Chapter Nine

Dear Mr. Cole,

My name is Rumble. I am writing this to you so that I can learn more about you, I too am a sort of sporty pegasus and I'm guessing that Thrashball in your world is some sort of sport. I want to ask you if you were any good at this sport and if you could show me what it was like playing and how to play it. I hope that we might be able to become friends, you seem like such a cool human and I'd really like to know you better. Write back if you can, it would make me super happy!

signed, Rumble

(Letter sent to Cole from a colt named "Rumble". Cole sent a reply letter shortly afterwards.)

***

Ponyville town center.
24 hours since mission start.

"Baby, I feel so good for shedding that armor."

"You said it. I am so glad that Command isn't here to see us."

Cole looked around and saw that after a day of being in Ponyville, a lot of the residents had gone back to living their lives normally. Aside from a few terrified looks, most waved to them or said hi to Baird and Cole. As for the two Gears, they also had shed their plate armor and were now dressed only in their fatigues. As for their weapons, Cole and Baird kept their Lancers slung on their back and Snub Pistols in their holsters, just in case something happened. Even after all the fighting had stopped, the Gears were still a little on edge, paranoid that Locust or Lambent might pop out of the ground and attack. After fifteen years of fighting the same enemy only to have the fighting stop so suddenly was a little bit of a shock to the Gears. They still expected an attack even in this world. Baird, bored and feeling as if he was going to go mad in the world of colorful talking ponies decided to strike up a conversation.

"What did you think of yesterday while we were at the school?"

"It was nice," Cole replied, "I got some letters from the little kids."

"Same here, how many did you get?"

"Got about six."

"Interesting, I got six too but that's half the class. Did each of those kids write a letter to each of the squad."

"Seems like it. So, you wanna go to that bakery again?"

Baird let out a sigh and nodded reluctantly.

"Might as well, it's frigging boring around here."

Cole slapped Baird on the back and smiled.

"That's what I'm talking about baby! Come on, I'm hungry as well."

Cole and Baird made their way to Sugarcube Corner, attracting a lot of attention and a following crowd of ponies. Baird paid no heed to the following ponies but Cole was merrily talking to them. As they neared the bakery Baird stopped to look back, once again Cole was talking to the older ponies and hugging the fillies and colts, Baird let out an irritated sigh and walked directly into Applejack.

"Oof!" Applejack grunted.

"Shit, sorry," Baird said as he helped her back up.

"That's okay," Applejack replied, "Ah wasn't looking either."

"You okay though?"

"Yeah ah'm fine. So what brought you here?"

"I'm bored, Cole's hungry. You know, usual crap."

"Ahm sorry to hear that."

"Nah, it's okay. I just want to make myself useful is all."

Applejack tapped her chin and looked over to Cole who was now watching the crowd depart. She looked back to Baird and then nodded.

"Well, ah have a proposition for you if you're interested."

"What is it?" Baird asked.

"Mah family's coming to Ponyville for the annual Apple Family Reunion and this year we're having a Barn Raising."

"Barn Raising? What the hell is a Barn Raise?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot that you don't know much about here."

"Mind explaining what a Barn Raising is?" Baird asked. Applejack nodded and explained.

"Well, what we do is tear down one of our old apple barns and then rebuilt it from scratch."

"How hard is it?"

"Not very hard because the whole family will be there to help. But ah think if you and Cole came it'd be much quicker since you got those weird things on your...um...forelegs."

"You mean my hands?" Baird asked holding up one hand, Applejack nodded in reply.

"So, you want to help?"

"Will there be food for us too?" Cole asked as he walked over.

"Yeah! Mah family cooks a lotta stuff so there'll be something to eat."

"I'm in for the job, baby," Cole said. Baird shrugged and nodded too.

"I might as well make myself useful, where to then?"

Applejack nodded and turned back to the inside of the bakery.

"Hey, Apple Bloom. We gotta go back to the farm now."

"Okay Applejack," Apple Bloom said as the little filly ran over to her older sister with a large smile, "So can we go see the family now?"

"Sure thing, Cole and Baird are coming too."

"Neat-o! Come on, let's go!"

Cole chuckled in good nature as they let Apple Bloom lead the way back to the farm. As the ecstatic filly led Applejack, Cole and Baird to Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack went and started a conversation with the two Gears.

"So how'd you guys get here anyways?"

"Dunno really," Baird said, "We came across some sort of portal or something and then we ended up here."

"That's strange."

"Hell yeah it was," Cole said, "I'm still confused about the Locust defences though. If this place was what was behind that wall, then why were all those defences towards it?"

"Maybe the Locust don't like talking ponies."

"Heh, maybe."

"Hey, Mr. Cole and Mr. Baird," Apple Bloom said, "Where are the others who were with you?"

"You mean Marcus, Anya and Bernie?" Cole asked. Apple Bloom nodded. Baird huffed and rubbed his chin a little as he thought.

"I think Marcus went to go find Ms. Cheerilee to apologize for yesterday, as for Anya and Granny, I dunno. Who knows where they might be. But still, I'm a little confused about what happened to Marcus."

"Whadda mean?" Applejack asked.

"Marcus shouted at Diamond Tiara yesterday because she was making fun of the humans," Apple Bloom said.

"Thing is though," Baird continued, "He's not usually like that. He's very calm and nothing really fazes him. Guess all of this crap about losing Dom and his dad along with all his other buddies might've gotten to him."

"D'you think it might be because we got nothing to fight or do no-more?" Cole asked.

"Could be. We should go find him later."

Several minutes later the four arrived at Sweet Apple Acres and were greeted by a mass crowd of ponies. Cole and Baird looked to each other and then back to the crowd which were all staring or talking with each other.

"Lotta ponies here," Baird whispered to Cole.

"Mhmm, how many do you think there are?"

"I'm not even gonna try."

A lot of the ponies were slowly approaching the Gears but they seemed more curious than scared. Ironically, the fillies and colts were at the front of the crowd, staring in amazement at Cole and Baird.

"Aww, ain't they cute?" Cole said.

"Yeah, whatever, what the hell do we do now?" Baird asked. Applejack guided the ponies over to the Gears and spoke up.

"Everypony, if I could get your attention. These two humans here are named Cole and Baird, they are not here to hurt us, they want to help us with the Barn Raising. They're very nice and are willing to talk with you if that's okay with y'all."

Some murmuring broke out and then the crowd surged forward and then ended up letting Applejack introducing them. Much to Baird's dismay, Applejack was introducing all of her family. The entire process took about an hour and by the end of it, Baird's head was spinning. As for Cole, he was more pleased and rather happy because a lot of the ponies had given him a hug and complimented him on how friendly and nice he was. Cole and Baird then followed the Apple Family to an open area where there were parts of a barn strewn around the place along with a large assortment of tools and a massive table filled with food. Cole nodded in approval and watched as the family dispersed and took their places at various places, Baird then turned to Applejack and looked at her, scowling slightly.

"So where are we at?"

"Oh, y'all can go and help out with sawing the planks and beams."

"What about the food?" Cole asked, "It all looks so good."

"You can take as much as you like as you work," Applejack said with a smile, she then turned to the family. "Okay everypony! Let's get to work!"

Baird and Cole went to join three fillies over where there was a workbench and a few fillies. Several planks and beams were sitting on the ground next to the workbench along with a few large stallions bringing more planks and beams before going into the forest and disappearing behind the apple trees. Cole and Baird walked over to the table and watched as the fillies stared up at them, one of them was Apple Bloom but the other two the Gears didn't recognize. The first filly was the same size as Apple Bloom but a light brown with a pinkish colored, brushed over mane and a short, messy looking tail. The other filly looked to be a few years older than other two fillies, she had a bright red colored coat and a golden mane and tail. She also had a necklace with a jade ring looped through it. She also had a cutie mark that looked like an sock surrounded by small apples. The two fillies stared at Cole and Baird until Apple Bloom trotted over and looked up at the two, grinning widely.

"Hi Mr. Cole and Baird. You ready for the Barn Raising?"

"Yeah," Baird said half-heartedly, "Who are these two?"

"Oh, these are Babs Seed and Spring Apple. My cousins."

"So Babs is her on the left?" Cole said as he pointed to the small brown filly then to the red filly, "And Spring is the one on the right?"

"Yep," Babs said.

"You're right there," Spring said, she then looked up at Cole and stared in amazement. "You've got some really big forelegs."

"Their called arms, baby. And yeah, it's from all that training for Thrashball."

"Ooooooh."

"So then," Baird said, "Where are you two from?"

"Oh, I'm from Manehatten," Babs said.

"Never heard of it. What about you, Spring?"

"I'm from Appleoosa," Spring said, "It's such a great place. Apples everywhere!"

"Righttttttt."

"So y'all getting to know these three?" Applejack said as she trotted over. Spring's eyes lit up and she immediately dove at Applejack and embraced her in a massive hug.

"Hi Applejack!" she almost yelped in glee.

"Hi Spring," Applejack said with a chuckle. Baird and Cole stared at Spring as she held Applejack in a tight hug.

"I'm guessing that she really likes you," Cole said.

"Like her?" Spring said, "AJ's my favorite cousin! She's so cool and she's the Element of Honesty."

"What?" Baird asked. Before Spring could answer Applejack clapped her hooves together.

"Okay everypony, let's get started!"

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Baird thought, he then turned to Apple Bloom. "What happens now?"

"Oh yeah, we sing as we build!"

"This is my first time!" Spring said.

"Wait? Singing?!" Baird exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Apple Bloom said.

"Singin' ponies?" Cole said, "Damn, this should be interesting."

Baird was about to say something in protest when Applejack started trotting around, and began singing.

"Yee-hoo!

Raise this barn, raise this barn

One, two, three, four."

"Aw crap," Baird thought.

"Together, we can raise this barn

One, two, three, four

Up, up, up, go the beams

Hammer those joints, work in teams

Turn 'em round quick by the right elbow

Grab a new partner, here we go!"

Cole and Baird looked at each other, Baird shook his head, mouthed the word "no" at him then went back to sawing planks and beams just as he jumped at the Apple Family yelling, "YEAH!"

"Come on, Apple family! Let's get to it! Wee-hoo!

Raise this barn, raise this barn

One, two, three, four

Together, we can raise this barn

One, two, three, four

Finish the frame, recycling wood

Workin' hard, you're doin' good

Turn 'em round quick by the right elbow

Grab your partner, here we go!"

"YEAH!" the family yelled again. Baird let out an irritated grunt as he tried to saw through a beam with a weak and flimsy saw. He let out a sigh and tried to get it unstuck from the beam.

"God, these things are fucking crap."

"Whoo-Whee! Raise this barn, oh, raise this barn

One, two, three, four

Together, we can raise this barn

One, two, three, four."

"I can't take this shit no-more," Baird muttered. Cole looked up in surprise.

"Damn Baird, I didn't know you wanted in on the singing."

Baird suddenly looked up in horror.

"Wait! No! Shit! I didn't mean to do that!"

"Slats of wood come off the ground

Hold 'em up and nail 'em down

Turn 'em round quick by the left elbow

Grab a new partner, here we go!"

Just as everyone yelled, "Yeah!", Baird's saw snapped in half.

"Fuck!" he said to himself, he looked over to Cole and got his attention. "Hey, where're the Lancers at?"

"Over by the tree," Cole said, "Why?"

"Let's give our new friends a little help, shall we?"

Cole nodded and smiled, he too was getting annoyed with the manual sawing but he was hiding his annoyance because he was listening to the Apple Family sing and build. He and Baird retrieved their Lancers and went back over to the beams of wood. Apple Bloom, Babs and Spring weren't paying attention to them.

"Bow your partner, circle right

Get down if you're scared of heights

Forward back and twirl around

This barn's gonna be the best in town!"

"Raise this barn, raise this barn

One, two, three, four

Together, we can raise this barn

One, two, three, four

Take your brushes, young and old

Together, paint it, bright and bold

Turn 'em round quick by the left elbow

Grab a new partner, here we g-"

Vrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

The sudden sound of a Lancer chainsaw made the whole family stop and stare at Cole and Baird who had just cut through both the beam and the workbench it was sitting on. Baird turned around and stared back at the agape ponies and held his arms up at his waist and shrugged.

"What? I was gonna say sorry afterwards."

Author's Note

Sorry this took so long. It was a very tricky chapter to write but it was fun towards the end. Might be the hardest chapter I've done so far but at least it was worth it.