a little, already sending her into a small laughing fit. She covered herself up as best as she could, but Timid had the advantage. Sure, enough, her hooves were pushed away, but the tips of her wings snaked through and began to tickle the mare's stomach. No matter what, Jackie could not do a single thing to stop her, except beg for mercy between her bouts of laughter.

"Mercy, mercy! I'll do whatever you want, just show mercy!" Tears were streaming from her eyes and Timid finally relented, pondering this opportunity as Jackie tried to catch her breath.

"Whatever I want?"

"Y-yes." She was still laughing, as if the memory of being tickled was affecting her.

"I'll think about it and get back to you."

"Oh great... I'm gonna have to do something weird."

"No you won't. But I am going make sure it's worth it." Timid had no idea what she would have her do. Probably something simple, honestly. Maybe. She'd figure something out.

Jackie turned over onto her stomach, as if to guard it from further attacks, and tucked her hind legs underneath her. Her mane was a little messier than usual, so Timid reached out and swiped at it a bit. 

"Your mane is such a mess, Jackie."

"That's the way I like it. Builds character."

"No, it doesn't, that's weird!" Timid gently pushed on the mare's shoulder, who in turn sat up on her haunches, waving her hooves around.

"I have to warn you: I'm pretty good at tickling, myself. And there won't be any mercy." She let out a low evil laugh and, with her guard down, took this chance to poke her in the belly once more. 

"Noooo, how did this happen twiiiice!?" Jackie very slowly and very dramatically fell off the bed and landed in a heap on the floor. All four of her legs were suspended in the air as she pretended to be dead.

"Jaaaackie?"

"..."

Timid quickly dusted off her hooves and climbed onto the bed. Peering over the edge, she saw the mare with her tongue sticking out of her mouth in a very cliché fashion.

"That's very convincing, you know."

"Meeehhhh..."

"What, are you a zombie, now?"

"Yes. I mean meehhhh!" She slowly rose from the floor, her eyes unfocused and her movements lethargic. Timid sat up and watched her shamble in place, trying not to laugh too hard.

"Meehhhh..."

Timid loved that about her. She acted like a filly sometimes, but she always knew how to make her smile. Still, 'filly' wasn't the best word. 'Playful' fit the way she acted much better. Now the mare was standing next to the bed, towering over her and still wearing that blank look.

"You're so weird!" 

At that, Jackie simply lurched forward and collapsed onto her belly, pinning her to the bed. Timid tried to push her off, but the mare's weight proved to be just a little too much for her to budge. After a bit of thrashing about, her friend laid there in silence, not moving a muscle.

"Jackie?"

No movement, no sounds, no reaction at all.

"I'm going to tickle you again."

Still no reaction. Instead of tickling, Timid slowly reached for the mare's only good ear. Poking it caused the appendage to twitch, eliciting a giggle. She continued relentlessly, thinking that Jackie would eventually do something to get her to stop. Her prediction came true, but in a way she didn't expect.

"Meeehhhh!" Jackie quickly brought her head up and clamped down on her forelimb. Timid squeaked in alarm and tried to draw back her hoof by instinct, but it wouldn't budge. Jackie had a harmless yet firm grip on her as she stared ahead blankly.

"B-but... I don't w-wanna be eaten alive!" Putting on her best sad pony face, Timid leaned in closer, trying to get her friend to let go on her own accord. She knew her own cuteness was a weakness of hers, which would explain why the mare shut her eyes, as if trying to block it out. She intensified the 'pitiful' vibe, causing Jackie to whine and eventually loosen her grip. She muttered something about 'going hungry'. Using her newly freed limb, Timid grabbed the pillow to her side and bopped her friend on the head.

"That's what you get for trying to make me your lunch. Now get up. We need to make an appearance. Don't need my parents think we're doing something indecent." It was a little joke of course, which she giggled at, but when she felt the mare tense up, she wondered if she took it as a joke.

"Jackie? Are you okay?" Lifting the pillow, she could see the mare's muzzle tinged with red and that she was purposefully avoiding eye contact. Timid was confused as to why a joke like that would make her freak out.

"Jackie?"

"I'm... f-fine. Yeah." She sat up quickly, the pillow falling off of her onto the floor. A nervous smile held itself on her friend's face, but it was obvious that she wasn't fine. No longer the hostage of a fake zombie, Timid sat up as well and wiggled closer to the mare. Jackie twitched when they made slight physical contact but stayed put, as if afraid to move at all. She could feel tiny vibrations in the mattress and realized her friend was shaking a little.

"I'm fine, I swear."

Timid wasn't stupid. Every time her friend freaked out, it was something similar to this. Jackie was obviously afraid of much physical contact with her, yet for her to suddenly throw herself onto the mare and act like a zombie didn't make sense. The mere mention of intimacy, even as a joke, got her blushing and nervous. Frankly, she didn't know what to do, so she pulled the mare close and gave her a tight hug. She could feel Jackie's muscles tense up and her heartbeat quicken its pace.

"Jackie, please. Tell me what's going on. I want to help." 

"I... I don't really know what's going on. I've been trying to figure it out for a little while."

"You're my best friend. If you're hurting, I'm hurting." Timid felt a shaky hoof rest on her back then retreat, as if her friend thought twice about the action. She wrapped her wings around the mare, which actually seemed to work, to her surprise. Jackie's breathing slowed, as well as her heartbeat. She relaxed in the embrace but seemed to have kept a wall of some sort up, like she was shying away from her. This hug didn't feel the same. It felt a little impersonal and held none of the usual warmth.

“Don’t worry about it. Trust me. Once I figure it out, you’ll be the first to know, okay?”

“Promise me.”

“I promise.” Jackie leaned away from the hug and Timid let go, despite wanting to hold on just a bit longer. A sad smile had replaced the nervous one from earlier. 

She watched the mare climb off the bed, suddenly feeling for the poor mare. Jackie still looked quite exhausted, having dark circles under her eyes and moved around sluggishly. The work from earlier had taken its toll and this little encounter didn’t help much with her nerves.

"Come on. I'm dying for a snack." She stood by the door and bowed in an exaggerated fashion. 

"At least she recovers quickly from her little moments. Unless..." Timid couldn't help but wonder if she acted silly to try and distract herself from her issues. She wanted to know what was going on inside that pony's head, but pushing her was not a good idea since Jackie had never broken a promise to her.

Jackie closed the door behind them as Timid glided down the stairs and into the living room. She noticed her parents weren't present and figured that her father desperately needed a rest like Jackie did. Touching down on the couch, Timid wiggled a bit and got comfortable, watching Jackie dig through a cabinet in the kitchen. She knew exactly what she was going to grab. The mare would go into her cabinet knowing exactly what she wanted and be there for five minutes making sure she was right. If she had to guess, it would be a wheat bun this time.

"Wun dis un?" Sure enough, the mare had the corner of a plastic wrapped wheat bun in her mouth, waving it at her. She shook her head but the mare brought a jar of peanut butter into view, trying to coax the mare into eating. Timid just rolled her eyes and nodded. The other mare did a little victory dance and trotted into the living room, jar on her head and a two wrapped buns in her mouth. Jackie loved it when she was able to get somebody to eat. She had the perfect attitude to be a baker or a cook, but her skills were rather... lacking, to say the least. Still, she wouldn't have it any other way. Jackie being 'Jackie' gave the mares the chance to meet and become friends.

Timid waited for Jackie to drop the snack into her grasp and watched her carefully as she slid the jar off of her head onto the coffee table. As the mare sat down, Timid held the jar in place with her wings and opened it with her hooves. Such a terrible container was not meant for hooves. It took a bit of work but she was eventually successful. Peanut butter was a favorite of hers, but Jackie had once claimed it her favorite food, even more so than the infamous honey bun. Strangely enough, she had never combined the two, even though it would make the ultimate snack, at least in Jackie's opinion.

Using her teeth, Timid ripped open the wheat bun package and dipped the bread into the tasty spread, waiting to take a bite until Jackie had done the same. It was an interesting little habit the two developed between each other out of the blue, but it felt like their own thing. She took a small bite from the side covered in peanut butter and watched as her friend took a large bite instead, devouring a nice sized chunk.

Watching Jackie eat was interesting. The mare was kind, sensitive and loved being around Timid, but the fastest way to her heart was food. She also showed some of her strangest quirks, like how she had she had a particular way to eat each kind of food. There was also the way she acted while she ate, or even the face she made one time when she bit into a spoiled honey bun. Poor mare might as well have been slapped in the face, seeing how sad she was.

Even now, Jackie was proving her point. She would take a big bite out of the middle, like her first, then work her way around, eating the rest of the plain side until only the covered corners from her first bite were left. The larger mare popped those into her mouth and went about making sure there wasn't any peanut butter left on her muzzle.

"You missed a spot."

"Oh, whoops." Jackie felt around but her hoof kept missing the spot by a hair.

"No, right there."

"Here?"

"No to your left. Your other left. Now up a little."

"You're messing with me. There's nothing there, is there?"

"No, there is! Here, let me get it." Timid reached out and swiped the small dollop resting on the mare's lower lip. Without giving it much thought, she licked it off her hoof and took another bite from her own snack. It took her a moment to realize that her friend had a bit of a shocked look on her face.

"What are you making that face for? Oh!" It immediately dawned on her that her previous action might have been the cause. She held her free hood to her mouth out of embarrassment.

"Sorrysorrysorry! I wasn't thinking! I..."

"N-no, it's fine. Just surprised me, that's all." Her nervous smile said otherwise. Timid would give anything for the mare to open up and tell her exactly what was going on, but it would still be a slim chance. As tough as it was, waiting it out would be the best course of action.

"Okay, weirdo." She stuck out her tongue, showing that she wasn't satisfied with that response. She noticed her friend's coat was just barely damp in certain spots. Seems like they can't be safe from the heat even under a roof. It must have been hard for Jackie to handle, even though she made it look like she was fine.

"Are you doing okay, Jackie? With the heat, I mean."

"Hm? Oh yeah, I'm good. Just a little sweaty again."

"Want something to drink?"

"Nah, there's no need to trouble yourself. I'll get it in a bit."

They sat there looking at each other a bit awkwardly. Usually the two had some kind of conversation going, but right now, neither one could muster any kind of interesting topic to discuss. Jackie would look away every few moments, as if the extended gaze was bothering her. Timid was reaching desperately for a conversation of any kind.

"So um... did you enjoy your nap?"

Jackie only shrugged, stating that is was too short to get anything good out of it.

"Not to mention this heat is killing me. I bet I could fall asleep in two minutes if I wanted to."

"Why don't you go take another nap?"

"Nah, I'm good. I'd feel bad about leaving you out here all by yourself." Jackie recoiled ever so slightly for no reason that was apparent to Timid. Another sideways glance, but no blush.

"Oh, you're so thoughtful." The sarcasm was misplaced on purpose, hoping to draw the mare out of the awkward exchange. The tone caused her friend to scoff in an exaggerated fashion.

"Here I was, trying to be nice, and you blow off my attempts! I do believe I'm quite insulted." Jackie even went as far as to raise her muzzle, trying to create an air of sophistication. It didn't quite work with that scruffy mane of hers.

"And to think I spared your limb from being heartily devoured by. I shan’t be doing that again..." Now she adopted a poorly done accent to level out the appearance. Timid was happy to keep her from being moody and went along with it.

"Y-you'd let a zombie eat little old me? B-but..."

"Most definitely! I'd even serve up the rest of you to him, just to make sure he has enough to last him a week!"

One moment, Jackie could barely look at her for more than two seconds, the next moment she was threatening to eat her limbs. It baffled her how quickly her mood could be... changed or manipulated? Timid figured 'change' sounded good, but 'manipulated' seemed more accurate, even though it was generally a negative term.  Still, she couldn't help but wonder if Jackie doing it on purpose. She needed to test out her theory somehow and hoped her next response would coax the mare into the right direction.

"M-maybe there's something I could do to change your mind? Being eaten by a, a zombie would be terribly traumatic..."

Well... I suppose I could convince her to feast on someone else. Not too hard, I imagine. But I'll need something in return." Jackie's face held no assumption or realization of what she just led herself into. Sure, there was a little glimmer of sick enjoyment from what was about to happen but it was dwarfed by Timid's embarrassment at the mere thought of the words. It would be difficult to say, but would hopefully throw the mare completely off guard.

"Oh my..." Timid rubbed her elbow and looked away, halfway forcing a blush to appear. 

"Hm?"

Now to test her theory. She had a bit of a whopper that was gonna knock Jackie off her hooves. Still blushing, Timid did her best to give off a nervous vibe and sat away the mare and faced her. She cast a quick glance towards her friend before returning her view to the couch cushion beneath her.

"Um... W-what do I have to... do?" Timid no longer needed to force a blush. Those words, despite their somewhat ambiguous meaning, were made clearer when she brought a hoof to cover her chest, as if she was hiding something. This time, she really did have trouble looking at the mare; It wasn't just an act. But the result was what she expected and quickly snapped her out of her uncertainty.

"Noooo, nonono! I didn't mean that at all, I'm sorry!"

"Oh, good. For a second there, I thought you were..."

"I didn't mean to come across like that! I, I just... Ugh!" Jackie fell onto her side and curled into a ball, hiding her face. Timid began to feel quite bad. Because of a little test, her best friend was now too afraid to look at her.

"Am I doing the right thing? Sure, the urge to know what was going on with her friend was not necessarily bad, but to make her react like this as a test? Good intentions or not, this was not a way to treat your best friend. The next part of the test would help her calm down. Hopefully. She already regretted doing this, but it was either continue on and get her out of this funk or leave her be.

Making the decision quickly, Timid leaned forward and clamped down on Jackie's forelimb with her mouth, emitting a soft growl. She snapped her head around and look at her with confused eyes, making her doubt this course of action. She didn't stop and lightly chewed on the limb a bit more.

"Wha? I'm zombeh now."

That uncertain feeling kept growing until she noticed a small smile sprouting on Jackie's muzzle. After a couple of moments, she snorted and used to her free hoof to cover her mouth. It didn't really work out and she finally let a couple of laughs escape. Feeling much better about the situation, Timid released her friend, smiling warmly.

"Trying to snap me out if it, huh?" 

"Well, you're supposed to be a zombie and this is quite unzombie-ish. I might have to cite dereliction of duties, you know." Timid even went as far as to cross her limbs in front of her and give the larger mare a disappointed look.

"Wow, a little harsh. Very serious charges. Evidence?"

"My limbs are intact.” She waved her limbs around to further prove the point. “Defense?"

"None. I plead guilty and throw myself upon your mercy. I humbly request to continue my zombie ways." Jackie bowed her head, trying to look ashamed of herself.

"Request granted. Now get snacking."

All it took was an exaggerated salute to send both mares into a small laughing fit. Yet, despite just having a very strange conversation, one that always brought the two together, Jackie still wouldn't look at her for longer than a moment. There had to be someway to get her mind off of this. "I sure did make a mess of things. I shouldn't have done that..."

Jackie sat up and stretched, accidentally bumping into her. She seemed to have gotten over the situation, but Timid still felt a small amount of restraint from her.

"It's finally cooling down a bit. Thank Luna for the night. Felt like I was gonna melt."

The sun was halfway through its slow decent where it would eventually dip below the horizon, bringing with it relief from the terrible heat. Timid unfurled her wings and began pushing air towards her friend, this time actually feeling a refreshing breeze instead of opening an oven and sticking her head inside. Jackie yawned as the moving air tickled her ears a little and fell on her coat.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to sleep?"

"And leave you here by yourself? I'm fine. I'd rather hang out anyway."

Still, they needed something to do. Something to fully distract her friend, to get her comfortable again. 

"Wait right here. I'll be right back." Leaving the puzzled pony on the couch, Timid raced up to her room to grab the one thing she had that might distract her: a book. She knew Jackie liked reading but the mare never really had the time to submerge herself in one for too long due to work or exhaustion. The rest of her time was spent around her and they usually were off doing something else.

It took a bit to find it. It was found hiding under a couple of other book in a desk drawer. Timid pulled it out and let her eyes sweep across the cover. The store clerk had given the mare a very nice summary without actually giving anything away. This book had a very deceiving title. 'Hoof-in-Hoof' was not a romance but rather a story about how often politics and war both clash and embrace. It also focused on the workings and theory behind the two topics, instead of the practice. It was more imagery oriented than story telling, yet the story was very noteworthy. Hints of romance were to be found throughout the chapters.

Gliding down the stairs, she caught Jackie in the middle of a rather large yawn. Caught red-hoofed, she did her best to stifle it, but it was far too late for that.

"Hmph. I go to get a book for us to read and here you are trying to fall asleep. I think I'm hurt, Jackie."

Jackie tried to protest but she landed next to her and poked her nose with the tip of her wing. Her friend rolled her eyes, claimed that she was stretching her jaw. Then she called her own excuse 'lame' and asked what the book was about. Timid simply giggled and placed the book in her grasp.

Jackie flipped the booked over and examined the back cover, trailing a hoof along the spine. She returned to the front cover and traced a few of the letters with the same hoof, and opened to the title page. After a few moments, she used both of her hooves to pinch the pages together and quickly flipped through them. Timid was a little confused until she watched Jackie lean forward and breath in the air pushed from the moving pages.

"Oh, she's smelling them. I didn't know she did that." After a moment, the mare sat up straight, looking a little satisfied. She pushed the book over until it rested between the two and opened it back up to the title page. They both silently read, waiting for a go-ahead from the other to turn the page. Timid took the chance to glance at her friend while she was engrossed in the book. Her eyes would scoot back and forth, absorbing the information before her. The look on her face wasn't blank, but otherwise held no active emotion. Just a passive interest.

They steadily read for at least two hours, barely a word spoken between the two. Jackie would occasionally get a snack for the both of them, and more than once, Timid would bump the mare very slightly when she began dozing off, just to keep her awake. She was caught by a very gripping page in the first intense part of the book, and almost didn't realize the mare next to was snoozing away, her head hanging limp. Somehow she managed to fall asleep without fully falling over; The very sight of Jackie caused her to yawn. "I think it's finally time to go to sleep." She closed the book and lightly set it on the coffee table, attempting to nudge Jackie awake.

"Jackie. It's time to go to sleep."

As expected, there was no reaction. After a day of hard toil, it's not surprising that the mare would be out cold. Another nudge didn't change anything.

"Jackie. Wake up. You need to go to bed." Timid placed a hoof on the mare's back and gently shook her, causing the other to whine a bit. She was getting somewhere, so she decided to shake her a bit harder. However, it caused Jackie to do something Timid didn't expect.

"Mmm... wha? I'm s-sleeping... C'mere, Timid." Jackie suddenly pushed Timid over and laid her head on her chest, nuzzling it in her sleep. She even went as far as to wrap a limb loosely around her and began to cuddle. Timid squeaked as a reaction and was blushing furiously, not sure what to do; Their muzzles were barely inches apart. They had only ever nuzzled necks and that had only been every once in a while. This was a bit too much for her to handle. She hurriedly freed herself from the sleeping pony's grasp and stood to the side, a little shaky.

"She was trying to cuddle me! But she was asleep... Does that prove anything? Does that mean... no. Crazy things happen when you're asleep. But still..." Jackie's expression was peaceful, completely unaware of what she just did. Despite what just happened, she still needed to get Jackie into bed. She stayed at limb's length away from the couch, poking the mare's back a little roughly, trying to wake her up. This time it worked. She lifted her head up and looked around through half-lidded eyes. 

"J-Jackie, it's time to get you into bed." 

She nodded and slowly stood up, a little unsteady since she was barely awake. Timid would have to help her up the stairs. She draped a wing over her friend, leading her up the stairs and into her room. Jackie bumped her muzzle on the door frame on the way in, but didn't wake up, allowing Timid to confirm that she slept way too hard. At that point, the sleepy pony seemed to know that she was in her room and stumbled out from under her friend's wing, falling onto her bed. She only crawled halfway under the covers before coming to rest, her hindquarters pretty much being the only thin left uncovered.

Timid shook her head and stood by the bedside. The mare nearly bent her glasses, so she grabbed them with her teeth and set them spectacles on the end table. They'd probably end up behind it once again. She'll never figure out how it happens, other than it just happens.

She noticed Jackie's hooves moving like they were grabbing for something. After the mare's dramatic decent onto the bed, it was no wonder that she must've knocked Ursy off again. Timid found the bear wedged between the bed and the wall, almost within her reach. Keeping an eye on Jackie, she leaned over, almost farther than she had the ability to, and grabbed the bear's ear with her teeth. This crazy night would finally be over and she could gather her thoughts, like how Jackie started cuddling with her on the couch.

"Timid...?" A soft voice called out and Timid turned to see a very tired Jackie with a puzzled expression. Jackie was watching her almost practically climb on the bed, holding Ursy in her mouth. "What are you...?"

"Oh um... Ursy almost fell off the bed and I... figured you would want him while you slept so... here you go!" She quickly set him near her head and tried to calm herself down. Her heart started pounding almost painfully when she heard her name and to be caught in a somewhat strange situation while her friend was asleep didn't help.

Jackie simply stared at her and fell backwards, out cold. Did she even wake up to begin with? When her breathing became regular, Timid figured it was safe to leave the room. She sighed quietly as she shut the door to her friend's room and went downstairs to make sure everything was off and locked before heading to her own room. She traveled up her own flight of stairs later and collapsed onto her own bed, staring at the ceiling. This day had been... interesting, even though it still didn't fully answer her questions.

Jackie most likely had a crush on her. Ponyfeathers, it was obvious. The way she would act around her, the sudden mood changes... The playing around was somewhat the same but it was more frequent, like Jackie tried to distract herself from her embarrassment. The small glances, the awkward body language, the sleepy cuddling; it was all pointing to a now plain fact. But she didn't know how to handle it. She never even knew that Jackie was into mares to begin with, much less her own friend.

Like she had mentioned to the mare earlier, Timid never really thought about it. An intimate relationship seemed like something for somebody else. She had her parents and she had... Jackie. They were friends. Best friends. She knew the saying: "You can't help who you fall in love with". Jackie had fallen victim to that little fact and had her eyes set on her, but was obviously afraid of doing anything about it.

What was Jackie dreaming about when she called out her name? Were they hanging out? She doubted it. Nuzzling? Maybe. Were they... She was sure the heat emanating from her face could warm up a room. "Were we... kissing?" She didn't know what to do. She loved Jackie, as a friend. She never thought they would be anything more, because frankly she didn't think she needed more. But for the first time, she was thinking about relationships and the one pony who did her best to hide her feelings was doing a terrible job of it, only making the situation harder. Now, Jackie was the only thing on her mind.

"What do I do? I don't even know what I like! I like Jackie. But do I like her like that? Do I even like mares?" Frustrated, she grabbed her pillow and stuffed her face in it. Her heart was still racing. Split second images of her friend crossed her mind. They did have a lot in common and they rarely ever left each others side, but that doesn't imply a relationship... does it?

With everything going on, Timid didn't end up getting to sleep until the wee hours of the morning. One thing she was somewhat thankful for was the lack of nightmares, but that was only due to the current issue on her mind. She hoped tomorrow would bring further clarity.
> T & J's side stories: Expired Pasta (a.k.a. the day Jackie was moments away from being hospitalized.)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"Hey, Jackie... remember that time with the pasta?"

"Heh, yeah... it was expired, right? I was this close to eating it, you know. Thanks for that."

"Is that sarcasm I hear in your voice?"

"Naaaah... yes."


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"Let's see... No, she's saving that for later... that's Thatcher's..." Jackie was rifling through the fridge, hoping for even a little something to snack on. Her stomach was growling like crazy and her snack cabinet was barren, the last treat having been eaten the day before. Her eye caught the circular blue top of a plastic container, one that seemed strange to her. Pulling it out, she couldn't quite make out what was in it. Shrugging, she dropped it on the counter and closed the fridge, grabbing a bowl from the stack in the nearby cabinet. Pulling the lid off of the container, Jackie wrinkled her nose at the faint smell, almost unsure of what it was.

"Oh. We haven't had this for a while." It was pasta, specifically fettuccine alfredo. A rather plain meal for Landscape to have made, but still quite delicious; Jackie was almost excited to have found some of the leftovers. The only thing that made her pause was that she just... couldn't remember when they last had it. There wasn't any mold to speak of, nor was the smell overwhelming. Maybe a month? 

"What's the worse that could happen?" She had a good nose and her nose was telling her that it should be okay. Her stomach didn't seem to care and urged her to warm it up.

Obeying the organ that made good decisions (not really), she popped open the microwave and inserted the container into the appliance. After a button press and a few beeps later, the meal was steaming and ready to eat. Thank Celestia for such a wonderful invention. She poured the pasta into a bowl, only to be interrupted by hoof steps on the stairs and a rather confused stallion. Thatcher did not look happy.

"Alright, alright... what in the writhing pits of Tartarus is that smell? What did you do?"

Jackie gave her bowl a sideways glance before smiling at him. "I don't know what you mean. The pasta's fine."

"Yeah... no. I could smell that mess upstairs! Is that... that's the alfredo! Where did you find that!?"

Jackie stepped in front of the bowl, almost as if she was defending it. "It's not that bad! Besides, if it was spoiled it would look like it! We have a good fridge."

"But it doesn't last! That pasta is almost three months old!"

"...We have a really good..."

"No, throw it out! We don't need you going to the hospital for something like this!" Thatcher concentrated for a moment and the bowl quickly became enveloped in an orange glow. 

"Hey!" Jackie quickly grabbed the edge of the bowl with her teeth, a small tug-of-war playing out between the two. "I'b eaten worfth!"

"It worries me that you say that..."

Jackie released the bowl and tapped her hoof on the tile in frustration. Nobody got between her and food, not even her employer. "Oh please, like anything is gonna happen!"

The two began to bicker heatedly, going back and forth for a few minutes before a certain pegasus quietly closed her book and placed it on the coffee table. Timid had just about enough of the arguing. By the time she reached the kitchen, the 'discussion' had become quite in-depth; Thatcher was defending his point by delving into deterioration on a microbial level, while Jackie argued actual shelf life versus marketed shelf life and just how resilient a pony could be. 

They were so caught up in their arguing that Thatcher didn't notice when Timid pulled the plate out of his magical aura. The moment it left his grip, his horn stopped glowing, leaving his daughter free to do whatever it was she wanted. She tapped the bowl on the counter, both Jackie and Thatcher shutting their mouths and looking at her. 

"Ah ha! Thank you for being on my side, Timid!" Jackie reached for the bowl, but Timid tipped it over and dumped it in the sink.

"Ah HA! Thank you for being on my side!" Thatcher's expression was triumphant.

Timid still said nothing, but hurried over to the cabinet adjacent to Jackie's snack cabinet. It was filled with all sorts of food items, but she only pushed those aside. Behind the food sat a single solitary honey bun, still wrapped and delicious looking. Pulling it out and holding it by the corner with her teeth, Timid ran past her father and Jackie, making a beeline for the couch. Jackie simply squealed and gave chase, trying to wrestle the snack from her friend.

Thatcher just stood there, dumbfounded. He shook his head and turned the faucet on, washing the old pasta down the drain. "I'm pretty sure I won that argument."


_____________________________________________________________


Timid only shook her head. "You're crazy."

"Hey, it was a badass fridge."