Me: Welcome to the newest chapter, bronies of earth and beyond!

Tigress: There are no bronies beyond earth.

Me: You're right. The only ones they would have right now would be the old ones.

Tigress: No. I mean there are no sentient beings beyond earth.

Me: How do you know?

Tigress:...No response.

Me: Well, enjoy, bronies!

Applejack trotted down the road and into the Carousel Boutique. After the bell rang, a voice yelled from the back, "Just a minute!" Applejack glanced around at everything as she waited, taking in how neat everything was. After a few minutes of waiting, Rarity finally came out. "Sorry about the wait, now, what can i- Oh, Applejack! It is pleasure to see you, darling. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Well, Ah came here cause I wanted ta talk to ya about somethin'." She was nervously rubbing her front leg.

"Oh? Whatever about?" Rarity led Applejack into the kitchen and set a teapot on the stove.

"Well. Ya know about how Sprocket came ta the farm?"

"Yes? What about him?"

"Well, Ah'm not sure how ta describe it, but..Ah'm just gonna come out with it. Ah think Ah might be in love with him."

Rarity turned her full attention with a look that said, 'This is great gossip.' She asked, "Tell me! How did you fall for him!?"

Applejack sighed. "The thing is, Ah'm not sure ifn' Ah love him or not. Ah was hopin' yall could help me figure it out, seeing as yer inta all that mushy romance stuff."

Rarity smiled and replied, "Well. You did come to the right place." The teapot began to whistle and Rarity took it off with her magic. As she tended to the teapot, she asked, "So, tell me what kind of feelings do you have when you're around him?"

Applejack let out another sigh. "Well, Ah get a tingly feelin' in mah stomach. I feel like Ah'm flyin'. It's nothin; Ah ever felt. Then, when Ah'm workin', Ah always try a little harder when Ah know he's there, too. Ah also listen ta everything he says 'bout his fancy technology."

Rarity hummed a little as she came towards Applejack with two cup of tea and the teapot, handing one cup to Applejack. She took a sip. "And, how long have you had these kind of feelings around him?"

"Well, it sorted started right 'round the end o the first week he was with us. They were just small, but they seem ta have grown some."

Rarity chuckled slightly. "Well. I would say you have fallen hard for him."

Applejack hung her head. "That's what Ah was afraid of."

"Well, what's wrong with falling in love with somepony? It just means you've found your potential special somepony." Rarity raised her eyebrow, until her eyes opened wide, as if she realized something. "Unless! Applejack, does he love somepony else!?"

Applejack shook her head. "No. That's not it."

"Well then, what's wrong with falling in love with him?"

Applejack sighed. "Ah don't think Ah should tell ya. Ah mean, he didn't seem willin' ta give up the information so easily."

Rarity put a comforting hoof around Applejack's shoulder. "Now, it doesn't matter what is keeping you two apart, just so long as you make sure to tell him."

"A'right. Well, thank ya, Rarity. Ah should probably git on back to the farm." She began trotting out. "Ah'll see ya later."

"Goodbye, darling. see you later." When Applejack was gone, Rarity stepped back inside and headed to the back.

at the farm, a few hours later

Applejack and Applebloom were in the barn, following the instructions Sprocket had left for Applebloom. "So, is he gonna be a'right?"

"Yes. He's gonna be just fine after a few days a rest."

"Good. That'll mean Ah can work on this by what he says n' not just what he's written down. It's easier to understand when he tells me somethin' instead a readin' it."

"Well, would ya rather me have ya go offa his drawin's instead o his writin'?"

"No. But, it's still easier when he tells me." Applebloom put a nut on a bolt and began tightening it.

"Well, he'll be here afore ya know it."

"Ah hope so." The two continued to work on the cart until suppertime.

the next day, hospital

Applejack came in to Sprocket's room, and the doctor was doing a check-up. "how's he doin', doc?"

The doctor turned around and smiled. "Well, he should be able to leave this afternoon, about three."

"A'right. Ah'll be here."

"He's still mixing up words, occasionally. But, it shouldn't prove to be too hard to understand him now, as he only mixes up one word a sentence at most. i'll leave you two alone now." The doctor left."

Sprocket smiled. "Well, how're you doing?"

"Good. Applebloom was wishin' it was you tellin' her what ta do inperson rather than usin' the instructions on that piece o paper."

"How treat." Applejack chuckled. "I hate that. Anyways. What did you find out after you left?"

"Ah do like ya like that."

"Well, like I said. We can still keep in touch. After he comes through, i'll come back."

"What if he never comes through? Or, what if he comes through silently, or ya go inta the town he's in? Then what?"

Sprocket didn't answer. "I never thought about that. I'm sure he'll come here. Perhaps I can go to Canterlot, get some protection from the Royal Guard. Then, I can cart when he comes there and, after he goes through Ponyville, I can return. It will be much easier to hide in Canterlot since we'll be able to visit one another often, we'll be able to stay in touch with one another easier, and Canterlot is bigger."

"But, what if we wanna git hitched? Then what?"

Sprocket smiled. "Then, I'll know that, even if he comes, there isn't a thing he can do to kill me."

Applejack smiled slightly. "N' just how do yall know that?"

"Two reasons. One, if we're married, he isn't going to be able to get past the wall of tomatoes known as the Apple Family." Applejack chuckled. "two, he won't kill somepony if they might have a child. He has at least that many morals." Applejack blushed as red as the apples on her flank at the second comment. "Come on. If we get married, don't you think we'll be having kids?"

"W-well, y-ya. But, ponies jus don't talk 'bout that in public."

"Well, Anyways, as I said before, once the cart os finished, along with the thing I'm planning on using for taking care of the timberwolf problem, I'm gonna head to Canterlot. That way, I can stay alive long enough for us to know if we want to get married." Applejack smiled. "Now, why don't you get on farm to the farm. i'll be fine for a few friends by myself."

"Well, first, Ah got a gift fer ya."

"Oh?" Applejack came close to him, then surprised him with a kiss on the lips. She left him with a goofy smile on his face.

Me: Well, there's the chapter.

Tigress: At least it is over. Also, I don't think anyone of the audience reads this last part.

Me: I don't care. I have fun writing it, even if my co-hosts don't. REVIEW!