The Apple family was enjoying a delicious dinner when Granny Smith spoke up. “Somethin’ on your mind, Applejack?” she asked.

Applejack, who was very lost in thought if her lack of appetite was any indication, stirred. She looked to her grandmother. “Uh, yeah, how’d ya guess?”

“You was starin’ off inta space.”

“I was?”

“Eeyup,” said Big Mac.

“Somethin’ wrong, sis?” asked Applebloom.

“Nope,” Applejack answered quickly. “Well, nothin’ wrong with me, anyways.”

“You been thinkin’ ‘bout that poor little colt?” asked Granny.

Applejack sighed. “Yep. Ah’ve been meaning ta talk ta y’all ‘bout ‘im.” Granny motioned for her to continue. “Ya see, Ben’s counselor came over today and told me how… troubled he was.”

“Is he gonna be alright?” asked Applebloom.

“Ah don’t rightly know, and it’s eatin’ me up inside.”

“Just let that counselor do her work and Ah’ll bet Ben’s be just fine,” Granny said confidently.

“That’s kinda the problem, though,” said Applejack, looking rather uneasy.

“Whaddaya mean?”

“Well… after tellin’ me ‘bout Ben, she asked if Ah could let ‘im live with us for awhile.”

There was a brief silence as everypony processed Applejack’s words. Applebloom, who was about to bite into her salad, held her fork still and her eyebrows shot up. Big Mac, ever the reserved one, raised a single eyebrow. Granny merely smiled encouragingly at her granddaughter. “And?” she asked, “Wha’d ya say?”

“Ah said yes,” Applejack answered.

Applebloom set her fork down, having recovered from the initial shock. “Does that mean we’re a… what’s that word?”

“We ain’t adoptin’ Ben,” Granny clarified with a smile, “He’ll just be living with us ‘till the authorities can find his kin.”

Applebloom was confused. “Ah thought he said he didn’t have none.”

“He might’ve forgotten about somepony or maybe there’s kin out there he just never met.”

“Oh.”

Granny returned her attention to Applejack. “When are we s’posed ta bring him home?”

“He’ll be released from the hospital in the mornin,” Applejack answered, still uneasy.

“We’ll have a room ready for ‘im by then,” declared Granny. The old mare took note of Applejack’s lingering worry, but waited until dinner was over and the others had left the room before broaching the subject. “What else is worryin’ ya?” she asked.

Applejack was not surprised by her grandmother’s insight. She let out a heavy sigh and told Granny what Warm Light had told her regarding Ben’s condition. “Ah want ta help Ben, but Ah just don’t know how,” she finished. “Ah can’t bear ta think o’ what might’a happened to ‘im ta make ‘im like that. Ya remember what he said the other day.” She hung her head.

Granny nodded, solemnly recalling how distraught the colt was on that morning. She hummed in thought. “Well, ta tell ya the truth, Ah ain’t never seen nothin’ like this before, ‘specially not in a colt. It ain’t right, what happened ta the poor feller. Way Ah figure, the child’s starvin’ fer love. He likely ain’t had much of it. I reckon we oughta love ‘im best we can. ‘Twixt you and that counselor helpin’ ‘im, he’ll pull through alright.” She smiled in that reassuring way reserved for her family.

Applejack lifted her head and smiled back. “Yeah… I reckon so. Thanks, Granny.”

“Anytime, sugarcube, anytime.”

“Ah swear, Ah ain’t never signed so many papers in all mah life.”

Applejack had just finished signing all the necessary documentation for fostering Ben. She had tried her best to read through all of it before signing, but sadly could not understand half of what was written. Her special talent was apples, not bureaucracy.

“How soon can we pick up the little feller?” asked Granny Smith. She had come along to help greet Ben and take him home. She was also there to support her granddaughter. Applebloom was at school, but had been told to welcome Ben when she came home. Big Mac had to tend to the farm.

“Very soon,” replied Doctor Light. “They’re releasing him as we speak.”

“We’ll take good care of ‘im,” Applejack declared.

“I’m sure you will,” Light replied, “But if you need help with anything, don’t hesitate to ask.” Applejack nodded firmly.

Nurse Redheart soon came in with Ben, who was sitting in a wheelchair and trying not to fall asleep. Other than his drowsiness, he looked a great deal healthier now. There were no visible scratch marks on him and the bruises were beginning to fade. The colt lifted his head and waved weakly at the Apples. “Hey,” he greeted with a yawn.

“What’s got ya all tuckered out?” asked Applejack.

Ben rapidly shook his head in an effort to wake up. “Spell casting,” he replied before gesturing to the nurse. “Buzzkill here interrupted my studies.”

“Ben,” Light admonished gently, “It’s rude to call other ponies names.”

“It’s rude to take away someone’s book while they’re reading and practicing magic, yet here we are.”

Redheart sighed heavily. “You were exhausting yourself trying to master that spell. Any longer and you would’ve passed out.” Ben was about to retort, but was forced to yawn. “My point exactly.”

“Whatever,” Ben said dismissively. He turned his attention to Doctor Light. “So, why am I here, again? The nurse might’ve said something about letting me out, but I’m a little too drowsy to remember.”

The psychiatrist smiled brightly. “Well, you remember the Apple family, don’t you?” She gestured to the gathered ponies.

Ben’s eyes darted to and from each pony. “Faces? Yes. Names? No.”

“That’s alright,” said Applejack. She and Granny Smith reintroduced themselves to Ben.

The colt blinked, then rubbed his forehead as he mumbled something about names under his breath. “Are you guys visiting?” he asked when the rubbing was done. “I’m really busy, so we’ll have to keep this brief.”

“Actually,” said Doctor Light, “You’re going to be staying with them for a little while.”

Ben’s eyes briefly widened. “What? What for?”

Applejack had to keep herself from wincing. She did not want to upset Ben by taking him in, but if she was the counselor’s choice, then so be it.

Doctor Light smiled, assuming control of the situation. “Well, you can’t just live at the hospital, silly.”

“We’ll give ya a nice roof over yer head and help ya with anythin’ ya need,” Applejack added, hoping to quell any fears Ben might’ve had. “We’d love ta have ya at Sweet Apple Acres, Ben.”

Ben looked away, eyes narrowed in thought. He hummed.

“Are you okay?” asked Doctor Light.

Ben frowned and let out a sigh. “Alright, listen, it’s not that I don’t appreciate the free room and board, but I don’t…” he groaned, “How do I put this? Okay, I know that you think that I’m some helpless little child.” He held up a hoof before the adults could reply. “Technically, that’s true.” He pointed to himself. “I mean, look at me. Now, I’ll bet you have laws that say I have to stay with an adult or family of some kind because I’m physically and therefore legally a minor. Am I right so far?”

If Doctor Light was surprised by Ben’s knowledge, she did not show it. Instead, she simply nodded. “You’re a very smart colt, Ben. We have those laws because we want all the fillies and colts in the world, including you, to be safe and happy. The Apples could make you very happy if you give them the chance.”

Ben’s frown deepened, much to everypony’s concern. “I’ll be ‘very happy’ when I can see my real family again and let them know I’m alright. I’ll be ‘very happy’ when I’m back where I belong.”

“Ya ain’t gonna be livin’ with us forever,” said Granny, trying to reassure the colt. “It’s just ‘till Warm Light and her friends can find yer kin. Why, you’ll be back with yer folks ‘fore ya know it!”

“Except she won’t find them, which means I’ll basically be a permanent resident unless I’m here long enough to become an adult again or I manage to create a portal home.”

“What makes you think we won’t be able find your family?” Light asked. She knew that she’d be unable to find Ben’s fantasy family, but she was trying to get him to open up. Any descriptions he might give could reflect some features from his real family. Obviously, his real family wasn’t human, but they could have the same mane or eye color.

Ben’s frown became a full glare, directed at the counselor. “I’d tell you, but you’ll just think I’m crazy and I’d rather not live in a nuthouse, thank you very much!”

The farm ponies, not knowing how to respond to such paranoia, mentally applauded Doctor Light, who did not even flinch as she raised a placating hoof. “That’s alright,” she said with the utmost gentleness, “You don’t have to tell us anything if you don’t want to.”

Ben took a deep breath. “Good. Now, as I was saying, I have to stay with a family of some kind because it’s the law. I seriously doubt you can make an exception for me, so I have no choice but to play ball. I’m guessing I have to go back to school too?”

“You don’t want to learn new things and get smarter?”

Ben scoffed. “The only thing I need to learn right now is magic. Everything else is useless to me.”

Every foal at that age assumed school was useless, thought Applejack. At least Ben was showing some semblance of normalcy. It was a start.

“What makes you think everything else is useless?” asked Doctor Light.

“Because Magic is the only thing that can get me home. Can knowing this world’s history get me home sooner?” Ben’s voice adopted a condescending edge. “No? Yeah, I didn’t think so! Plus, I’ll bet I’m already better than everyone else my ‘age’ at everything except history, geography, and magic.” The condescension was now gone, but Ben was clearly frustrated. “I don’t need elementary school, I need a magic teacher. Magic is the only thing that can get me home, which means I don’t need anything else. School will just keep me from learning more magic and that’s going to keep me from going home sooner.”

Doctor Light opened her mouth to speak, but Ben sharply cut her off.

“Do you have any idea what it’s like to be separated from your family, not knowing how they’re taking it? Suppose you had a way to go back to them, but everyone else does everything to hold you back?” His hoofs started shaking. “I don’t know about you, but I’m going to do everything in my power to get back to my own world and I’m not gonna let anything stop me! And if you think for one second that I’m going to get attached to anyone here or let anyone replace my real family, YOU ARE SADLY MISTAKEN!”

Nopony responded to Ben’s rant as he breathed heavily in anger. He rubbed at his eyes, trying not to cry. “Damned stupid body,” he cursed, more at himself than anypony else.

Part of Applejack wanted to scold Ben for yelling, cussing, and carrying on, but another part wanted to comfort him and tell him everything was going to be okay. Behind that wall of hostility and anger the colt put up was a hurt and scared little child who just wanted to see his family again. Thus, Applejack’s gentler side won out. Almost simultaneously, both she and Doctor Light reached out to hug Ben.

The colt tried to pull away from the two mares, but they held firm, offering whatever comfort they could. “Leave me alone,” he demanded weakly.

“Shh,” soothed Doctor Light, “It’s going to be alright.”

“No, it’s not,” Ben protested. He started to sniffle. “I don’t belong here.”

Applejack held him closer. “Ah swear we’d never try’n replace you’re family, Ben. We just wanna help.”

“You can’t. You’ll just- You don’t understand. I’m not a colt. I’m not. I’m not a colt. I’ve gotta get outta here. Gotta get home.” The sniffling turned into sobbing. “You-you-you’ll treat me l-like a crazy kid!”

Doctor Light moved aside to let Applejack fully embrace Ben. “Nopony thinks you’re crazy,” said the farm mare as she started stroking his mane.

“You’re trying to stop me,” he sniveled, “I wanna go home!”

Applejack kept hugging him. For her, nothing else existed in that moment save her and the broken child held against her barrel.

Dear Twilight,

I am more than happy to help this colt find his family. That said, there is little I can do to speed up the search. I am not omnipotent, you know. However, I shall ask Luna to visit Ben in his dreams. I’m sure she can help him with his grief, as well as get a picture-perfect description of his family. That ought to aid in the search. In the meantime, I have the utmost confidence that you and your friends will find a way to help him. Simply remember the magic that is friendship.

Princess Celestia

Author's Note

I am so sorry for the delay. My job has gotten very demanding and stressful. I’ve been using video games to relax, which means I haven’t been giving myself time to work on this. Still, I hope you guys continue to enjoy this story. I can’t promise regular updates, but I’ll do my best to see this story through to the end.