Two Hats n' One Heart

Day 1825

Cass leans back from the tree, wiping his brow. Rolling his shoulders, he glances up at the sky. 'Bout... midday. Good time for a lunch break.

Wiping his face of sweat, he glances down the lane of Orchards. Apple Blooms gotten bigger -- and she'd gotten her cutie mark, along with her friends. They'd turned that treehouse of theirs into a proper little base, though they spent most of the time roaming town.

Big Mac, apparently a big fan of slow burn, had been fostering a slow relationship with Cherilee, Apple Blooms old teacher. She comes over now and then for dinner. Cass liked to think he softened the family up a little bit for outsiders; apparently, they were talking about making things a little more permanent, and on whether that meant Big Mac'd live with her, or she'd move onto the Acres, where they'd build another homestead. Think she was due to come by tonight, actually.

Back towards the Apples main house, Granny Smith, ever the stout despite her age, enjoys the sun of the porch. Cass didn't know how long Ponies lived for, but it felt like she'd outlive them all. Winona lay curled around the bottom of her chair, asleep.

Beside her, the eye-catching blonde mane and orange fur of his pregnant wife sat; AJ showing their little filly how to tie a proper knot. Still wasn't quite sure how that all worked out, but, according to Twilight, "Magic". Not that Cass would ever complain. Through mishap, he'd found what he'd been searching for all this time. Even if it did come a little more... pastel, then he was expecting.

With a content sigh, Cass takes up the wagon, trudging back towards the house. As he nears, AJ perks up, smiling at him with that same smile that stole his heart those years ago -- his filly, perking up at AJ pointing him out, promptly launched from the patio towards him, as he crouches down to meet her.