The crystalline water of the lake you had knelt in front promised to be a welcomed relief, even if your thoughts refused to let you get too comfortable in that notion. The frustrated groan that escaped you was just one of many as you tried to quiet your mind and splashed a bit of water on your face, spreading some of it down the back of your neck. The coolness of it was indeed welcomed and you immediately submerged your hands into the water again. You kept repeating the same actions until you could no longer see the water tint red as your hands were cleansed by it.

Everything had gone so wrong, so horribly wrong. Bells should have gone off when you had been surrounded in Ponyville, especially after you heard Caramel scream.

But no, instead you had chosen to ignore the signs, to mark them off as another one of Ponyville’s little weekly disaster quirks. And as a result, you were certain you had managed to mess everything up with the mare you had begun to care for.

It had been bad enough for the past two months or so, having to deal with your own emotions about her and your uncertainties. But now, when it seemed like a candle of hope had been lit, you couldn’t be curtain if it stemmed from her heart, or the influx of hormones brought on by the heat.

Her actions had spoken volumes about her intentions. But because of the heat, you couldn’t be certain of the honesty in her words, and perhaps, that’s what hurt you the most as you kept thinking back to what she had said in the barn.

She had sounded sincere, her voice charged with emotion as it became tinged with the same hope you had felt in those brief seconds. But she had also sounded pained, forced... as if her voice had not been her own.

She had acted crazy and aggressive… chasing you down like a predator does it’s pray. And yet, she had acted and sounded concerned when she injured you.

Trying to unravel the events that had taken place only about an hour ago simply made your head hurt more, and you submerged your hands again to splash some more water on your face and neck. A wayward finger grazed your cut, and you let out a pained grunt.

“OW!!”

It was a small cut, that much you had been able to find out.

“Oh wow that hurt like hell!”

Although that sure didn’t stop the pain from being any less… painful.

You repeated the action a few more times. Splashing water on your face, not poking your cut, you weren’t a masochist after all. And on that note, you knew you needed to make yourself scarce if you wanted to survive this long enough to figure out what to do.

So, slowly standing back up and taking a few quick glances around, you quickly spotted a small shed a bit away from you on the shore line.

“Yeah, you know what… given all that’s happened, walking into a scary looking shed to hide ACTUALY seems like a decent idea for once.”

Famous last words, right? Your mind commented right before you set it free to wonder and you slowly began to make your way to the shed. Things had been so much simpler so long ago…

Well, as relatively simple as it could get once you take into account waking up on a different world.

________

Your first day at Sweet Apple Acres had been a rather eventful day, and very tiring as well.

You had spent a good part of the day getting to know your hosts, the Apple Family. In the afternoon, right after Twilight dropped you off, you spent most of that time in their modest, yet by no means small, living room making light conversation with them. Most of the questions though came from the smaller member of the family, the small filly with a pink bow named Applebloom. The rest of the family though, perhaps knowing all too well how inquisitive Twilight had been, seemed content to instead let you acclimate and keep their questions to a minimum and the most basic.

During this time, Applejack mentioned that a friend of hers, Rarity, had stopped by to drop off a gift for you, but was unable to stay due to a busy schedule. To say the least, you were a bit surprised. But you were even more surprised to find out the gift was a change of clothes. You could only assume Twilight had something to do with it, seeing as one of her questions pertained to your clothes, and you had been wearing your pajamas since you arrived.

Apparently Rarity had also left instructions for you to try them on immediately to see if they fit. And, as you put them on and walked back out to the living room, you couldn’t help but think Twilight had something to do with the measurements too. She had been very thorough and exact about measuring you while she ran tests on you.

“So, how they fit sugahcube?” Applejack asked you as you gave an experimental bend and twist of your arms and legs.

“Um, from the waist down, they’re a bit tight, kind of like Yosemite Sam pants… but they’re surprisingly comfortable.”

At the blank stares you got, you figured it would be for the best not to make any more Looney Tunes references.

“Um, right… well, you just make sure to tell Rarity and she’ll more than gladly, um, fix’em for ya sugahcube.”

After that, Applejack offered to give you a tour of Sweet Apple Acres, and you graciously accepted. Throughout the whole tour though, you had not been able to shake off the shock of finding out that only her and her brother worked the fields. At your comment though, she simply smiled and told you that she didn’t mind as long as it was for her family. You couldn’t help but find that sort of honesty and dedication refreshing.

By the time you got back from the tour, it was already well into the evening, just as the sun was almost done setting and its last rays of light still managed to lash out at the sky in hues of oranges, purples, and reds. She was leading you towards the barn, your new home for the time being till something more permanent could be arranged. That was when the craziest of ideas decided to pop into your head.

“So like ah said, Applebloom n’Big Mac fixed up a small area for ya’up them stairs, so sleep in as late as ya’want sugahcube.” She told you with a smile as she opened the barn door for you.

You took one step forward and stopped as you looked at her, and then looked back at the field of apple trees.

“Miss Applejack?”

“Oh no need to be so formal sugahcube, you can just call me Applejack.”

You turned back to look at her, and was greeted by her genuine smile. That was all it took to cement your crazy idea, and you smiled in return.

“You and your family have been kind enough to offer your home to me. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay you for this… Actually, I’m not even sure how the currency works here but- ”

“Nah, think nothing of it sugahcube.” Applejack cut you off with a dismissive hoof, seeming to sense where you were going with this. “Figured after what ya been through, you could use some hospitality.”

“Yes, but this is not nothing for me…” You said as you looked into her eyes and continued to smile. It was the first time you noticed their color, an emerald green. “I’m truly grateful for it… and that’s why I want to ask you to let me help on your farm while I’m here.”

Applejack opened her mouth to say something, but something stopped her as she kept looking at you. After a second or two, she simply smiled again and nodded her head.

“Alright, if ya sure then, you should hit the hay right away cause ah’m gonna need you to be up bright’n early sugahcube.”

“You can count on me Applejack!” You said with a self-sure smile as you walked into the barn and winked at her.

“Good to hear sugahcube!” She responded with a smile of her own, the same warm smile from earlier that day.

“Goodnight Applejack.”

“Goodnight sugahcube.”

You were so sure of your decision when you said your goodnights, and now, as you slowly stirred awake as the morning light of the sun greeted you through a window in the barn, you couldn’t help but question your decision to go through with such a crazy idea. It was early in the morning, far earlier than what you were used to waking up at. You assumed that was only natural though, seeing as last night you had gone to sleep at a far earlier time as well.

Still, you quickly made your way out of bed, got dressed, and walked out of the barn. To your surprise, Applejack was already outside waiting for you.

“Morning Applejack!” You called out as you approached her.

“Morning …” She called out your name as she noticed you and smiled politely.

“Thought I’d have to come and wake ya… Come on, everypony’s already sat down for breakfast.” She turned around and headed back the way she came, that polite smile not leaving her lips. For some reason though, that smile made you feel like you had done something wrong, so you immediately followed her back to the main house.

Once inside though, it didn’t take long for you to figure what that was.

Everyone had already finished eating breakfast.

“See ya after school sis!”

You moved off to the side next to the door to let the little filly rush on by. Applejack immediately took up the empty space next to you and called out to her.

“Applebloom! Where did Big Mac go?”

“He went on out to the east field already!”

“Ah ponyfeathers…” You heard her say before she suddenly remembered you were there and looked a bit ashamed. “Heh, sorry, he was supposed to take you on out with him so you could help.”

“Oh… I’m so sorry Applejack, I mean, Miss Applejack. I didn’t think I woke up that late.” You weren’t entirely sure why you felt the need to change how you addressed her, but something inside told you to.

“Nah, don’t worry about it...” She said your name again. “Go on and have breakfast. I’ll take ya to him once you’re done.”

And there it was, that polite smile again, the same one you had seen just outside of the barn. That sensation that you had done something wrong came back in full swing. And it was only reinforced by the fact that she had not corrected you on how you addressed her and how she now began to call you by your name. You were pretty sure that right there outside the barn, was the first time she had used it since you introduced yourself to her the day before.

“Um, it’s okay Miss Applejack… I, uh, usually don’t eat this early in the morning. I can go catch up to him.” You said with a forced grin hoping your stomach didn’t betray you.

Applejack simply looked at you as if you had grown a second head which, granted you were a new species to her, she might have actually thought that a possibility.

“Are ya sure about that? Granny Smith made quite a spread.”

“That depends… does the sun still rise to the east?”

“Um… yeah?”

“And is east still opposite to west?”

Applejack simply nodded, and raised an eyebrow, not sure what to make of your odd line of questioning.

“Oh good then, our planets aren’t that’ different, I know which way to head and I know which way to head back so I can have some of Granny Smith’s delicious food after work.” You said as you stepped back out the door and began to walk away.

As you heard the door closed behind you though, your pace immediately quickened and the sensation that you were somehow all too far out on thin ice became all too present on your mind.

___________

Lucky for you, the walk out to the eastern field was relatively quick, and you soon found Big Macintosh strapped to a plow and getting ready to pull it.

“Need some help with that?” You called out as you approach the field. Big Macintosh stopped what he was about to do and looked back at you.

“Well howdy! Thought you were sleeping in today, so figured I’d head on out.”

“Yeah, um…” You walked out to him as you rubbed the back of your neck. “Not on purpose though… Sorry Mister Big Macintosh.”

The giant work horse just paused and looked at you before he let a healthy chuckle.

“Applejack told me ya were a bit formal, but you can just call me Big Macintosh, or Big Mac. Ah reckon same goes for Applejack too. She ain’t too big on all them formalities and what not anyways.”

“Alright Big Macintosh, I’ll keep that in mind…” You said with a forced smile as you tried not to think about what it meant that Applejack hadn’t corrected you on the way you addressed her then. Good thing though you eventually noticed Big Macintosh staring at you before you got too lost in your thoughts.

“So… how can I help?”

“Well…” Big Macintosh muttered more to himself than to you as he looked at you from head to toe. “Ya can help me plow this here field to start.”

“Plow?”

“Eeeyup!”

The word rolled around a few more times on your tongue as you looked at the plow Big Macintosh was hitched to. Twilight had told you about Equestrian technology when you told her about your own, but you never imagined it’d be this far behind. You were starting to feel awkward about just staring, so you decided to give it a shot.

You moved to the side, took your position behind the plow and took a hold of the reigns that hitched Big Macintosh to the plow.

The silence was awkward and palatable as you looked at Big Macintosh, and he looked at you with a raised eyebrow.

“Umm…” You looked at the reigns in your hands and gave them a light shake as you looked back at the red pony on the other end.

“Hiya?”

Big Macintosh just blinked at you and then looked at the reigns in your hands.

“What are yah doing?”

“Apparently…” Your mind ran, trying to figure out what you were doing wrong. You were pretty sure you were doing just like you’d seen other… people… do… You gave yourself a mental slap as you realized your mistake.

“I have no idea.”

“Right… say, why don’t ya go and hitch yah’self to that other plow over there.” You followed the hoof he pointed with and spotted another plow on the other end of the field. “Work your way on over here and we’ll meet in the middle.”

You simply nodded and walked towards the plow, not really sure what you were going to do with it. Besides the obvious though.

How the heck am I supposed to move this thing without a horse or engine? You asked yourself as you looked at the archaic device in front of you. Admittedly, the device didn’t look as heavy as you thought it might be. But then again, it did have a huge metal blade in front meant to rip the ground open, so there was a reasons humans used horses instead of just hitching themselves to the plows.

You walked to the rear of it and gave it an experimental push. Although the plow refused to move, your feet were okay with that notion and they slipped right out from under you. The unceremonious bang of your forehead on your way down against one of the handles made it all too obvious you needed to try something different.

“Ya okay ovah’there?”

“Yeah, no sweat.”

Trying to look as unfazed as possible by what just happened, you stood up and walked to the front of the plow and grabbed the reigns. You fitted your arms through them and set them on your shoulders before you gave them an experimental pull. You immediately felt you had more purchase and brought your body closer to the ground and pulled harder.

“Come one you old piece of…”

Slowly but surely, the plow began to move. At a snail’s pace…

“Ha… hurk… piece of cake! I-I can do this no problem!”

For an hour you worked the field, and there had clearly been a problem.

“Hmm…”

“Eeeyup…”

Big Macintosh stood next to you on the side of the plowed field. Both you and he shared a perplexed expression as you gazed upon the sight in front of you. In an involuntary glance, perhaps the fourth or fifth one, you kind of lost count, you looked at his half of the field and compared it to your half.

His half was finished, plowed as straight as an arrow. In fact, you were pretty sure you could use the lines he made in the dirt to test the quality of a straight-edge ruler. Your side on the other hand though, held one single solitary line.

“Wow… that um, came out really crooked…”

“Eeeyup…”

There was a long pause between the two of you as you tried to figure out what had happened. The plow had shifted to one side while you struggled to pull it, so you shifted opposite to try and correct it. That whole hour you worked your one line had been like that, and the end result was obvious… You were horrible at plowing fields.

“Say um…” Hearing the giant red work horse call your name immediate snapped you out of your thoughts, and focused on him. “Why don’t ya go help Applejack with the apple trees? She aught’a be out in the northern orchard by now.”

You looked at him, and then looked out at your mess of a line, the feeling of disappointment suddenly setting in again.

“You sure you don’t want me to umm, help you straighten that?”

“Nnnope…”

His reply had been quick and simple, and you immediately felt that your conversation with him was done.

You turned around and began making your way to the northern field. That feeling of disappointment only getting stronger as you tried not to think about the extra work load you had given the farm pony. You could only hope that your next task turned out better and that feeling would go away.

_________

That feeling of disappointment had only gotten stronger throughout the day. And now, as you sat on top of a small grassy hill, you were surprised at how little such a beautiful sunset was doing to alleviate it.

Your attempt to help Applejack buck apples had been a disaster as well. Sure, you had been surprised when she told you to actually kick the trees to get the apples down. But you had been even more surprised when you actually did it.

You weren’t all that surprised when you nearly broke your ankle though. Even less surprised when no apples fell down.

Applejack had been concerned at first, but you had insisted that you’d be able to do it. And you did. You plucked every apple you saw and could reach, and put them in the wooden baskets set next to the trees. Unfortunately though, that meant you didn’t get the ones you didn’t see or reach, and Applejack had to follow behind after you had finished 3 rows of trees, kicking them herself to get all the apples off.

Not only had you managed to delay or increase the work on the orchard for Applejack and Big Macintosh in a span of a few hours. But you nearly cost them a cart of apples when you offered to help take it to the barn, and a hill proved too much for you and sent the cart rolling back as you tried to push the cart over it.

You knew too well that you had never felt this disappointed about anything in your life, and you had a pretty good idea why.

Back home, you could do anything you set your mind to.

Here though, you were an over grown hairless monkey trying to do pony things.

You could not be further removed from your element than you were now, and that only brought to bear a thought you had been desperately trying to not focus on since you arrived in Equestria.

You were an alien on an unknown world. Perhaps unable to ever go back home… and you were at the mercy of the creatures that lived here.

And the only one that had openly offered you shelter, you couldn’t even properly repay…

So, as you sat on that small grassy hill looking at a new world, you could do little to prevent the desire to breakdown. Even though you had to admit… this new world you found yourself in had a much prettier sky and sunset.

And, if Twilight Sparkle was to be believed, you’d soon meet its creators, and that at least allowed you to think of something else.

Strange world indeed where actual deities control the heavens…

“Ya know, when Applejack told me you offered to help out, I thought that was mighty fine of yah… Ah have to admit though, you kind of did the opposite of that…” You heard a deep voice come from behind you, and turned around to see Big Macintosh standing there like a stone. You couldn’t help but wonder how a pony that large snuck up on you like that.

You opened your mouth, but didn’t reply, and just kept looking at him.

“I’m not all too sure where you come from… but I figured I should let you know that here, when you promise to help somepony, you do it, you do it right and you do it to the best of your abilities…”

Okay, that remark stung more than a bit.

Yet, no matter how much it did, all you did was let out an annoyed sigh and turned back to look out into the open sky. Your dislike of that comment though, became all too apparent in your voice as you spoke up.

“What would you have me do then? Huh?” You asked in earnest as you let out another deep sigh and closed your eyes to let the events of the day replay again in your mind.

Big Macintosh though, simply remained quiet as he walked up next to you and sat down.

“Yah don’t have to do anything… Applejack offered to let you stay here with us cause she felt sorry about what you were going through. Not cause she wanted you to feel indebted to her.”

You heard him pause, and felt him looking at you, maybe trying to figure out what was going through your mind.

“You can just as well say thank you instead… Ah think most ponies would be happy with just th-”

“No, it’s not that simple…”

You surprised yourself at how easy the reply had come out. You weren’t entirely sure where you were going with this, but decided to let it go, couldn’t be any worse that what you had done all day.

“It’s not enough, she… when I first got here, scared, confused… everyone was running around screaming, me included... I-I doubt anyone here would have even considered doing what she did… Even with Twilight Sparkle saying I was safe, some of the looks I got from the other ponies in town on my way here were… fear, mistrust, dislike, and more fear….”

You and Big Macintosh sat there quietly, perhaps expecting the other to say something, but eventually you found the words you were looking for.

“No, I want to help…”

A smile spread across your face as you turned to look at Big Macintosh. He just kept looking at you as he chewed on his straw.

“Good… cause given what I saw today, weren’t all too sure ya were honest about it…”

Your smile disappeared as he shifted his stalk from one side to the other, and you tried to fix him with a level stare. You were pretty sure you were imitating his stoic expression. To your surprise though, he began to smile.

“But, you sounded mighty honest to me right now though… So mah next question is, what are ya gonna do?”

“Ugh… I don’t know Big Macintosh… is there anything I haven’t messed up yet?”

The deep laugh that followed was, needless to say, not the answer you were expecting.

“Yeah, laugh it up Mr. Ed… maybe I’ll just make it a habit of helping you plow those fields, make sure you never grow crops in a straight line again.” You couldn’t help but laugh at your own hollow threat, and joined the big red work horse until both your laughter and his began to wind down.

“Ah have to admit… neva’have ah seen such a crooked line in mah life.” You both tried to suppress another fit of laughter, and just barely managed.

“I’m serious Big Macintosh, what’s left for me to do?”

“Ah, hehe… ah don’t know, but ah think it’s obvious the way we ponies do things don’t fit you.”

Well there was the understament of the year for sure. There was another moment of silence as you both wracked your brains trying to figure out what you could do.

“Well, ah’m not sure, guess we could teach you or sum’thing… What do humans usually do?”

“Well…” You let out a sigh as you paused for effect. “We conquered our planet and rode around horses for a few centuries. Guess I could try that.”

Big Macintosh just raised an eyebrow and looked at you in disbelief. Judging by all your screw ups throughout the day, you would have been skeptical about that comment too.

“Jokes aside, you’re right Big Macintosh, what can I do? I’m a human, the only one of my species in a world of magical talking horses.”

“Ponies.”

“Really? Hmm, guess you do sound a little hoarse to me…”

Your hands suddenly became the most interesting thing in the world as you tried not to groan for having made such a horrible joke. Oddly enough though, inspiration came to your from the simplest of places.

“Say, got any tools and stuff that needs fixing?

“Big’ol property like this with only Applejack, Granny Smith, Applebloom and me? We got heaps of stuff around that needs a fixing. Tools though are in short supply.”

The big red work horse though, fixed you with a stare that conveyed more than he was willing to admit. You immediately caught on to it and waved a dismissive hand at him.

“Hey, I may be somewhat of a goofball, but I can at least swing a hammer.” You said as you oozed confidence. Big Macintosh wasn’t buying it though, and that just made you want to try harder. Besides…

“I want to at least make it up to Applejack, one way or another… especially after today.”

“Ya know she don’t blame you for today, right?”

Your hands suddenly became interesting again and your eyes wondered over them.

“Look, she understands you were only trying to help, even though she didn’t ask ya to.”

You lost interest in your hands, and instead looked at the looming sky over a dark forest in the distance.

“She was mighty worried about you when ah left to find ya. Told her not to worry, that ya simply got lost on the property and to wait for when you got back.”

“Well then…" You paused as you mulled over what he had just said. "More reason for me to try harder and make it up to her, right?”

Big Macintosh simply shifted his wheat stalk from one end to the other. You supposed that might have been his way of telling you to just do what you felt you needed to do.

“I have to follow through on it Big Macintosh, even if it kills me.”

“Ah suppose ya do, but no need to go that far though. Besides…” He said with a pause that made you look at him. “I’m sure Ms. Sparkle won’t take too kindly to your species going extinct on our farm.”

As you continued to look at the stoic work horse, you could barely detect the hint of a smile trying to take hold. You began to laugh wholeheartedly, and he joined you in it as you turned back and looked at the burning sky.

“You know… I think you and I might become good friends, Big Mac.”

“Heh, then ah guess ah could say you’d be one of a kind.”

Big Macintosh stood up with that smile still on his face and turned to make his way back.

“Ya coming along then? Gonna be dark soon.”

“Nah, I think I’ll watch the sunset on a different planet… Besides, what’s the worst that could happen in a world filled with magic and talking ponies, hmm?”

Big Macintosh simply let out a chuckle and began to walk away.

“Ya might be surprised.”

_________

To say you were surprised when you entered the shed, was perhaps rather inadequate given how much confusion you felt at what you saw inside.

Hanging on the walls of the shed from hooks, you saw straps, bits, blinders, and crops. Off to the side, on top of some tables, saddles were neatly aligned and ready to be fitted. Some of the saddles though, looked worn out, like their owner had made sure to ride them till they were about to fall apart.

The whole scene before you was confusing, but that only deepened as you thought further about it and picked up one of the worn saddles. You turned it in your hands as you looked at it.

“Why in Equestria would ponies have saddles and all this? It’s not like they ride each other. Unless…” You eyebrows shot up in an attempt to reach the moon, although it was most likely the horror you felt from your realization. “Oh son of a-”

“MMMPHFF!”

The muffled sound caused you to snap your head around and drop the worn saddle to the floor as your eyes set on a pair of drawn curtain on the opposite corner from the door. You could hear some moment coming from behind the curtains, and against your better judgment, you moved towards it.

“MMMPHF! MMHPPF!”

Your hands trembled as you reached for the curtains and let out a shaky breath as you readied yourself for what you might find behind them.

In one swift move, you pulled the curtains back.

“BIG MAC?!”

Before you lay the giant work horse, strapped to a table, wearing every piece of horse riding paraphernalia you had seen in that shed. The saddle though, was oddly placed on his stomach instead of his back like a normal horse, and that only drew your attention to it, and what lay below it.

“Oh… Oh wow, eww… Big Mac, why do you look all sticky? What the hay is that all over your-”

“MMMPFFH!”

“Yeah, you’re right… I don’t want to know.”

“MMMPPFF!! MMMPPPFF!”

“Excuse me? Oh right, the bit in your mouth. Let me just…”

You carefully leaned over Big Macintosh, careful not to come into contact with the sticky mess that was all over his lower extremity. The bit was actually hard to un-strap, but once you did…

“Ok, there we go, now what were you say-”

“YA IDJET! AH WAS TELLING YOU TO RUN! SHE’LL BE BACK ANY MI… nute…”

Big Macintosh’s eyes suddenly widened and turned into fearful pinpricks as he looked behind you. With a mental curse, you followed his eyes towards the door frame.

“Oh… Oh my…I-I’m sorry you had to see this…” Said the shy yellow Pegasus with a bashful smile as one of her teal colored eyes looked at you and the other hid behind her long pink mane. Her wings were extended, blocking the door and diminishing the light that shone in through it.

For some reason though, you were finding it very hard to believe she was sorry.

One of her hind legs suddenly kicked out and closed the door behind her with a slam. A lustful hungry smile quickly replaced the bashful one as she walked towards you and Big Macintosh, her tail swaying from side to side as it emphasized her sultry walk.

“Mmm, I guess I should have told you to stay out of my shed.”

The wall behind you came all too quickly as you found yourself with no more room to back up into, and single thought immediately dominated your mind.

Right, let’s hide in the spooky shed, genius…

Author's Note

Disclaimer - All characters presented in this work of fiction are owned by their respective creators and owners. In short, all the wubs go to Hasbro.