After some deliberation on where to start my job search, I decided I'd start at Sweet Apple Acres. I'd never worked on a farm, but I loved the outdoors and physical work always appealed to me. So I figured that's where we'd head first.

Fluttershy kept on asking me if I was sure, and that it was really not a problem if I didn’t pay her back. I knew she would see it that way, but I just had to pay it back. It didn't feel right otherwise. I don't get things for nothing. No debts should be owed. End of discussion, in my mind.

We came down the little road into the huge farmland of Sweet Apple Acres. It was invigorating to take it all in: the fields and orchards that stretched out for what looked like miles, the smells, the simple beauty of the barn and house, and that same funny desire within me to go and explore every nook and cranny like a child in a giant’s playground. Was that new or was it something dormant within me - sleeping and waiting to come to life like an old dream?

-Only if you’re a child. Grow up.

Oh shut up! I can’t be getting worse now.

-No, you’re seeing the truth! It’s not all sparkles and smiles and “the power of friendship.”

Not now. Not now. Not now.

This continued. My worsening condition had finally reared its head in broad daylight. My mind ran around in circles of circular thinking: when the next depressing argument was put down, another took its place; never ending. And somehow this whole inner dialogue was dimming the beauty around me. What seemed bright was becoming grey, though the colors never changed. Places to explore turned to places where I would need to work. Apples to throw to a friend suddenly looked like product to be moved for a business. This was real life. Only a tiny part of my conscious mind saw what was happening, the rest was accepting it. This took perhaps ten seconds of real time.

“It really is beautiful this time of year, don’t you think, Brendon?”

The happiness of that voice snapped me back to where I was. My mind heard her, contemplated it, and somehow saw what she saw. Glancing at her, I could see Fluttershy’s expression and she seemed to be trying so hard to cheer me up, and how could I not?

Where was I? Where did I go?

Even then, smiling and basking in the beauty of the landscape around us, I took for granted that there was no response in my head.

Applejack came out of the barn, sweat glistening on her bare arms. Today her attire was denim shorts, short sleeve flannel shirt, and Stetson hat (I mean, different brand, but...come on, it really was). Today her shirt was tied under her chest, revealing a well toned midsection.

Well, damn son, ain't she gonna make some stallion real happy some day. Why did I think that in a southern accent?

Applejack took off her hat, wiped the sweat from her brow, and exclaimed in a huge smile: "Howdy! What brings ya'll out here on this fine mornin'?"

Fluttershy stepped forward with a wave. "Hi Applejack! Well, Brendon was looking to see if you...umm…" She trailed off at the way Applejack was eyeing her in her new outfit. Fluttershy glanced at me with a pleading look, her ears pulling back.

"I was wondering If you need any help around the farm? I'm looking to find a job since I'm going to be here for a while."

Her eyes lingering a few seconds on Fluttershy, Applejack turned to me with a polite but confused look on my face.

"That is mighty fine of you to offer your help like this, sugar, but...are you sure you want to be workin' so soon?"

That completely stopped me in my tracks. "What do you mean?"

Applejack smiled apologetically. "Now don't get me wrong! My brother, Big Mac, and Ah could always use a hand to get some stuff done around here, but…" Here her face softened. "...are you alright?"

-She's saying you're not good enough. She's trying to be nice while she rejects you.

Really? No. No.

Fluttershy, seeing my face, put a hand on my shoulder. "What do you mean, Applejack?"

Applejack took her hat off, looked at it in her hands, then looked up while she played with the brim with her fingers. “Well, it’s just that, Brendon, you just lost...everything. If Ah was you Ah'd want to take some time off and settle down a bit before gettin’ myself all busy like. Ah mean...you know what Ah mean?”

-You’re too damaged to help anyone else.

I looked down at the ground. Dark clouds seemed to come overhead, though the sun beat down on my brow.

Just then, Applejack snapped her fingers and flipped her hat back on her head with a gleam in her eye.

“Ah know! Let’s all take a campin' trip! In two days it'll be the weekend an' goin’ on a little weekend vacation could be just the thing!"

-They're sending you away.

"And we'll all come with you!"

"Really?" I couldn't hide my joy.

"Yeah! Let me finish up one more thing, and then Ah'll head out and we can get the word around to the girls."

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Fluttershy clapped her hands and gave a little hop with a flutter of her wings. Her skirt came up just a bit and just enough.

They were green. Pale green. I tried hard not to sigh in contentment.

Wait. Why did she change panties? Was that what she was doing back in the house?

Applejack nodded at Fluttershy and started giving her a Look again.

"Yeah, Fluttershy, Ah need to ask you: what in tarnation are you wearin'?"

Fluttershy became a deer in the headlights.

"Wh-what's wrong?"

"Oh, nothin's wrong. It's just...not normally somethin' Ah'd expect to see on you. Maybe Rarity…"

"Oh, well, Rarity made it for me a while ago and I just thought...it'd...be nice...for today."

"Mmmmhmmm." She turned to me. "And what do you think about it, Sugar?"

Shit.

"I think she looks good in it."

Applejack gave a wry smile. "Yep, Ah bet you do." She then turned back to Fluttershy. “Hey, Ah'll go tell Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. Would you mind tellin’ Rarity?”

“Sure thing, Applejack. I’ll also fly over to the hospital and see if there’s been any change in Twilight.”

“Great! Hey, Brendon! Help me move a few things back here and then we can get started with plannin' our campin' trip!”

“Sure thing!”

Applejack turned to Fluttershy. “You best get goin’.’”

“You-you don’t need my help?”

“Nope, got a big, strong stallion to help me. You just get along, now.”

“Oh. Alright. Good-bye, Brendon!”

“See you later, Fluttershy!”

Fluttershy’s wings began to beat, and I realized she was about to lift off. Up into the air. Above me.

I quickly turned away before she flew off.

Applejack was staring at me. Without taking her eyes off me, she pointed.

“There she goes.”

“Yep.”

“You gonna turn and wave?”

“Nope.”

“You sound like my brother. Why not?”

“...politeness.”

“That’s what Ah need to hear.” She smiled. “C’mon in and give me a hand.”

Inside the barn were crates and crates of apples. Applejack motioned me over to a couple by the door and we each picked up an end and began stacking them with the rest. They were pretty heavy, but with the two of us we made good time.

“So...Brendon. (Okay, 1-2-3, lift!) What do you think of our little Fluttershy?”

“Hmmm? What do you mean? She’s been very kind and has, well, pretty much welcomed me with open arms. I guess you all have, really. I still can’t get over it all.”

“Aw, don’t worry about it, sugar. One day Ah hope you’ll see that’s just how we are. But what Ah’m really askin' for is how you feel about Fluttershy. You like her?”

I think I practically spit the next syllables out. “Wh-b-b-bu-I...ummm...th-th-at is...f-f-f-f-...I...hang on.”

Applejack looked at me with a kind, yet very amused, smile.

“Take your time,” she said, not unkindly.

“Okay. I like her. She’s shown herself to be a good friend. One of my best, I guess I would say. I mean, I’ve known her for only a few days but she cares about me, she wants to know me, and I like being around her.”

“Just a friend? (Put this one up top.)”

I was caught and I couldn’t look Applejack in the face and lie to her. I kept on thinking of how she had said she held the element of honesty. Maybe she had an internal lie detector? This world was so different that I refused to discount the possibility.

“Oooh, I don’t know!” I blurted out. “I think I’d like to be more - no, that’s not true. I’d love to be more than just friends but I...I can’t be sure she feels the same.”

I’m an idiot. I actually believe this, and I can’t help it!

“Whoa, there, darlin’. Maybe you’re not as familiar with our little yellow bundle o' kindness, but let me tell you somethin’. Ah have never seen her wear anythin’ like that for the years I’ve known her. And the way Ah’ve seen - the way we’ve all seen - her stick next to you has got us all talkin’. In a good way, Ah mean. She carried on somethin’ fierce when you fell over back at Twilight’s place, and we all chucked it up to Fluttershy just carin’ so much, like she always does. But this is different. Ah think she’s really takin’ with you. Don’t second guess yourself.”

“But...I mean...it’s the third day I’ve known her. This just seems...so easy.”

“Brendon, sometimes the best things can come that way. Ah know first hand how Ah’ve made things harder when Ah wasn’t going the right way. When Ah did, and accepted what other people were tellin' me, Ah found the way Ah needed to go was the easiest. Yeah, that’s not how it always is, but this sounds like it might be.”

“You’ll need to tell me more about that at some point.”

“Well, Ah have a hard time askin’ for help.”

“Ah. Yeah, I know a lot about that.”

“Heh, Ah ’ll keep that in mind. But let me leave you with one last thing. She’s never shown a ton of interest in a stallion before. I mean, not like a special somepony. Not in a Hooves and Hearts day kind of way.”

“Uh...what?”

“I’ll tell you later. Anyway, when you was out cold, we noticed that all of a sudden, she can’t stop talkin’ about you. And now she’s dressin’ up all pretty and...well...it's like she’s tryin’ to get somepony’s attention. Get my drift?”

“Yeah. Yeah I do. I mean, she looks really good.”

“Hard for you to look away, from the way Ah see it.”

“...uhhhh…”

“No worries, Sugar. (Put this one down here). Now, that’s the last one. You run along and see about lettin’ Spike know about the campin' trip. And…” Here she put an arm around my neck and gave me a playful headlock and noogie. “...I may think you’re a nice guy, and all, but Ah’ll still be keepin’ my eye on you. Got it, stud?”

“Ow, ow, ow! Yeah I got it!” I said, laughing.

“Good! Now get on out of here! Ah gotta’ take a bath and get goin’.”

“Thanks, Applejack. Really. And for being honest with me.”

“Ah don’t know any other way to be. Lyin', for me, actually hurts. Ask the rest of my friends. They’ll tell you Ah can’t lie for hill o’ beans.”

I laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

"Oh! And one more thing! Don't worry about us plannin' the trip, Ah just said that to get us to talk alone. Pinkie, Rainbow, and myself'll take care of all the stuff we'll need and where we'll be goin'."

"Oh good! I've camped before, but I never planned one. But, man, I love roughing it in the great outdoors."

"Good to hear! Ya'll take care now!" She paused briefly and then shouted, “Oh! And Spike will probably be in the library!”

And with that I ran my sleeve over my forehead and headed back to Ponyville, a smile on my face and hopefully a little wiser. The sky was beginning to cloud over a bit, but it still looked bright to me. So bright and promising.

* * *

Fluttershy was practically beaming when she alighted in front of Rarity’s shop. A weekend vacation! It’d be so much fun and it’d be a chance for Brendon to experience a good time with all of her good friends. And...with her.

Wait. This was odd. Usually Fluttershy would be shuddering at the thought of going into a dark...creepy...scary forest. And now that these thoughts crept in, she immediately began having second thoughts of going. Fear threatened to push much of her reasoning right out of her mind.

But there was no time to think about that anymore, she was about to open Rarity’s door. It was locked. It was then that she noticed a closed sign. And it looked like there was some new woodwork done around the edge of the door. What was wrong? Fluttershy knocked, very gently.

“Rarity? Um, it’s me. Fluttershy.”

“Go away! I simply can’t let you in to see me like this!” The voice was slightly muffled and not at all near the door. She also sounded completely frazzled. Fluttershy knew that voice would come out nearly every time she’d heard Rarity say something like: “I simply can’t,” or “Do I have to?” or “Uuuuuugh.”

“But Rarity, I have some good news! Please let me in? I mean, if you want. You don’t have to. I guess.”

“Wait. Is that...human with you?” Was that hope in her voice?

“What, Brendon? Oh no, he’s not with me. It’s just me.”

“Oh! Well, in that case, give me a moment. I’ll let you in.”

With a surprising amount of loud clicks, the door swung open, Rarity’s glow clearly visible around the door handle. Fluttershy carefully came in, with no Rarity in sight.

“Um, where are you?”

“In here!” came the call. It seemed to be coming from Rarity’s room. "Are you sure there’s no one with you?”

“Oh yes. No one else.”

“Ooooooh! I can’t believe what happened yesterday! I'm SO embarrassed, I could just die!”

Fluttershy came into the immaculately decorated bedroom of Rarity. If it was all you ever saw of Rarity, you’d think she was one of the richest ponies in Ponyville, but really it was that she liked her comforts just right. There were a lot of things that Rarity liked just right. But when it came to a pony she knew needed help, she was incredibly generous. Rarity sat at her makeup desk, her head in her hands, her normally groomed hair a mess around her shoulders.

“I’m so sorry, Rarity. Is there anything I can do?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I simply Don’t Know, darling! How can a pony like me recover from the shame?”

“Oh, I’m sure it’s not all that bad. Besides I have some good news.”

“One moment, darling. A girl needs to get some things off her chest. I simply must share some of this with you. Or else how would you know of the horrible experience I’ve had?”

She turned around and looked at Fluttershy. Mascara had run down her face from tears. She looked startled when she took in Fluttershy’s appearance?

“Fluttershy…! You’ve...never worn that outfit before!”

Her face getting warm, and fighting the desire to turn away and hide behind a wardrobe, Fluttershy commented, “Well...you don’t always wear mascara.”

“Oh, but it’s perfect for the struggling damsel. I thought it completed my image.” She said this so matter-of-fact that Fluttershy felt stupid for saying anything. Rarity surely knew far more about fashion than she, even when sobbing her eyes out. “Anyway, what finally made you break that out? You look simply adorable and alluring to the passing stallion, I’m sure! Who is it? Who's the lucky stud?”

Fluttershy felt herself go beet red. “Oh-well-that is-I-um-oh my! It’s...um...it’s nothing really. Just thought I’d...get it out…’cause...I wanted to…” Her voice trailed off.

Rarity tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at her yellow friend. Then her eyes opened wide and she smiled as she pointed at Fluttershy.

“That...man! The one I made a fool of myself in front of. That...manly man.” Her hands came up to her cheeks and she swung her face from side to side, a big goofy grin on her face like a young filly with a crush.

“Um. Are you still…?”

“In heat, darling? Oh I think I still have some lingering hormones going crazy. I can’t believe he set me off, of all ponies! It should go away before tomorrow morning. It’s why my shop is closed. I can’t take the chance of...going off again.”

“I think I heard something about what happened yesterday…”

“That Rainbow Dash! She told you, didn’t she?”

“Um, not...exactly.”

“Well it doesn’t matter. You know now. I completely lost myself like some little school filly, only worse. But he had such a...mmmmm!” She ran her hands through her hair in frustration. “I couldn’t help myself! I was all over him. I wanted him so badly! I thought I had him cornered, that there was no chance he’d be able to resist me. It was obvious he was feeling...something too. That dazed look in his eye! I nearly had him. And then…Ooooh! I can’t believe he left me!”

“I’m...I’m sorry you feel hurt, Rarity.”

“Hurt? No! I’m positively baffled he had the kind of strength to leave me when I was just insane with lust! His morals must be so cultured. I mean I was desperate. I...I bared my...my soul to him. He even broke down my door when I tried locking him in! That’s why I had to get all those new locks.”

“Didn’t you, um, have just one lock before?”

“Oh, well, I simply must up my security in case some crazed stallion comes barging in here.”

“Or out?”

“Or out! Yes! Exactly!” Rarity was up and pacing at this point. Her train of thought and speech just couldn’t be stopped.

“And now, how can I face him? Or anyone once they hear I threw myself at Brendon like a mad mare! He’ll think I’m a lust crazed lunatic.”

“Um, actually, he blamed himself for it, at first. He was really sorry. But then I explained how being in heat works, and he calmed down. I’m sure he understands that it’s just something that...can happen. I mean, you’re not the first to...um...have a moment with a stallion when you’re...I mean...like that.” Fluttershy was having a hard time talking about this subject.

“He blamed himself? Well...I could almost see how he might. Any mare would love to have someone with a huge...throbbing...package like that man! And the smell of him! Ooooh! I can’t think of it right now!”

Suddenly, she lunged at Fluttershy and grabbed her by the blouse. Fluttershy could feel her midriff exposed up to the bottom of her bra and very briefly contemplated how short her outfit really was. There was a fire in Rarity’s eyes.

“I touched it! My hand was in his pants! Ooooh, it was amazing! No stallion has a shape like that!” She started to rant, almost to herself. “I think he’s a breast lover. He simply couldn’t keep his eyes off the girls once I brought them out for display. I could feel his need to just grab them and-and-kiss them. Uuugh! And whispering in his ear just drives him wild. I could feel him shiver against me. And-and-and-and-”

Fluttershy couldn’t help herself and loudly blurted out, “Wh-what was it like?”

“What was what like, deary?”

“His...umm...his...thing.”

“Ooh, I’ve been thinking about it since yesterday. I even sketched it!” Rarity ran over to where a small stack of papers with pencilled drawings on them and practically threw them at Fluttershy. They fluttered into the air. When Fluttershy grabbed one, she saw it looked like some bizarre blueprint for a new set of clothes. But the measurements were next to a...very detailed outline of what must’ve been the man’s erect penis. Fluttershy openly stared, contemplating the shape and the size. She didn’t know if that was normal size or bigger than a stallion’s. At least, it was an idea of what it looked like. It was rather different than what she remembered from health class.

Rarity went back to pacing up and down and around her bed. Fluttershy sat down and wasn't even looking at her friend as she sifted through the papers. Each one had a different angle. Rarity must have gotten a pretty good view, or at least a good feel for it. For one of the few times in her life, Fluttershy felt jealousy build up inside of her like a glowing ember. Why couldn’t that have been me?

“Oh I know why he left! It wasn’t because I wasn’t good enough, that couldn’t have been it. Unthinkable, really! He was too much a gentleman to take me...to...ravish me when I was out of my mind. Or there must be somepony else.” She stopped pacing, causing Fluttershy to look up. Rarity was standing rigid still, her head slowly turning to stare at Fluttershy with wide open eyes. There was a sudden twitch in one of them.

“The way he looked at those photos...why didn’t I see it before?”

“Uhhhh...maybe I should go.”

Without thinking, Fluttershy made a break for the door.

“NO! WAIT!”

Rarity was a blur of white and purple as she flung herself at the door, blocking the exit. She looked wild and Fluttershy felt sure she was about to tackle her to the ground. But then her face slowly softened, and a look of genuine concern came over her face.

“Oh, Fluttershy, I’m so sorry!”

She fell forward onto Fluttershy’s shoulder, threw her arms around her, and sobbed. Fluttershy was frozen, not sure how to reciprocate and then realizing she couldn’t because her hands still clenched the drawings that she had been looking at. She simply stood there, arms out, face forward, her eyes looking over at her friend who seemed to have suddenly broken down.

“I-I-I-I-*sniff* I didn’t m-m-m-m-mean to try and t-t-take your special somepony! Guh-huh-huh-huh-huh-huh-haaaaa! I’m such a terrible frie-he-heh-hehh-heeeend!”

“Oh no, no, no don’t talk like that, Rarity. You’re a very...good friend. It’s not your fault Brendon set you off like that. It’s no one’s fault.”

“B-b-b-but if I had just thought for a moment and stopped myself after I first bumped into his...or if I had never had him come in at all! I didn’t mean to do this to you! Please forgive me!”

“O-of course I do, Rarity! It’s okay! There there, now.” She patted her friend’s head with one wing, intent on never opening her hands until she got home. Rarity stepped back, wiping her eyes. Fluttershy quickly put her hands behind her back, smiling innocently.

Rarity sniffed. “Thank you, Fluttershy. That means a lot. By the way, what was the good news?”

“Oh. That. Well Applejack thought it’d be a good idea to go on a camping trip on the day after tomorrow, seeing as it’s the weekend and that’d it’d help Brendon deal with the fact that...well...he’s never going to see his home again. I don’t think he’s really come to terms with that. He was looking for work to keep himself busy today.”

“Work? Like a job? Oh the poor thing, he should take some time off. Put up his feet and relax for a week or two.”

“I think you’re right. Anyway, I should get going and...pack.”

“Oh my word! I’ll need to get all my things together! And poor Brendon! He needs some outdoor clothes! I know just what he needs.” With that, she flew past Fluttershy and headed to her desk where she began to sketch frantically. “Let’s see, he’ll need boots, a jacket, a hat, and -”

“Well, I’ll just see myself out. See you later, Rarity!” Fluttershy was grinning madly as she quickly walked out the door, hands still hidden behind her back, and then practically rocketed into the sky once she stepped outside. Well, rocketed at Fluttershy speeds, anyway. Five minutes later she turned completely around. She’d been going the wrong way while staring at the papers in her hands.

“Oooh, my. I’m such a naughty mare. I’m such a bad mare. I can’t believe I just did that. What’d the others think of me if they knew? What would Brendon think?”

This last bit derailed her train of thought completely, crashed it, and killed many passengers. All of a sudden she was thinking very different thoughts. And she was planning.

“Wh-what if I went through my closet? Oh, but that’s not enough. I’ll have to get a message to her...and then it’s be just wonderful if we could share the same tent and-and-OH, maybe there’s a book about this sort of thing in Twilight’s library! Yay!”

She did a tiny loopdeloop in the air, all the while contemplating the potential joys of the coming weekend.

Author's Note

Uh oh. What is happening?

More importantly, there may now be a bit more of a wait for the next few chapters. My short attention span - Oooo! Something shiny! - demanded I get this all out ASAP, while my hands were yelling at me for more story to write down. So I have gaps to fill and pages to pour over so that you all get more of my best.

(HA! Best? This is my one and only! )

Hope these three rapid fire chapters were enjoyable! You are all great!