A Little Sunshine & Fresh Air Never Hurt Anybody

Chapter 4

Zecora’s Cabin, Outskirts of Everfree State Forest

As the lead botanist of a major university research team, Zecora made a considerable amount of money every year. She was not a materialistic woman by any means, but the Zebrican decided that owning a secluded plot of land near a major state park was the best way to get back in tune with the natural world and away from the hustle and bustle of Canterlot University’s urban sprawl. Since there were no other people around for kilometers in all directions, it allowed her to live like her ancestors did: free of clothing and the judgmental opinions of neighbors.

This summer was different, however. While large enough to comfortably accommodate the needs of an entire family, Zecora lived alone at her property. An introvert by nature, the dark-skinned botanist preferred it that way. She was not accustomed to hosting guests or even receiving visitors on a regular basis, for that matter. Most of the time, she was the one doing the visiting, if and when the need arose. She rather enjoyed visiting Sweet Apple Acres and talking with her beloved, honorary niece. There was a girl who respected tradition!

Her nephew, Hakizimana, or “Haki” as he preferred to be called, was currently residing in the guest bedroom upstairs. Zecora had been reluctant to offer the young man a place to stay during his studies due to their differing opinions on the old ways, but she relented because he was kin and it was the right thing to do. With a bittersweet smile, she remembered her own university days as a poor, foreign exchange student, struggling to find decent food and lodging. She didn’t want to burden her freshman nephew with such things if it could be helped.

After letting out a protracted yawn, Zecora slipped out of bed, padded over to the window, and stretched out her limbs with a satisfying pop. Later on, she would do some proper yoga sets but it was good enough for starting the day. She peered out into the forest and admired the beauty of dawn and listened to all the creatures who greeted it along with her. A quick glance at her phone informed Zecora that it was just a little past six o’clock. Early for anyone to be waking up during the waning days of summer break and even more so for her eighteen-year-old nephew.

Upon scratching an itchy spot just underneath her breast, Zecora decided that a shower was to take precedence over all her other morning activities. She plodded into the bathroom, turned the handle towards red, and stood underneath the jets while they sprayed her body with a cascade of steaming, hot water. She pondered what to prepare for breakfast as she scrubbed her skin with soap and various scented oils. She decided that bacon, eggs, and toast would be sufficient.

Zecora didn’t bother putting anything on after she dried herself off with a bath towel. Instead, she stood in front of the mirror and combed her silky soft, black & white striped locks until they were straight enough to be presentable. Fortunately, she had been blessed with the gene for straight-growing hair (this was also true in-between her legs to a lesser degree) instead of the frizzy kind that Zebricans were known for. If she were going out to work, Zecora would normally try to style her hair into a neat bun to make it more manageable but she let it flow naturally down past her shoulders instead.

The middle-aged woman still wasn’t quite awake yet after her shower, so she went about brewing a pot of fresh coffee before cooking breakfast. It was Zecora’s favorite blend: hazelnut and cinnamon. Coffee was one of the few things that she truly indulged in and only bought the highest quality she could afford. Which was always one-hundred percent gourmet and free-trade, every time, all the time. While the coffee continued to brew, Zecora crawled onto her hands and knees to try and find the frying pan stored underneath the kitchen sink.

“I swear that I put it in here! Where did it go?”

Stirred by the smell of fresh coffee, Hakizimana smacked his lips while he rubbed away the crust from his eyes. With an annoyed grumble, he checked his phone and realized that it wasn’t even seven o’clock in the morning yet. Once again, his aunt had woken up with the roosters even though she had the day off. On a Saturday no less! Despite the early hour, the teenager decided that it wasn’t worth trying to fall asleep again. His aunt was sure to be making breakfast anyway.

The dark-skinned college freshman resembled Zecora in many ways. Except that he wasn’t quite as tall, had an athletic, muscular build, and kept his black & white hair tied up in a series of neatly-groomed dreadlocks. Haki absolutely hated having excessive amounts of body hair, so he kept everything smooth from his face all the way down to his legs.

Haki’s personal hygiene habits had carried over from his high school swim team days. He intended to join the Canterlot University Swim Team if his schedule allowed. Otherwise, he would continue swimming just to keep in shape. Most of the time, he preferred to wear contacts but stuck with glasses while he was staying with his aunt. He was clad in an old t-shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants that served as pajamas. Haki didn’t much care about keeping up appearances around Zecora like he did around his classmates. It’s not like she did either.

Speaking of appearances, Haki was greeted by an unobstructed view of Zecora’s bare bottom (and other unmentionables) while he descended the stairs and shuffled towards the kitchen. He’d seen his aunt in the buff plenty of times before and even more so now that they’d been living together for the past few weeks, but her complete lack of modesty still got on his nerves. Her reverence of outdated traditions (which included walking around like a naked savage) was one of the many reasons why he’d been so hesitant to accept his aunt’s offer of free lodging and food.

With frying pan in hand, Zecora got back onto her feet and placed it upon the burner. She turned around and flashed her nephew a warm smile. “Good morning, Hakizimana. Breakfast shall be ready shortly. I believe the coffee is almost done brewing should you desire a cup.”

Haki poured some cream into his mug and grunted. “Morning, Aunt Z. Would it kill you to wear some panties at least? I don’t need to get flashed a brown eye this early in the morning…”

“Then you are free to live in one of the dormitories if my body causes you such disgust, mpwa. If not, then you must learn to accept my lifestyle. For better or worse, I am your land lady. I will not be lectured by a teenager on how I am supposed to appear in my own home. Understood?”

Unable to come up with a compelling argument against his aunt’s inscrutable logic, Haki sipped on his coffee instead. The conversation died immediately thereafter with the sound of sizzling bacon filling the room instead. Zecora sighed a few moments later while plating their breakfast.

“It is not my intent to be harsh. But I am concerned by your lack of gratitude. Has my hospitality meant nothing to you, Hakizimana? Am I merely a means to an end? Surely, my brother raised you better than that. What do you have to say for yourself?”

Haki played with his eggs, rather than look Zecora directly in the eyes. “It’s complicated…”

“Then explain it to me. I am willing to listen. Just give me a chance is all that I ask.”

With a heavy blush, Haki finally looked at his aunt. “I do appreciate that you’ve let me live here, Aunt Z. I just—have a hard time coming to terms with our traditions and stuff. There aren’t many of us Zebricans living around these parts. People… talk, ya know.”

Zecora reached over and placed her hand upon Haki’s, rubbing it encouragingly. “Go on. Do not be afraid to express your thoughts. I promise that I will not be angry with you.”

“Many of my classmates used to bully me at school. They only knew about Zebrican tribes from what they saw in books and documentaries. Which is to say, they thought we were primitive and backwards. Like throwing spears at elephants, banging rocks together, indiscriminately having sex all the time, and eating raw meat. Um—the archetypical tribal stereotypes, I guess.”

Zecora frowned. “Oh, mpwa…”

Haki sagged in his chair. “That’s why I had to become more like them. It was for my own survival! The rest of middle school and high school would have been miserable for me if I hadn’t! The point is: kids can be real assholes sometimes. College is supposed to be full of open-minded adults and all that shit, but I can’t—I don’t—know if I’m capable of embracing the old ways like you have. I’m sorry if I’ve been such an ungrateful little brat to you, Aunt Z.”

Even though it was VERY awkward hugging his naked aunt in the middle of the kitchen, Haki accepted her embrace without hesitation. When they finally broke apart, Zecora crossed her arms underneath her breasts, sighed, and looked out the window. “There is little I can say or do to change your mind, Hakizimana. You must be the one to do that. But now that I understand the source of your… reluctance, would you at least be willing to learn more about the old ways?”

“Maybe? I don’t know for sure, Aunt Z. I guess you can try teaching me about them. Just don’t expect me to be super enthusiastic about it like you are. That might not happen.”

Zecora nodded sagely. “Duly noted. However, it is fortunate that we are living together. It will make teaching you about the old ways much easier, I believe. Not to mention, experience them.”

“Experience them? You don’t mean—”

Zecora held up her hand. “Have you ever tried living in the nude, Hakizimana? For any amount of time? Before you discount the possibility, I want you to answer me honestly.”

The teenager twiddled his fingers. “No, not exactly. Dad never—erm—encouraged us to if that’s what you mean. He told us that you were a ‘traditionalist’ but I never stopped to consider trying it out for myself. No offense, but being naked all the time is downright weird. I-I mean, it’s not something modern people would practice, right? Even in the privacy of their own home.”

“I shall have some words with your father later. For now, let us concentrate on the present. I am not saying that you must take your clothes off right away. Give it some thought. There is no shame in considering your options. Above all else, I want you to feel comfortable in my home.”

Haki chuckled awkwardly. “You do seem pretty comfortable, I must admit…”

Zecora laughed. “Of course, I am. It is to be expected! In the meantime, are you familiar with traditional Zebrican foods? There is a delicious recipe that I would like to make for lunch today. Would you be willing to, perhaps, help prepare it with me?”

“I guess that depends on what it is exactly. We’re not going to eat boiled cow eyeballs, are we?”

Zecora stuck out her tongue. “No, those are disgusting. I am referring to Chakalaka. It is a rich vegetable relish served with meat. What of roasted goat? Have you had that before?”

“Umm… can’t say I have.”

Zecora patted her nephew’s shoulder. “Then you are in luck today! I shall compose a list and you can go shopping for the ingredients. Do not worry; they are fairly easy to come by. I promise.”

“Wait! Why do I have to go get them?”

Zecora grinned. “Well, you have to earn your keep somehow.”

Applejack hummed along to the radio while she drove into town. Next to her, in the passenger seat, sat Winona with her head stuck out the window and tongue flapping about in the wind. Seeing as how she’d been such a good dog lately, Applejack decided to take Winona out on a little shopping trip to the pet store. Chewie toys and doggie treats were in store for the beloved family border collie. When Applejack pulled the truck into the parking lot, Winona knew exactly what it meant. She’d been to the pet store plenty of times. An exuberant series of barks filled the air while Applejack fastened Winona's leash. There were a few grateful licks to her owner’s face as well.

“Yeah, Ah know. Yer jumpier than a kangaroo right now, gal. C’mon then. Let’s git yer furry keister in the store and pick out somethin’ nice. But not too expensive, ya hear? Ah don’t wanna break the piggy bank on account of ya goin’ overboard, Winona.”

Being a simple farm dog, Winona wasn’t too keen on fancy toys or treats. She preferred to keep things down to basics. One her absolute most favorite treats in the world was pig’s ears. She could spend hours happily gnawing on that porky goodness. And so, with a spring in her step, she scampered towards the rawhide aisle. Applejack chuckled when Winona pointed her snout towards a bin full of pig’s ears. It was even the four-flavor variety pack. Bacon, chicken, beef, and liver. Her tail wagged back and forth when Applejack put it into the cart.

“Heh. Should’ve known you’d go straight fer the ears. Ah imagine you’d be happy with just that but Ah think we ought ta git somethin’ else. Let’s see if we can find ya a nice toy too.”

Winona nuzzled her mistress alongside the leg. Applejack ruffled the fur in-between her ears and continued walking towards the toy section. There were a lot of toys that looked downright bizarre and some of them were way too expensive for Applejack’s budget. However, the moment she heard a horrible, banshee-like scream, the blonde farmer shook her head. In her mouth, Winona had one of the ugliest looking rubber chickens Applejack had ever seen. Yet, the dog seemed enthralled by it. With a wince, Applejack heard the banshee chicken scream again.

“Land’s sakes! That thing could give children nightmares. And yer absolutely enamored with it, ain’t ya? Fine. It’ll probably git on mah nerves mighty quick, but I’ll buy it for ya, ya silly pooch. Let’s head on up ta the register.”

Upon purchasing said pet goodies, Applejack smartly opened up the pig’s ear pack and gave Winona a beefy one to chew on while they drove home. It kept her quiet and in a state of meaty bliss instead making noises with an eldritch rubber chicken monstrosity. Applejack made a mental note to herself to warn the rest of the family about Winona’s new toy. Lest Granny come running into the living room with shotgun loaded, ready to blast whatever threatened her grandchildren.

“Guess I’m already experiencin’ buyer’s guilt with that damned thing. Oh well.”

Most days that Applejack drove back home from running errands (it was a considerably lengthy one), she concentrated on the road ahead like her brother taught her. Given how remote Sweet Apple Acres was compared to the actual city limits of Ponyville proper, there wasn’t much to see along the road except the occasional traveler and rolling grasslands. This time, however, Applejack spotted something unusual. Just about a half kilometer from King Kone’s Dairy Hut, she spotted a car pulled off to the side of the road with a frustrated man pacing back and forth.

Being the kind-hearted gearhead that she was, Applejack decided to pull up next to his car and investigate what was going on. Upon closer inspection, she realized that he was Zebrican. Highly unusual for these parts, but not completely unheard of. After all, Zecora lived near the state forest. Maybe he was just in town sight-seeing? Whatever the reason, it was clear that he was having car troubles. Once she got out of the truck, Applejack let Winona out and they walked over to the distraught man so that they could introduce themselves.

“Howdy, Mister. Reckon you’ve got a bit o’ vehicular trouble. What’s up?”

The Zebrican man paused for a moment and sighed. “Hey. Thanks for checking up on me, I wasn’t sure what to do. We’re pretty far from town, so calling a tow truck would be pretty expensive. I was driving down the road and suddenly, the car became really hard to steer and began making funny noises.”

Applejack popped open the hood and peered inside. After a cursory inspection, she rubbed her chin and started walking back to the bed of her truck. “Eeyup. Pretty sure ya got a loose power steerin’ belt. It ain’t the easiest thing ta field repair but lucky fer ya, Ah got a pretty extensive toolbox in mah truck. Might want ta git comfortable, mister. This’ll take a while.”

While Applejack got everything set up, Winona scampered over to the dark-skinned man and offered him a friendly bark. He slowly reached out his hand and began petting her head. “Hi there, pup. What’s your name? Hmm. Oh, it’s on your tag. Winona, huh? Pretty name for a pretty dog. I bet you love ear scratches, huh? Ooh there’s the spot!”

Winona whuffed happily and wagged her tail back and forth.

Applejack laughed as she watched the two of them. “She’s takin’ a likin’ ta ya, mister.”

“It would appear that way. I’m—uh—Haki by the way. Sorry for not introducing myself earlier. I was kind of wigging out over the whole car thing. What’s your name, Miss?”

The blonde farmer tipped her Stetson. “Name’s Applejack. Ya can call me AJ, if ya prefer. Nice ta meet ya, Haki. Pardon mah curiosity but are ya in town sight-seein’ or whatnot? Reason Ah ask is because there ain’t many of y’all runnin’ ‘round these parts.”

Haki shrugged. “Normally, that would be the case. However, I’m attending Canterlot University in the fall and my aunt happens to live nearby. Instead of staying in the dorms, she let me crash at her house. I was out running an errand for her but then… this happened.”

“That’s mighty nice o’ yer aunt. Lettin’ ya stay at her house free o’ charge.”

Haki blushed while he ruffled the fur on Winona’s back. “Yeah, it is. I—wasn’t exactly the most grateful nephew. But I’m trying to make it up to her now! She’s really into our people’s ancient traditions and culture. Me? Not so much. I was born in this country and naturalized.”

Applejack grunted while she loosened a bolt. “Explains why ya don’t have an accent. Trust me, Haki. I’ve been a bratty turd ta mah family on several occasions. But it’s important that ya recognize where ya went wrong and are tryin’ ta make up fer it. I’m sure she recognizes that.”

“I think she does. At least, I hope so. It’s hard to change your viewpoint when you’ve been raised to believe something else for your entire life.”

Applejack offered Haki a sympathetic smile. “Boy do Ah know that feelin’! Spent a while hangin’ ‘round mah well-ta-do cousins in Manehatten. Thought mah folks were a might backwards fer bein’ simple, salt ‘o the earth farmers. It was a real eye-openin’ experience fer me. Realized how good Ah had it back on the farm. Never looked back since.”

“For me, I think it’s the exact opposite. I’m trying to get back to my roots.”

Applejack wiped some grease from her forehead. “Nothin’ wrong with that, Haki.”

Haki wasn’t sure why he felt so comfortable talking about his troubles with a girl that he’d just met. For some reason, she seemed very honest, sincere, and forthright. Maybe that was just how country girls were? The silence that followed wasn’t nearly as awkward or uncomfortable as he would have expected, given the circumstances. Of course, it helped that he was playing with Winona while she ran around in the grass, chasing a butterfly. After another half hour or so, Applejack, covered in grease and sweat, lugged her toolkit back to the truck and clapped her hands together. Winona wagged her tail and let out several barks of approval.

“Whew! That took a while longer than Ah expected. Power steerin’ belts can be tricky sometimes. But Ah got it fixed ‘bout as good as it can be. Without bein’ new, o’ course. I’d recommend gettin’ a replacement as soon as yer able, Haki.”

“Sure thing. I’ll discuss it with my aunt. Thanks for helping me out, AJ.”

Applejack grinned. “No problem. Glad ta be o’ service.”

Before the blonde farmer could get into her truck, Haki called out to her. “WAIT! Hold up for second, Applejack. I’d like to repay you somehow. If it’s ok with you, we could walk over to that ice cream place and I could pay for your portion.”

“It’s a wee bit early fer ice cream but Ah could be convinced ta eat some. Heh. So long as ya don’t mind hangin’ ‘round a sweaty, greasy farm gal fer a while.”

Haki ordered a chocolate milkshake while Applejack got a cone of butter brickle. Now that he’d gotten a better look at her, Haki could unequivocally say that Applejack was cute. Despite being covered in grease and sweat, her down-to-earth, natural beauty managed to shine through anyway. All of the sudden, Haki felt his stomach churn with nervous anxiety. His palms became sweaty and he had difficulty swallowing. The young man was interested in getting to know Applejack better but how would he approach the situation without sounding desperate?

Applejack leaned back on the bench and looked up at the passing clouds. “Say, Haki. Ya mentioned that ya were goin’ ta Canterlot University this fall, right?”

“Um—yeah. I did say that. What of it?”

“Ah was considerin’ enrollin’ there too. Fer a business degree. We might even become classmates at some point. So—erm—Ah was wonderin’ if ya might wanna exchange numbers. Rekon we could talk more and git ta know each other better. Does that sound good?”

“YES,” Haki blurted out, “I-I mean, yeah that sounds good to me.”

With a polite smile, Applejack showed him her contact information. “Sorry if Ah sounded a bit forward there, Haki. I’m not the kind o’ gal who’s good at bein’ subtle. Plus, I’ve never been too good at makin’ friends. Tryin’ ta turn over a new leaf. Be more open ‘bout mahself with folks.”

Haki laughed awkwardly. “I totally get it! So—uh—I’ll text you soonish… maybe?”

“Sounds alright ta me. Just make sure ya don’t do it while drivin’. Ain’t safe.”

Haki rubbed the back of his neck. “Of course, not. I’ll… see you around, AJ.”

Applejack waved while she got into her truck. “Later, Haki!”

Apple Bloom was curious as to why her sister had been out so long on what was meant to be a simple errand. When the truck finally pulled into the driveway next to the barn, Applejack stepped out covered in all sorts of grime and grease. Being exposed to machines her whole life, Apple Bloom instantly recognized when someone had been working on a car. The truck itself seemed to be running fine, so she wasn’t sure if there had been a problem with it or not. With a curious expression, Apple Bloom padded over to her big sister and ruffled Winona’s fur.

“Ya look like somethin’ the cat drug in, AJ. What’s up with that?” Apple Bloom inquired.

After letting out a tired sigh, Applejack began taking off her shirt. “Met a young fella whose car was stranded alongside the road. Offered ta help him fix a loose power steerin’ belt on the way back from the pet store. Felt like the right thing ta do. Couldn’t just let him sit there, stranded.”

“Oh. Well, that was awful nice o’ ya.”

Applejack sighed with relief when she stood underneath the barn’s outdoor shower stall. “Like Ah said, it was the neighborly thing ta do. Mmm. Feels good ta git outta them grimy, sweaty duds. Oughta take a look at the heat pump later. The water comin’ out is lukewarm at best.”

“Was he from ‘round here or just visitin’?”

Applejack lathered her blonde hair with anti-dandruff shampoo. “A Zebrican fella by the name o’ Haki. Said he was goin’ ta Canterlot University fer the fall semester. Ah was a might surprised ta see him ‘round these parts but he seemed nice enough. We exchanged numbers n’ such. Figured we might end up bein’ classmates at some point in the future. Ya never know.”

Apple Bloom crossed her arms behind her back and shuffled her feet. “What’d he look like? Ya know, beyond bein’ dark-skinned… NOT that there’s anythin’ wrong with that.”

Applejack hummed. “He was handsome enough, Ah guess. Got a fair bit of muscle tone all ‘round. Must have been an athlete o’ some kind. Kept his hair in dreads.”

Apple Bloom grinned. “So… does that mean ya though he was cute?”

Applejack blushed slightly and coughed. “I don’t rightly know. Maybe…”

Apple Bloom snickered. “C’mon, sis! There’s no shame in admittin’ that yer interested in a boy. At least ya got the hard part outta the way. Y’all exchanged phone numbers. That’s progress!”

“Yer one ta talk, ‘Bloom. Last Ah checked, ya ain’t ever had a boyfriend neither. Besides, Ah never said that Haki was supposed ta be mah beau. Just a regular friend fer now.”

Unperturbed, Apple Bloom simply shrugged off her sister’s jab. “Well, I’m only thirteen. Still got plenty o’ time ta figure out the grand mystery o’ romance n’ such. All I’m sayin’ is that ya got a good opportunity handed ta ya, Applejack. Best not waste it.”

The tomboyish farmer dried off her skin with a towel and tied her hair into a ponytail using a red scrunchie. “Fair enough. Ya made yer point, ‘Bloom. Don’t expect me ta go divin’ into romance headfirst. A big part o’ any relationship is honesty n’ trust. Who knows how Haki would react ta us bein’ naturists? Ah gotta git ta know him better first before that happens.”

“Similar ta how Sweetie n’ Scoots did, Ah reckon.” Apple Bloom suggested.

“Maybe. Maybe not. Ah can only hope that he’ll learn ta accept that part o’ mah life.”

Just as the two sisters exchanged an affectionate hug, Winona found her rubber chicken toy and began shaking it around with all her furry might. The horrible screaming sounds it emitted were akin to the moans of the damned. Apple Bloom’s face paled as she looked to her sister for an explanation. Applejack sighed and pointed towards Winona, whose ears flicked upward. She paused for a moment and whimpered, unsure if her mistresses were upset with her or not.

“Shit on a shingle,” Apple Bloom cursed, “That’s terrifyin’. Why’d ya git her that stupid toy in the first place, AJ?”

“Language. But yeah, Ah might have regretted mah choice. It’s just that Winona seemed ta love it so much, Ah couldn’t rightly deny her. Sorry, ‘Bloom. I’ll make sure ta tell—”

Granny Smith came scrambling out of the farmhouse with the speed and agility of someone half her age. In her hands, was a pump-action shotgun, fully loaded and ready to fire. Her steely gaze surveyed the farm for any threats to her home or precious grandchildren. When the danger did not become immediately apparent, she slowly walked over to Applejack and stood in front of her.

“Git behind me, girls. Whatever the hell kind o’ eldritch abomination made that awful caterwaulin’, I’ll make sure that thing gits blasted into next week. SHOW YERSELF, BEASTIE! I’LL KICK YER ASS N’ THEN SOME! COME N’ GIT IT!”

Winona carefully walked towards the Apple Family matron and dropped the rubber chicken at her feet. She whuffed and rubbed her snout against Granny Smith’s leg. Upon picking up the chewy toy, Granny squeezed it and realized that it had been the source of all the commotion. Thoroughly embarrassed, Granny’s cheeks flushed pink while she knelt down and petted Winona. After an awkward bout of silence, Granny lowered the shotgun and sighed.

“Sorry everyone. Ah thought y’all were in peril. Turns out, Ah was fooled by a dang chicken toy. But why, in the name of all that is holy, does it make such a horrible noise? Ah oughta march straight ta the assholes who designed that toy n’ kick ‘em straight in the teeth!”

Applejack hugged her grandmother. “No idea. But it’s mah fault fer buyin’ it.”

Winona’s ears flattened against her skull. She offered Granny a consolatory lick.

“It’s alright. Ah just didn’t have a clue what it was. Do me a favor though, Winona. Make sure ya don’t squeak it ‘round me all the time. We got an understandin’, pooch?”

The border collie barked her affirmation and went over to Apple Bloom for more head pats.

Big Macintosh arrived from the fields with a perplexed expression on his face. “What’s goin’ on? Thought Ah heard a bunch o’ hootin’ n’ hollerin’.”

“Ah got Winona a squeaky toy at the pet store earlier. Scared the bejesus outta Granny.”

Mac picked up the rubber chicken in question and gave it a squeeze. “Holy shit! Sounds like a wailin’ banshee from the pits o’ hell itself. No wonder Granny was scared. Fer what it’s worth, I’m sorry that Ah didn’t make it here on time ta protect y’all.”

Applejack gave her big brother a playful punch to the arm. “Don’t ya worry none, Mac. We know ya were busy out there. Besides, protectin’ is a family affair. Not meant just for one o’ us ta take on the burden all at once. Have Ah made mahself clear, ya big lug?”

“Plenty. Now, if y’all will excuse me, I’m in need of a big cup o’ coffee.”

When Mac began to walk towards the farmhouse, Apple Bloom followed close behind and grabbed his arm. “Hold on, Mac! Mind if I tag along? There’s somethin’ Ah need ta talk with ya ‘bout… regardin’ school.”

“Oh, yeah? What’s that, sugarcube?” The elder brother asked while pouring coffee.

“Ah was wonderin’ if ya might come ta orientation with me? It’s mah first day o’ middle school and I’d appreciate it you’d stand in fer… umm—well, a dad.”

Mac ruffled his sister’s hair. “Alright. When is this orientation?”

“One week from now at seven o’clock. Think ya can manage ta make it?”

Mac took a sip from his mug. “Depends on if that’s AM or PM. Ya know I’m out workin’ fields ‘round five most days, ‘Bloom. Then there’s the matter o’ supper—”

Apple Bloom put her hands on her hips and huffed. “I’m bein’ serious, Mac! It’s in the evenin’.”

Mac chuckled. “No need ta git yer non-existent panties in a bunch, lil’ sister.”

“Yer fault fer teasin’ me ‘bout it in the first place…” Apple Bloom grumbled.

“How’s about Ah sweeten the deal and take ya out fer supper beforehand?”

Apple Bloom’s expression brightened instantly. “Really? Where?!”

“Ah was thinkin’ o’ somewhere on the fancier side. How’s Fig Garden sound?”

Apple Bloom squealed with joy. “Awesome! Ah haven’t been there in ages. Can’t wait ta pig out on them tasty breadsticks they got. Oh and—uh—the pasta’s good too, Ah suppose.”

“Alright. It’s a date, kiddo.”