Author's Note

You: Wait, what is this?

Me: A chapter.

You: Why?

Me: Because I had it written and edited..?

You: Don't you get smart with us! You said you had no more for us! And this came out on a...Tuesday!?

Me: Well...I just thought...maybe...a little reward for all your patience would be nice...

You: Oh...um...thank you.

Me: OH, YOU'RE WELCOME!!

Heh, I thought a little bonus chapter was in order considering how much I put you guys through. So here it is, was meant to go for the next Arc, but I thought everyone needed a happy end. Or at least as much as I could give you considering the darkness of the last few chapters.

Hope you enjoy!

Peace!

Therapy Through Labor

The scent of apples practically assaulted Orion's nose the moment he paused on the road heading towards the vast orchard fields of Sweet Apple Acres.

“Man, they really ripen that fast?” He mused as he took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

His first stop, at Rarity’s gigantic home, had been a bust. The filly, no, the mare now, as both she and Applejack had graduated this year, had been out, and no one had answered the door. So he has no clue where she has gone.

So, with a scuff of his hoof, he set off for the Apple Family farm instead, hoping to unload at least a portion of the curios that had been with him for the past week. The pack had become quite heavy during his shopping spree in the Neighbonese market, and he now regretted not stopping off at the orphanage to unload a few things to make life easier.

He chuckled. “Odds are she really did already know and likely has the guards on order to snatch my ass the moment I stepped one hoof off that fucking train.” There would be no way he would have gotten back to Mrs. Evergarden’s.

Gazing about the property, his eyes swept over the familiar site of the farmhouse, fields, and barn with a newly attached chicken coup. Winona's shed seemed to have lost the fencing entirely; instead, there now appeared to be a rudimentary forge in its place. The sight of it knotted his stomach in uncomfortable ways.

“Gilda…”

With a shake of his head, he pushed that line of thought away and looked toward the orchards, intent on finding something to move the memories away. Preferably a sun-kissed orange pony busting her ass somewhere in the field.

A new section of saplings looked recently planted off to the west on a hill that butted up against the more tame White Tail Woods. That was good, as the last time he was here, Granny had complained about Timberwolves tearing up the bark on some of the bordering Zap something or other.

This was right before he had his own encounter with said beasts, which ended with him miraculously keeping his hide intact and a burnt wooden corpse practically on top of him.

“Really not a good idea to remember that disaster, is it?”

The newly planted trees were already waist high, though that should be expected of anything planted and produced by these crazy horses. As his grandmother was often prone to saying: “Some folks can just grow corn in a quarry.”

“How in the hell do they get them to grow that fast?” He mused as his hooves trod upon the slightly uneven dirt road. He noted with distaste that the shoe on his left hoof wasn't settling properly when he stepped. “Think I'm overdue for a hooficure.”

The black pony snorted at that. The idea of actually needing to trim and shape the entire hoof just to walk properly would never not be weird to him.

“I miss my feet.”

He missed a lot of things from his life before. Cars, even if the junker he drove was more rusty than a motor vehicle, were faster than the slow gait he was stuck with now.

“Then there's the Internet…” Another convenience just stripped away with a single bad choice. “Not that I had much of a choice to begin with. Agent Man gets what Agent Man wants.”

Many other small and useful things flitted through his head as he rounded the wooden fencing to begin the trek up to the Apples’ homestead.

Orion knew why he was ruminating on the past. The events in Griffonia had spurred within him memories of mistakes long since left behind. The what-if monster again reared its head to haunt him with hindsight and guilt. Worse now, considering the cost of him trying to help the folks up in that village.

The people of Aviary were practically displaced at this point. Their homes, rubble, and crops burned to ash. All that effort for near nothing.

“Well, not nothing; the forges and the mines survived.” He nodded at that. Not just industry had managed to make it through, much to the good fortune of the people of that little village.

Another miracle was that the granary and underground storage units had remained largely untouched. One or two may have collapsed, but overall, the town had food, and the Iron Dogs were already working hard to help rebuild what had been lost.

He snorted with amusement as he avoided a pothole in the ground.

Barney's mad scheme of using the Basilisk to attack the unicorn army was a sheer stroke of genius, and he had to hand it to the mut on coming up with the idea.

Though doing the deed himself, that was balls even Orion wasn't sure he possessed.

His time in this world had certainly brought him face-to-face with courage. Something he had lacked in his previous life.

“What if I'd have just said no?” He would have likely been dead, but the answer was an easy one.

He would have received a bullet to the head, and some other poor S.O.B. would have been stuck with his lot. Some other asshole would have been thrust into a world not his own by what had to be chance and circumstance at best.

Then, there was the trial after everything was said and done. That whole mess had stripped him of his rights and placed him on the fast track to an execution. An execution that was halted and subbed for another poor sucker because he just happened to have the “right biometrics”.

It all seemed like a set of dominos had been placed against one another, one tap, and it all fell in the inevitable direction that landed his unhappy ass into this strange world of talking, upright walking, magic-filled animals.

And he felt like those black tiles were still falling. Though the purpose now? He couldn't even begin to guess.

“Where are they taking me? Where am I going? What am I supposed to do?”

He wasn't stupid enough to think he didn't have a degree of control over his fate. No, the choices he had made, while seeming solid and correct at that point, seemed to push him into the limelight more and more.

He never wanted to know Celestia. Nor did he ever want her to see of him.

He did not want the public to be aware of him. He had meant for a quiet existence, to pass unnoticed by all until he was ready to make his mark on this weird world. He could easily plagiarize many low-tech inventions of his species the moment he had some capital to fund production.

Bonus? The ideas he had would help people. Give them a better life, even if only in increments.

“To give others a better life?” When had he changed so much? Long before this second chance, he had been a selfish, stuck-up asshole that had very little moral stability. “I mean, my parents hadn't given a…” He shook his head, pushing away that line of thinking as well. Best not to go down that route ever again. It didn't matter and didn't help his situation. It would only make it worse.

His eyes widened as he paused, mere feet from the home's private fence.

“That's it. I've…I've let go of all that. Haven't I?”

The how still eluded him. Even with the readily available hindsight he now had, he just couldn't see how it had happened to him.

But now, his actions and experiences have brought on an entirely new level of crazy for him.

“My life, it seems, has a lightning rod built for chaos jammed right into the center. Fuck me.”

And, by all evidence he could see, it wasn't just centered on him. Everyone around him suffered or benefited from it in some fashion or another. “Though the cons have certainly outweighed the pros in recent months.”

His heart ached suddenly.

“Gilda…” He sniffed and scowled. “No, you stupid fucker! You will not be crying. We've done that, it's over with.”

The griffon's death weighed so heavily on his shoulders that he often wondered how he wasn't crushed under its sheer mass.

The truth was, he blamed himself for Gilda Broadwing’s painful and long-suffering end. The stout hen had been forced to stay glued to him the entire night when not pulled away in an emergency assignment.

His actions had placed her squarely on the path toward death the moment he started showing the townsfolk how to make better use of their plots of land. How to mine, and craft a resource that could bring a certain end to their dwindling economy.

The pounding of hooves on the grass mercifully broke him from his ever-darkening thoughts.

Little hooves by the sound of it. He lowered his gaze and spotted a little red bow bobbing and weaving through tall, slightly yellowed grass to his left. Giggling could be heard coming from the mystery ribbon.

“Who the fuck is…”

The Ribbon burst from the brush and revealed itself attached to a little yellow filly in a simple pair of overalls and a white shirt now stained green. The little girl came to an almost comical halt as she skidded to a stop right in front of him.

Big orange eyes stared up at him in curiosity.

Orion looked down at this tiny little pony, thinking hard on who she might be.

“Appleflower? Apple…nugget? No, those aren't right…Apple-”

“BLOOM!” A very familiar voice bellowed out with all the strength that an irritated sibling could muster. “I swear, when I git my hands on you, mama gonna make you unable to sit down fer a week!”

A small grin worked its way across his face as the filly before him gave a startled yelp and tried to scuttle away back into the tall grass.

She tried, but Orion’s magic had a firm hold around her waist as he waited for the big sister to arrive. A fact that she quickly realized, much to his surprise, for she glared balefully at him from her slightly hovered form above the ground.

“Sorry, kid. Gotta face the music sometimes.” He chuckled, which only darkened the little foal's countenance. “She couldn't be much older than what? Two?”

The grin only grew wider as Applejack burst from around the house, her hooves pounding away only to skid, much like her little sister, to a stop before him. Her mouth dropped open.

“Orion?” She asked slowly, wonderingly.

“Naw. I'm Billy Idol, famous singer. This yours?” He levitated poor Applebloom up to eye level with the mare. That didn't get much of a reaction, as she simply stared at him. Much to the kid's outrage, he shook the filly, and she bared her teeth at him. “Have you been keeping this one in the barn? She's kinda feral…”

He had seen it coming a mile away. The moment the lips quivered into a smile, the mare before him launched herself at him, tackling him to the ground. Thankfully, they managed to fall on the grass rather than the hard-packed dirt trail.

Through it all, he maintained a firm magical grip on the little filly, who was now looking at the pair of them oddly as she dangled a few feet off the ground.

“‘rion, ya big dumb galoot! Where ya been!? I done did send a couple of letters. Ya never did answer ‘em!” her words came out of a rush, and he chuckled a little as he pried her off of himself.

“Been out of town for a couple of months. I didn't exactly leave a forwarding address. Did your accent get worse?” He laughed as her face quickly screwed up in consternation at his statement.

“I talk jest fine, ‘Rion!” She smacked him. The blow took him by surprise. The sting in his chest from where she hit hurt far more than he had anticipated.

“Okay, ow. The hell, Applebottom! What in the f-” Her hand, surprisingly soft, if a bit callous, wrapped around his snout none too gently.

“No cussin’ around, little Applebloom.” She said sternly, her green eyes boring into his own gray.

“Ah hrap”, he mumbled around her digits. Pushing her hand away, he gave her a sheepish smile. “Sorry, Applejack, I've not been around kids too much lately. Forgot what it was like to curb my tongue.”

“Jest don't you ferget.” Pausing, she eyed him up and down. “Did ya get taller? It's like ya growin’ like a weed.” She looked down, and her eyes widened.

Orion couldn't help but grin.

“Talk about me being a bad example. What about you?” There they sat, kid sister floating in the air, watching curiously as her older sister straddled the colt she had just recently tackled to the ground. Blushing furiously, Applejack leaped off him and stood as prim and proper as she could.

He couldn't help but laugh at her as he stood up and dusted himself off.

“Scandalous.” He chuckled.

“Ya shut up now.” She stated firmly as she adjusted her top. A top that he noticed exposed a fair bit of her toned stomach. Taking stock of his friend, he saw quite a few things that were far and away different than when he had last seen her.

For one thing, she was nearly as tall as him, which was an accomplishment in itself. Her once free-flowing mane had become long and done up in a loose ponytail braid that cascaded down her right shoulder in shades of yellow and champagne.

Gone were the overalls that seemed to have been a permanent fixture of the country pony. In their places was a pair of somewhat modest daisy dukes. He couldn’t see much of her tail from his current position, but like the mane on her head, it was also given a loose braid.

The flannel shirt remained, though now it had been roiled up and knotted to one side, exposing her entire stomach to the world.

“Wut?” She asked, eyes narrowing at his scrutiny.

“Nothing…just…hmm, ah. New look?” Hey gestured at her. “Didn't think Ma Pear would let ya outta the house like this.”

Primly, in a much too similar way to what Rarity might have done, she lifted her snout at him.

“I'ma grown mare, ‘Rion. I ken dress how I like.” She fidgeted with her shorts a bit, suddenly self-conscious in front of him. “Does it look…good?”

It was nearly like looking at the pony version of Grace. She was all hard muscle and gentle curves, though the hen carried the bigger chest. Applejack made up for it with her wider hips.

“Uh, yeah.” He nodded, suddenly nervous himself. “You…ah. Look just fine.”

“What are they feeding their children?!”

The farm mare smiled demurely and cast her gaze down.

“Ah, crap. I can't deal with this again.”

Applebloom’s struggles renewed, much to his joy at having a distraction, and she frantically spun her arms and legs, trying to free herself.

AJ and he looked at her, and the elder sister was the first to laugh. “Hay, she looks so mad she could bite iron and make nails.” Orion’s own chuckles joined her.

“So what,” he snorted, “what had you chasing her little…tail? Yeah, that, all over the yard?”

“Bath time. She don't wanna go.” She fixed her little sister with a baleful glare. “Been chasin’ her for a good half-hour ‘efor you showed up.”

“Yep, that accent you got definitely got worse.” He smiled. “What is she? Two?

“Just over one now. Mama had her in the spring jest last year, after all. May, actually.” She slugged him in the arm. “And I talk jest fine.”

Rubbing his arm, he otherwise ignored her. “Spring? That's a bit late, isn't it?” He did the mental math for a moment. “How on God's green earth did your mom get knocked up in June?”

“‘rion, language.” She admonished. “Sometimes mares jest do that. No rhyme or reason to it.” She shrugged, offering no more to the topic.

“Huh.” Was his intelligent reply.

“So, not that I'm not awful happy to see ya. But what brings ya out and down our way?” She plucked the squirming Applebloom out of the air and out of his magical grasp and gestured for him to follow her inside.

Sitting at the table with a plate of two slices of apple pie in front of him, he regaled the Apple Family with carefully edited versions of his vacation in Griffonia.

“Sounds like Rarity would have enjoyed that there fancy srowey.” Pear Butter said, reaching over to pick up her husband's plate. The stallion had devoured his half of a pie like he was breathing.

Orion winced at her terrible pronunciation of soiree but nodded in good nature. “Yeah, more than likely.”

“I still can't believe ya know royalty,” Granny grumbled, giving him the side eye.

“Come to think of it, her and AJ haven't really been laughing too much. What gives?”

It had been like that all through dinner. While the whole family had been laughing and giving him good-natured ribbing at his social faux pas, those two eyed him critically. As if they knew a good deal of what he was saying was altered truths.

The way their mouths would thin gave a good indication that at least those two weren't buying his Arizonian swamp land.

“Yeah. Me either.” He nodded. “But then again, I somehow know Celestia, and now some love-struck puppy named Roderick in Neighbon. He's like…the head of the merchant council’s eldest son, I think.” Honestly, he didn't quite remember. “Guy was such a pain in the…uh…yeah.” He stumbled, AJ glaring daggers at him.

“Look at yew, making friends in high places!” Pear said proudly. Giving him something that raised the hair on the back of his neck up.

Appraisal.

“Oh…shit.” First Grace, and now AJ and her mom.

“What I’d like ta know is why ya went up there to begin with.” Bright Mac had taken a largely passive role in the questioning, leaving most of the work to his wife, daughter, and mother. Big Mac just stared on in stoic silence at him.

“She had been inviting me up for years. With nothing to do, I figured, why not? And hopped on a train northward.” He replied back.

Pear’s appraising gays narrowed a bit. “Why she want ya up there so bad?”

“I…uh…” He hesitated.

“‘rion.” Applejack didn't even need to ask a question.

“Ah, shit.” He mumbled, thankful that little Applebloom had already been washed, dressed, and put down for bed. The Apples did not care for swearing, but as long as the little filly was not around, they didn't see the point in constantly correcting him.

“Now, see here, young colt. Ya gone been given a question. Answer it, ya hear?” Granny chimed in.

Orion looked to Bright and Big Mac, both of which took on an amused look and kept their lips firmly closed.

“No help, you two are.” He muttered sourly.

“‘rion!”

“Fine! She wanted to marry me. Ya, happy?” He spat. Annoyed at being backed into a corner like this.

Applejack sat stunned, her half-eaten pie forgotten. Her mother didn't fare any better.

Granny Smith was the only one of the three to nod.

“I thought as much.” Both daughter and granddaughter spun to stare at her. “Wut. He's a ‘andsome young stallion, and no mare, hen, wutever, would pass up on that.” She chuckled. “She tried ta woo him.” Turning away from her kin, she gave him, well, he wasn't too sure what the look was, but smug was definitely a part of it. “I take it, 'cause yer here and all, ya said no.”

“Yeah, no way in hell I was going to sign up for a lifetime of nobility. No, thank you.”

“But she has all that money,” AJ whispered.

“Mmmhmm, and all the problems that go with it.”

Pear dried off the last dish, and placed in the wire rack near the sink. Dinner had been good. The company had been better. Mostly.

She couldn't help but notice that her daughter and her mother-in-law had been more prickly with their questions than they had the right to be. Certain parts of Orion's tale had gotten more scrutiny than she thought was appropriate.

But then again…

She paused, placing the towel down on the counter.

“Now that I think of it. His story did get a little thin ‘round time he started wandering the countryside with that noble.” Pear Butter paced around the table, her hands subconsciously straightening chairs and the cloth itself as she mulled over what he had said.

Right up to Neighbon he spoke of meeting villagers but did not give enough details about what all he did there. Some of the names of towns sounded made up. But it was Griffon society; what did she know?

“It's all so confusin’.” She muttered.

“I's thinkin’ the same thing,” Granny said from behind her, startling the poor mare. “I swear, ya always were jumpier than a spider on a tin roof.”

“Granny, ya can't jest go an sneak up on a pony like that.”

“Not muh fault ya not payin’ attention.” She laughed at her. “Ya noticed it too, then? Colt was lying about sum parts.”

Hand to her chest, Pear nodded to the elder mare. Her glare washed off the other like rain on a stone.

“Yes. I don't think Orion was all that truthful.” She jabbed a finger at her mother-in-law. “But that didn't mean ya had ta go an’ grill him like that.”

“I know.” Granny groused. “But I don't like lyin’ or ponies much who do.” Shaking her head, the old mare pulled out a chair, sat down, and gestured for her to do the same. “That bein’ said, I don't think the colt would be lyin’ if he didn't think it important enough. What I can't figure out is why tell anythin’ at all. Felt like…” she snapped her fingers, “Like one Rarity's dress rehearsal things she's always carrying on about. Like he's practicing wut to say.”

Pear nodded slowly. Now that she was considering it, that's exactly what it felt like. Orion seemed almost manic in the way he bounced from one topic to the next. Connecting the story over a lot of back and forth.

“It's…his business, Granny.” She said after a bit of quiet between the mares. “A stallion has their secrets to keep, after all.”

“I know. Jest don't like it none. Feels like he's scared or-”

“Ma? Hun?” Bright Mac had certainly inherited his mother's silent stalking. Pear Butter practically jumped out of her chair.

She glared at him, satisfied to see that the effect was much greater on him than on his aging mother.

“Wut is it, colt?”

“I, uh, jest wanted to say. Orion’s not in his room. He's on the back porch. Jest…staring at the forest out there.”

Immediately, alarm bells went off inside her head, and she jumped to her hooves. The last time the pony had been watching the forest, Timberwolves had come onto the property and tried to eat him and little Winona.

“Not Timbers again, is it?” Granny spoke up quickly.

“Nah, I don't think so. He's jest, sittin’ there. Doin’ nothin’.”

Both mares turned and looked at each other. The old matriarch nodded, and as one, they rose from their chairs, tucked them in, and proceeded outside to the back porch. Bright Mac trailed behind.

Orion Falls sat on an old rocking chair, not using it for its intended use. His back was to them, and he seemed almost to become part of the furniture, so still was he.

Stepping up, Granny placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him.

“Colt, wut ya doin’ up so late. Ya should…”

Orion turned to look at her, blinked slowly, and then began vigorously scrubbing his face. Pear had spotted tears in the firelight of the porch light fixtures.

“The colt's crying?”

“I, ah, shit. Sorry Granny. Just sitting here thinking. Can't really-” Granny Smith pulled the black pony into a hug before anypony realized she had moved. Halting his words. More tears trickled down his face.

“It's okay, Orion.” She said softly. Pear joined them, sweeping around the other side to embrace him, boxing him in between both mares.

“I…”

“It's okay.” She repeated her mother-in-law. “You're okay.” She spoke softly.

Something had happened up in Griffonia. Something this pony was refusing to talk about. Yet, that didn't matter much to her, and she suspected not much to Granny either. A colt was crying, and they had to help him if they could do nothing else for him.

It started slow. A little shuddering as he tried to say something. Then, his voice broke, and a quiet sob wracked his body. Then another, and another.

Before long, he had buried his face into the crook of Granny's neck and began to bawl. Pear gave her husband a brief look, and he nodded and backed away. There would be time for his own advice and comfort later.

As the door silently closed, Orion Falls allowed the floodgates to open and poured his heart out into the rapidly dampening shoulder of Granny Smith Apple.

Sniffling, the young stallion blew his nose into the handkerchief she had provided.

“Sumthin’ really bad musta happened up there.” It had taken him over an hour to calm down. He had clutched at her as if she was the last standing tree in a forest of winds. All the while, he soaked her shirt and the fur underneath as he tried in vain to stop. Tried to fight what was natural. Sometimes, a good cry was all a pony could do in a situation like this. Needed to.

And Orion most certainly needed to.

“I…I'm sorry.” He mumbled, his voice thick with mucus and a rawness that only came like this. “I don't know what came-”

“Now, I'm gunna stop ya right there, Colt.” She said kindly. “I'm not sure why ya lyin’ or feel like ya need ta. But ya don't hafta explain ta nopony yew don't wanna.”

He was quite a moment. Then he chuckled. “Shit. I need to get better than that.”

“No, ya don't.” Granny admonished. The fact that he thought he needed to was alarming, to say the least.

“Kinda do, actually.” He muttered.

“What really happened up there, Orion?” Pear spoke up. She had taken up sitting behind him, her hand rubbing his back gently.

“She makes a fine Apple. Jest wish her daddy could come ‘round.”

“I…I can't tell you.” He said after some hesitation.

“Can't? Or won't.”

“Both.” He shook his head. “No one can really know.” He looked at her, and she knew.

Somepony had died up there. Somepony that had grown real close to him. His eyes, bloodshot and wide, spoke of something tragic. And he blamed himself.

Granny knew it, for it was the same look she saw in her husband's eye when his cousin turned up dead in his home. The poor mare had hung herself after being jilted by a herd that had led her on a merry little chase. He had a chance to see her and hadn't taken it. Three days later, she was found dead, swinging from the tree out behind her home. Cider blamed himself.

However, she couldn't quite be sure, yet she believed Orion’s situation might actually be worse than her late husband’s. There was a sorrow that did not come from neglect but from failure.

“Orion. Now, I don't mean to pry-”

“But you're going to.” He interrupted, giving her a small grin.

“Yes. I am.” She poked him, more happy to see some of his spirit returning than irritated at his cheekiness. “Somepony died up there. And ya blame yerself, don't ya?”

He gaped at her, and Pear stiffened up. “Gonna hafta work on that mare's intuition.”

“How in the absolute fuck, do you know that?!” She smacked him.

“Language, colt.” She scowled. “I know that, ‘cause my dear sweet Cider had that same look in his eyes. ‘efore you were an itch in yer momma's stomach.” Her face softened. “Wut happened, Orion?”

For a moment, he sat there, either too stunned to speak or looking for the right words. Finally, and much to her disappointment, he shook his head. Slowly at first, then more vigorously.

“I can't tell you, Granny.” He said. “It's not that I don't think you would spill to someone else or anything, but that you shouldn't know. No one should.” His eyes drifted to the floor. “At least, not for a long time yet.”

She tried to fix him with her trademark glare. But this colt had made a soft spot in her heart, and she understood that she wouldn't get much out of him now. Cider also did the same thing. Felt he had to protect her from his worries and fears, and Orion was doing the same thing.

Perhaps that's why she found it so difficult to be hard on the poor pony. He was much like Apple Cider.

“Okay.” She patted him on the shoulder gently. “I don't much like it. But I understand it.” Pulling at his arm, she started leading him back into the house. “Let's get ya to bed. All that musta tuckered you out.”

Orion lifted the end of the wooden shafts in both hands and pulled, Surprised at how easily the whole cart moved under his efforts. The last time he did this, AJ had spent most of the afternoon mocking him for struggling with twenty baskets. Now, he was pulling twice that and hardly feeling tired.

“Heh, Granny was right.”

The morning after his meltdown and subsequent allowance to sleep in, the elderly mare informed him that if he couldn't talk about it, He had to work through it.

She meant that in its literal sense, as he had been set to help pull in the first crop of apples that reopened faster than the rest. Over the past few days, he had gone on autopilot, allowing his body to follow directions while he worked through his feelings.

Those feelings had been complicated and heartbreaking, and spending a couple of evenings crying in bed had not exactly been what he wanted his closing days of freedom to be.

Yet, it was working. He still felt partially responsible for the events that happened in Aviary. Mostly, the death of Gilda still weighed heavily on his heart.

But he couldn't deny that she had made the decision to put her life after his own. Her duty was to her liege lady. Instead, she had chosen to fight for him, and while that may have seemed foolish, she had made her decision. He was denying her agency to beat himself over what ifs and could have been.

Gilda Broadwing had determined that his life was worth preserving. If that was for food or ill, no one could tell yet.

The same could be said of everyone who died that night. It was their decisions that placed them there long before his sorry ass ever set hoof in Griffonia.

It still hurt, but not as terrible as it had been.

Orion had also taken the time to think up a better tale to tell. He needed something a bit more concise than that half-assed nonsense he had spewed at the Apples. Granny and AJ had both seen right through it and if they could pick that story apart, Celestia could do it blindfolded.

What he came up with was far more true than before. Keeping to the whole of the journey, yet avoiding the controversial points such as the attack on Aviary or the encounter with the Iron Dogs. Instead, he claimed that they had visited numerous little towns and hamlets throughout Grace's territory. Acting clueless about political currents was the best thing for him. If he claimed that they toured her family's land, he could dispel knowledge of the fact that she did not actually own most of it just yet.

“Plus, if I act outraged at the fact that no one told me she had been royalty, that should further remove suspicion from me of any culpability.”

Even the Griffons were getting all weird toward the end. He had felt the thrum that the others talked about. But he was just as confused as they were. It was perfect. Or at least he hoped.

“It's time to go, I guess.” Part, a big part, of his decision to divert here had been solved. He had been unable to handle the trauma and would have likely broken down in front of Celestia in the process. That would have cooked his proverbial goose for sure. Now, he was confident he could handle such a meeting.

“And all it took was a few days of back-breaking labor to do it.”

“Dang, ‘Rion. Ya gotten pretty strong, ain't ya?”AJ said, coming up next to him with her own cart. Of course, it was loaded down with more than he had on his own.

“Compared to you? I might as well be pulling a little wagon.” He snorted back.

“Ya. But yew gettin’ there.” She reached over with one hand, not slowing down at all, and slapped him on the back. “Another month of this, and I'd say ya ken do a whole field yerself.”

“Ah, huh. No. I think three days is enough.” His laughter was cut short by the sad look that blossomed on her face.

“Ya leavin’ already?” She asked, coming to a complete stop and forcing him to follow suit.

“Applebottom, I've been away for two months. And school is starting up soon. I've gotta get back, or I'm gonna get into some deep-” His eyes darted around, looking for a familiar red bow. “In deep shit. I don't need that.”

“I know. Jest wish…wishin’ ya could stay a little longer, is all.” Her hoof kicked a loose stone off the dirt path they had been following. “I…we don't get to see ya much.”

Orion felt bad. It was bad that he had been neglecting his friends in Ponyville. Bad that he barely made time to write letters to her.

There had been no excuse for that. The spell he had been working on printed his words onto the page neatly and in an orderly way, just like a text message.

“Come to think of it, why didn't I do that for Celestia’s letter? She's probably annoyed by that chicken scratch I had sent her earlier.”

Speaking of the Sun Horse, she had obviously accepted his proposal, as soldiers had not kicked in the Apples’ door in the middle of the night. That was a good thing in his book. It meant she wasn't quite done with his bullshit just yet.

“I'm sorry, AJ. It's hard to balance my life out. Especially with all the studying I've had to do. Did you know I had a class last year that spent half the semester focusing on aqueducts and their make? A history class doubling as a construction course.” He chuckled. “We even had to make our own models of those things as a final grade.”

The number of terrible designs had been eye-opening, and they reminded him that not everyone had a broad range of knowledge about common-sense practices within certain fields.

“All walks of life, I guess. Not everyone is going to be passable at everything.”

“That sounds boring. Whatcha get?” She asked.

“Perfect score. Hundred out of a hundred.” He chuckled. “Some got a little upset, till the teacher reminded them that it might be my mark at play.” His chuckles turned into full-blown laughter. “They're wrong, but I ain't saying shit about it.”

AJ’s ears perked up. “What is your cutiemark, Orion?”

“Oh.” He paused, considering. “Heh. I don't actually have one.”

His friend stared at him blankly.

“Ya don't…have one?”

Smirking, he grabbed the top of his pants and pulled down enough to reveal his butt cheek.

“Nope. No mark has ever graced these cheeks.” He laughed as she tried to hide behind her hands and look at the same time.

“‘Rion!”

“Alright, alright.” He giggled, tugging his pants up. “Prude.”

“I ain't a prude. I jest don't think ya should be showin’ off your flanks to everypony.” Pausing to collect herself, her face changed from annoyed to worried. “Ain't ya bothered by that? Not having a cutiemark?”

He opened his mouth, then shut it. Was he bothered by that? Not having a mark by this time was considered wrong. Rumors abound about stallions and mares not having yet discovered their destiny.

“No.” He said slowly, working through it. “I've not even thought of cared about it if I get one, yay. If not, oh well.” He shrugged. “My life shouldn't be determined merely on some magical voodoo mark like that. If anything…I'm freer than most.”

“How ya figure?”

“Well, for one, I'm not plagued with it.” Recalling a few fillies in his class, he was reminded how relieved they were by their acquisition of talents. It wasn't that he believed it pathetic, but that he found it sad so much of their lives were wrapped in acquiring and performing their mysterious destinies. “I don't need a cutiemark, terrible name bee tee dubs, to make me, well, me.”

“I suppose…” she said unconvincingly. “But ain't ya even a little bit curious as ta what ya good at?” Grabbing the shafts of her cart, Applejack lifted and began pulling her cart.

Grabbing his own, he worked to join her.

“Naw. Would it be cool? Possibly. But I just don't see the point in getting bent out of shape over it.” He smirked. “Hell, I could be good at anything at this point. I am undetermined. My potential is unlimited.” He snickered.

“Okay, “Mr. Unbound”.” Snorted at her friend.

They plodded along in silence for a while, the wheel carts squeaking slightly, but otherwise, the silence of the afternoon took hold.

“When ya plannin’ on leavin’?” She asked quietly.

“Probably tomorrow morning. Oh, you'll make sure Rare’s gets her gift?”

“Eyup.” She responded, and both snickered at the use of her brother's famous response. “Shame she couldn't be here.”

“Eh, she's trying to get her business up and running. Going to Manehattan for that competition will net her some valuable connections regardless if she wins or not.” He had only wished the Young Tailor's competition would have started in the fall. He was certain those bolts of cloth he lugged down from Neighbon would have helped her immensely. “This was important. Let her do her thing.”

“I know, but she gonna be right sore she missed ya.” Pulling up to the barn, he dropped his cart and helped push hers the rest of the way in so they could begin unloading.

“Oh, speaking of gifts, do you like yours?” He asked, suspecting he knew the answer.

“I do, ‘rion. But I'ma curious. How in tarnation did they make black apples?” Judging by how she snatched the pouch of seeds from him and tore off to their greenhouse, he knew she was excited, but her question made him wonder.

“Not really sure. Never ate one myself, though the seller said it had something to do with the soil and the elevation they were planted in. I think.” He wasn't really listening when he inquired, more thinking about what they might taste like. “How long before they begin producing fruit?”

“Not rightly sure on that.” She pondered, lifting a pair of baskets filled to the brim with bright yellow apples. “But I know they likely gunna be in that greenery for a least a few years before we can plant ‘em in the field.” She chuckled. “And we gots to do some testing and such to make sure they can grow here.”

Orion felt his ears deflate a little. “Sorry, should have thought of a more-”

“Nothing to apologize fer, ‘rion. I love ‘em. And I love the challenge of makin' it work. Ya couldn't have picked better for little old me.” She gave him a beautiful smile. “Now Rares? She's gonna love yer gift. So don't ya worry none about that.”

“Okay.” Lifting the last basket from her cart and handing it to her, he picked up the handles and wheeled away her trolley while she brought in the other one.

“Ya gunna disappear in the mornin’, or at least stay for breakfast?” His stomach grumbled at him. “I think yer belly wants that breakfast.” She chuckled.

“Yeah, and that dinner.” He laughed with her.

“Well, we hate ya see ya go, Colt. But we're happy ya stopped on by.” Bright Mac roughly clapped him on the shoulder as the whole Apple Family stood on the train platform. Already, the passengers were boarding in haste, even though they wouldn't be getting underway for at least another half hour.

“Yeah, sorry I made this mess of just stopping and leaving. You guys don't deserve that.” He smiled.

“Ain't nothin’ to be sorry fer, ‘rion.” Big Mac boomed. This was his first time speaking to him since his last visit. The big stallion had always been a man of few words, and they seemed to have gotten even fewer since.

“Damn, bro. Did you go through a second puberty?”

“Orion!” Applejack snapped, gesturing at the sleeping form of Applebloom in her arms. “Language!” She hissed.

“Ah, she's asleep. She'll be fine.” He giggled, petting the little filly's soft mane for a bit.

“Well, ya just take care of yerself, ya hear?” Granny responded, waving the newly acquired cane in his direction. “I don't wanna hear nothin’ of no trouble when ya get back up amongst them fancy ponies.”

“No promises, Granny.” He grinned insufferably, and the old mare scowled good-naturedly.

Pear stepped forward and pulled him into a hug.

“Yew be good now. As Granny says, we don't wanna hear of no trouble.”

Letting go, he hoisted his things in his magic, which is now a lot lighter thanks to leaving his gifts behind. Mostly Rarity's.

“I'll be fine. Just going to get yelled at by the angry sun monarch is all.” As one, the whole family winced at that, and a couple of passengers circumventing the group looked at him all wide-eyed. Whispering to each other as they passed into the train cabin. “Oh boy, that's gonna be fun to deal with.”

“Yer own fault for being so loose with them lips of yers.” Granny admonished. “Now ya get going. We got some apples to load and a farm to be gettin' back to.”

One more round of hugs, and he was soon settling himself back into the familiar stiff seats of the train.

Orion sighed heavily. Watching with a bit of shame as the family got to work loading one of the boxcars with the produce they had hauled along with them. He could have at least helped, considering all they had done for him yet again.

Sitting back, the black pony thought about his life, how he had gotten to that moment, and the conversations he had with the family.

He couldn't see a therapist and couldn't really talk to anyone about what had happened. But good ol’ hard work and a friendly voice did wonders for his psyche.

While he did not think he was guilt-free in the events in Griffonia, he felt better knowing that his wasn't the only decision that put him there.

“Now. I gotta refine my lies if I'm going to get past Celestia. No problem, right?”