The Split Core

After about a 2 hour ride on the train to Appleloosa, it came to the station, and Source Code walked off. He was surprised by how different Appleloosa looked compared to Las Pegasus, since he didn't remember being ever outside his hometown, except for that one trip to Vanhoover when he was about 8 years old. Anyway, something felt strange to Source Code about this place. Although unfamiliar, it felt nostalgic. It was as if he had just returned home, even though he doesn't know anypony who ever lived here. He decided to follow a mare into town. He asked her,

"Excuse me, Miss? I know we've never met, but allow me to introduce myself. My name is Source Code. I came here after receiving a letter that I may have a bro--" the mare interrupted him.

"Yeah, yeah, that's great and all, but I really have to get going. My sister and I are planning on entering Ponyville's Apple Pie Contest soon, and I'm late for practice as it is."

"Oh, sorry to bother you." The mare smiled in acknowledgement, and ran off. "Wait! Apple Pie Contest?" She couldn't hear him. Source Code thought about the contest that she mentioned. Maybe there was something about it that drove him here, or maybe it was just Source Code thinking nonsense like he tends to do. He decided to walk into town, and he realized just how hot it was outside. He was tempted to take his vest off, but all of his leftover money was in there, and he didn't bring a saddlebag, so he'd have nowhere to put it. He came to a saloon, and walked inside. He took a seat at the bar, and the bartender said,

"Ya sure yer old enough to be here? Y'all don't look familiar to me. Where ya from, stranger?" Source Code had never talked to a pony with a western accent such as this stallion's, so he replied,

"I'm from Las Pegasus." He reached into his vest and pulled out his city ID, proving that he's of age. "Here. It's my ID."

"Hmm, well, this looks legit to me." He handed it back. "What would ya like?"

"I'll take a mug of your hardest cider, on the rocks."

"My hardest cider on the rocks. That sounds like another pony I know. Braeburn's his name. He's one of this town's hardest-workin' ponies we've ever seen. He always orders the same thing you want. Anyway, it's coming right up." When Source Code heard the name Braeburn, he recoiled a bit. The name sounded familiar to him, but he couldn't imagine why. He finally received his mug of cider, and it tasted great, as he imagined it would. Nothing like hard cider for him. He then asked,

"How much do I owe you?"

"Ya know what? First one's on the house. You seem like a fine stallion. Come back any time."

"Thank you, sir." As Source Code left, the bartender said to himself,

"Braeburn, yer partner has arrived."

Source Code spent a little more time walking around town, trying to memorize where everything was, in case he was going to stay here for a long time. After about an hour, he realized that he had never made any arrangements to stay anywhere. He started to panic, frantically asking everypony around if they knew where he could stay. His attitude scared most of them off, so he couldn't get any help. After spending so much time looking for a place to stay, he found himself walking along this farm. He saw a stallion wearing a brown hat and vest, and walked up to him, as the stallion was whistling.

"Excuse me, sir, but do you know where I can find a place to stay?" The stallion turned around, and gave a big, wide-eyed, almost creepy grin. He almost looked ecstatic to see Source Code. He ran up, jumped on him, and said with a loud voice,

"If it ain't my long-lost brother, Apple Crisp! Ya finally decided to come back to Appleloosa. I couldn't be happier to see ya!" Source Code was excited by the stallion's energetic and friendly demeanor, but was unnerved that he got his name wrong, or even had a name for him to begin with."

"Apple Crisp? Who's that? My name is Source Code. For that matter, who are you, and why do you look so familiar?" The stallion's energy died down, and he started frowning.

"Oh, you're not Apple Crisp?"

"No, sir, I'm not."

"Aw, shucks! And I thought I'd finally seen my long-lost brother again."

"Wait a minute, did you say brother? That's interesting. I recently received a letter saying that I could find a long-lost brother of my own here."

"Ya serious? Well, small world, ain't it? Anyway, what was that ya said about needing a place to stay?"

"Oh, yeah. You see, even after everything I've been through, I never found a place to stay here in Appleloosa. I'm from Las Pegasus, so--"

"Wait, Las Pegasus? I was told I have family there. Are ya sure yer not Apple Crisp?"

"I'm positive."

"Well, anyway, I guess I could let ya stay here for the night, given that I mixed you up with somepony else. By the way, my name is Braeburn."

"BRAEBURN?!" Source Code's loud voice shocked the stallion. "I've been told about you. You're one of the hardest-working stallions in this town, am I right?"

"And darn proud of it."

"May I come inside? I have a lot to talk about."

"Sure thing." The two then walked to the small cottage on the farm, and Braeburn showed Source Code in.