The next morning saw Galen rather unsure of himself as he lay in his bed idly rubbing Riley's head at the crack of dawn. Normally, he knew exactly what he wanted to do and how to do it, but as of right now he was floundering. Last night, he had found out that not only Applejack, but Pinkie Pie as well had romantically inclined feelings for him. Lero's words had come to pass and he had quickly adjusted to seeing them as more than what they outwardly appeared. It was in this light that he thought about the two mares; he thought about who they were and not what they were. He gave up a few minutes later. Thinking by itself was never one of his strong suits anyway as he preferred to think as he did something else, letting his problems percolate in the back of his mind so he could eliminate any clouding thoughts and get straight to the heart of the matter.

He sighed and sat up, rubbing Riley roughly up and down his side to wake him up. Riley grumbled in his doggy way and squirmed in pleasure as Galen brought his nails into the equation, scratching him in all the right places. He stopped after a few more times and Riley let out a puff of contentment. Galen snorted and got out of bed. “Yew wanna go on a trip today, Riles?” he asked his dog. Riley's ears perked up immediately as he snapped to attention and looked up at Galen happily. “Tha' so, huh? Well, le's get a bite ta eat an' head out.”

Riley gave an excited bark and bounded from their room and into the kitchen followed shortly by Galen. Applejack was there with Apple Bloom whipping up hash browns, hotcakes and all kinds of other delicious treats for breakfast. Applejack laughed as Riley sidled up beside her and tried to snatch the most recent hotcake from the skillet on the platter, only to be thwarted by a quick shove to move him away from the counter by Applejack. “Git you thievin' dog,” she said with a laugh. “You have your own food ta eat.” Riley gave her a hurt expression but moved off to eat his bowl of kibble that rested beside a dozing Winona.

“Mornin',” Galen said softly.

Applejack flushed and gave him a shy smile as she turned to look at him. “Mornin',” she replied softly. “Sleep well?”

“Yeah,” he replied as he moved to take a seat at the table.

“You have anythin' goin' on today?” she asked as she turned back to the sizzling skillet, pouring another dollop of batter that hissed loudly on contact before quieting down some.

“Jus' a little wanderin' in tha woods,” he replied. “Gotta go find tha trails an' get a lay o' tha land.”

“Ah,” she said as the conversation petered out.

Apple Bloom gave her sister an irked expression and turned to Galen. “You wanna go into town with Applejack around nine? It's a half day for the market and I'm sure she'd love a chance ta spend some time with ya.”

“Bloom!” she said as she looked at her younger sibling, her blush blazing brighter. She glanced nervously over at Galen, but was unwilling to contradict her sister's nudging them together like this.

“What?” the filly asked boldly. “You were dilly dallying like a filly talkin' to her first crush. If Ah didn't ask 'im, you never would've gotten 'round to it.” Applejack didn't have an answer to that except to pull the brim of her hat down over her eyes. “So, how 'bout it, Galen? Wanna take this fair filly into town later?”

Galen couldn't help but laugh, an easy grin coming to him as Applejack ducked her head a bit. He looked over to the ticking clock on the wall and noted that it was only a little after six in the morning. He gave it a little thought and decided that he could make his venture a short one. “Ah don' see why not,” he replied. “Wasn't plannin' on spendin' all day out there anyway.”

“See?” Apple Bloom chided mirthfully to her sister. “You just had to ask.” Applejack just muttered something that made Apple Bloom chuckle in response. The rest of the preparations finished quickly as Big Mac and Granny joined them in the kitchen. Breakfast was served and eaten quickly, Galen finishing well before everyone as he only took half a helping extra after his first load. He made his excuses, retreated to his room for his bracer, bow, arrows, charm-knife and a few thin strings that he used for snares. He strode back through the house with a quick whistle to call Riley to him and left in good order. He struck out to the south and made his way through the orchard with long, ground eating strides and emerged to see the buffer of hills between the orchard and the wild woods. Riley was wound up with excitement but knew better than to leave Galen's side when they were going into the woods, so he didn't run off no matter how much he wanted to.

Galen took his time then to string his bow with practiced efficiency and tested the draw before pulling an arrow from his quiver, holding it in place with his left index finger. Satisfied with his preparedness, he continued on through the hills and entered the dark forest with a healthy dose of caution. To be honest, it wasn't much different from most of the forests back on earth, but there seemed to be an odd sense of dark awareness to it. Like it was some kind of beast that would try to swallow him without a trace. He shrugged his shoulders and snorted a breath as though challenging the forest to even try.

He made his way forward slowly, Riley following closely behind in a crouched position, ready to pounce or dash away depending on the situation as he was even more on edge than Galen was. They went straight into the forest for almost ten minutes, the forest swallowing them within moments and hiding the outside world barely a minute into their trek. Thanks fully for him, his experience in the woods let him keep an internal compass pointed toward the outside as he meandered on his way. The forest was alive, but it was as though it was subdued. Galen had been in the woods in conditions similar to this and he knew what it meant. There was an apex predator around. He knew enough to look out for the signs and even more of how to get away from these predators.

Once he was far enough into the woods that his nerves seemed to be balanced on a knifes edge, he started scouting around the area, heading west so that he could scout the area. Riley gave a little whine of displeasure at being in the forest with something that quieted the forest so much. Galen made a little noise in the back of his throat which Riley took for encouragement and he wagged his tail a bit, knowing that he'd be getting a big treat when this was all over. As Galen scoured the forest floor, he was rewarded with the sight of a very well used rabbit trail in the undergrowth. With a grin, he knelt down quietly as he pulled a snare line from his bag and went about his task of setting it up with the aid of a young, springy sapling; setting his bow down to do his work quickly. Riley gave the most pitiful whine and Galen froze as he felt the forest seem to hold its breath around him and a presence made itself known to him.

Oh shit, he thought as he looked up. There, roughly thirty feet away in front of him was a sight that made his blood run cold as it looked back at him with glowing green eyes. It easily stood two heads taller than him, had the shape of a heavily muscled wolf and seemed to be made of nothing more than a random assortment of tree limbs. He dropped the snare line and picked his bow back up, knocking the arrow in a smooth motion as he stay crouched. “Rith^,” he muttered in a low growl to Riley. Riley whined, wanting to stay by his masters side in the face of this menacing enemy. “RITH!” Galen yelled as he stood up, drawing his bow to its full bend as he aimed for the creatures chest and let his arrow fly with the sound of a hell born wasp. The creature howled a chilling cry as the arrow struck with a hollow noise and lunged forward as Galen turned tail and fled back the way he came. If he was going to lose this thing, he'd do it in the forest and not out on the hills where it would have free reign to run him down. Riley shot off ahead of Galen, picking out a path for Galen to follow.

Galen's heart was pumping blood through his body that felt like it was laced with ice from the amount of adrenalin pumping through his system. His legs barely even seemed to touch the ground as he fled through the woods and his lungs worked like a bellows used at ten times their normal pace. The trees flashed by him faster and faster as he payed more attention to the ground in front of him and less to the panic that had threatened to overwhelm him only moments before. He had survived being chased down by a pack of wolves, surrounded on all sides by slobbering, snarling beasts that worked together to try and bring him down. That was worse than outrunning a single monstrosity in unfamiliar woods.

They ducked, wove and skidded through the woods on their flight, Galen glancing over his shoulder on occasion only to see the thing still on their trail, Galen's white fletched arrow bobbing almost comically from its chest. Their flight took them back east, past Fluttershy's cottage and down into a shallow valley. Galen spotted a path through the gloom and picked up his pace, hoping to make use of it at least temporarily. Suddenly, a bright blue patch of flowers surrounded him and Riley, hidden from sight by the undergrowth and quasi-darkness blending their color with the rest of the forest. The wooden monstrosity halted its pursuit of them with an annoyed growl and came to a skidding halt. Galen looked over his shoulder at the noise and continued a few more places before slowing to a stop. The thing shot Galen a resentful glare, paced back and forth twice more and retreated back into the forest, quickly becoming lost to sight in the foliage.

Galen heaved a sigh of relief as he dropped to sit down amid the beautiful flowers before he started laughing out of sheer relief. He supposed that there was more danger in this world than he ever would have imagined. As he thought back about his visit with Fluttershy, he was more than surprised that she of all ponies lived so close to these dangers despite her love of nature. He shook his head and laughed all the harder. Riley dashed over, bowling him over in his zeal as he licked Galen all over his face, relieved that he was alright. Galen finally fended him off after an exceptionally sticky face washing, got up with his bow and made his way over to the path. He shrugged his shoulders to bring some strength back to them and strode off with Riley right behind him, ready just in case that thing decided it still wanted a piece of him. He wasn't sure why it backed off like it did, but he was sure as hell going to keep on his toes for anything out of the ordinary.

Applejack was a bit pissed as she made her way out to the barn where Big Mac was waiting for her. Galen had told her that he was going to go into town with her and here it was, ten minutes after the time she was going to go and he still hadn't shown up. She snorted and tossed her head just before she entered the door and was barreled into by a vibrant pink mass that yelled “Applejack!” as it hit her.

“P-Pinkie?!” she said in surprise. “What's going on?”

“I-It's Galen!” she cried, a few tears leaking from her eyes. Applejack's annoyance at the man evaporated immediately as an icy cold mass settled in the pit of her stomach. “I-I need your help! Yours too Big Mac,” she added as the stallion poked a worried head outside to see what was going on. “Can you bring your oil can? Galen's in a bind and needs our help. He's gonna be really sore if we don't hurry...”

“Eeyup,” he replied with a fierce look before disappearing for a moment to get the requested oil.

“Oil?” Applejack asked in utter confusion. “Why does he need oil? And why would he be getting sore?”

“You'll see!” Pinkie replied with a modestly worried expression as she got off of Applejack and practically hauled her back to her hooves. Big Mac returned with the can balanced expertly on his head and nodded to the mares. “Come on! He must be cramping up really badly right about now!” she yelled to their confusion as she started running back to the road into town with the two worried farm ponies in tow. They made it about a third of the way down the road before Applejack noticed something odd along the side of the road. It seemed to be a gray metal statue shining dully in the morning light while a tiny cairn terrier was yipping and running around it in circles. As they came closer, she looked up to see that it was in fact Galen. If Galen had been pieced together out of metal piping of all sorts. His upper face was much the same, except that his nose had elongated with a small tube and his lower jaw was a piece of sheet metal with shiny curls of copper replicating his beard. On top of his head was what appeared to be a funnel settled at a jaunty angle. In his left hand was a woodcutters ax.

“What's all this?” she asked as humor and confusion fought for dominance.

“I think he ran through some poison joke in the forest,” Pinkie said as she snatched the oil can from Big Mac's head and went about oiling Galen's joints. “Or more like he rolled around in it if he changed this quickly. I think the little dog might be Riley too.” As the odd thumping of the oil can continued, Applejack felt humor win out and she started laughing at the situation. Sure she had been angry with him, but this was something she could forgive easily.

“Hoo...” she finally said as Galen finally started to move jerkily with little metallic shrieks of protest. “Guess we should see about headin' inta town and getting you a bath, Galen.”

Galen, finally oiled up enough to move around normally gave Applejack an annoyed expression. He was about to say something about that, but a sudden tickle in his nose pulled him up short. His face scrunched up, he took in a few quick breaths through his mouth and suddenly he sneezed, a golden explosion of pollen pouring through both the hole in the end of his nose and the funnel on top of his head. It obscured absolutely everything in their sight and when it all settled, they looked around warily.

“Yep,” Pinkie said in a morose tone. “This has poison joke written aaalll over it.”

Applejack looked over to Pinkie Pie and saw that she had been changed quite a bit. Gone was her usual form and in its place was the tawny brown and lithe form of a lioness though she still had her iconic curly mane, albeit a dark brown now, bouncing around her still recognizable face. Applejack looked over to her brother and saw that he was now a she and wearing a plaid dress with a poofy white blouse underneath it while a pair of sparkly little slippers sat snugly on her hind hooves. A cute little padded basket hung around her neck, resting between a pair of pigtails. She had to choke back her laughter, but she just couldn't and she pulled a repeat performance identical to what Rainbow Dash did the other day. Pinkie Pie looked at Applejack and saw that she was wearing what looked to be her Nightmare Night costume, only this time her body seemed to have been transformed into burlap.

“Wha's all this craziness goin' on now?” Galen asked in an incredulous tone as he looked at the transmogrified ponies around him.

“Poison joke,” Pinkie said with a slightly annoyed expression. “It's a magical plant whose pollen creates all kinds of mischief. It's easy to take care of with an herbal bath we can get at the spa.”

“But tha' don' explain this,” he said as he waved an arm to the area around them. The road had been transformed as well, the dirt gone and in its place was a gold paved road that glinted brightly in the mid-morning light. Down the road was what appeared to be a dark green crystal palace shining brightly.

“Well this is different,” she said with a look of utter surprise.

“What're-,” Big mac went to say but cut off with a strangled and incredibly feminine gasp. Applejack laughed all the harder. Pinkie Pie and Galen couldn't help but chortle their own amusement at his embarrassment. Applejack finally laughed herself out and stood up on shaky legs as she wiped tears from her eyes.

“Ah don't think Ah've ever laughed that hard in my life,” she said weakly as she pulled her brother-cum-sister into an apologetic hug. “Sorry for laughing at ya, Big Mac.”

“Alright,” Big Mac replied in annoyance with her new voice, a light tenor that almost matched Rarity. “But what're we gonna do?”

“Looks like we can either stand around talking or go to the obvious place where Discord's waiting for us and get some answers,” Pinkie Pie answered with a giggle, one of her large canines poking out cutely over her bottom lip. At her words, Applejack and Big Mac gave little groans of annoyance as realization suddenly dawned on them as to why this was happening.

“Who 'r what's 'Discord?” Galen asked with a look of slight worry.

“He's the god of chaos and tends ta do this ta ponies on occasion,” Applejack replied in an annoyed voice as she started walking off down the road. “He'll set it straight soon enough or Fluttershy'll have words with him.” Galen looked to Pinkie and Big Mac, shrugged and followed after her despite his curiosity. The other two were right behind him after the tiny terrier jumped up and settled down in Big Mac's basket with a smug expression. Big Mac just gave a sigh and rolled her eyes before just deciding to go with it. They made their way quickly enough and watched little dioramas of scenes that tickled the back of Galen's mind. Then it clicked when he saw the plastic flying monkeys carousing around on their strings. They had been transformed into the main characters from the Wizard of Oz.

“Oh mah god,” Galen groaned with a palm to his forward. The others stopped and gave him an odd look. “Whatever tha' god o' yers, 'r whatever, is recreatin' a movie back from mah world. Seriously... What tha 'ell?”

“That seems to be what he's good at,” Pinkie replied with a smile. “He's always doing something or saying things that almost nopony gets.”

Galen just grunted at that. They picked up their pace so that they wouldn't be messing around like this all day and put it behind them. They had to take a couple pit stops to re-oil Galen when his joints started rusting up on him again. They took a brief rest at a group of plush couches sitting the the middle of a poppy field that was snowing only on the flowers, leaving the couches nice and warm. That was roughly a quarter mile from the now looming Emerald Palace and they figured that they wouldn't want to show up overly sweaty or oily in Galen's case. He leaked black oil instead of sweat much to the amusement of the others. It was really quite nice, but they didn't rest for long and continued on their way.

Finally, they stood at the massive front doors of the Palace and just walked in as the door glided open noiselessly on perfectly balanced hinges when Galen moved to knock on it. Inside was a massive foyer with another door on the other side. As they crossed it, a witches cackling sounded from above which made them look up to see a paper witch leave behind a floating trail that spelled out 'SURRENDER DOROTHY.' The others look to Galen to clarify the meaning and he just shook his head and muttered darkly about shoving his metal foot up a certain god of chaos' ass.

They entered the door on the other side and were greeted with a massive holographic projector displaying Discord's disembodied head. “WHO DARES APPROACH THE GREAT AND POW-OH! HEY! I'M NOT DONE MONOLOGUEING!” he thundered. Not even waiting for Discord to get his steam rolling, Galen moved over to the curtained alcove where he was manipulating the projector and abruptly pulled him out by the scruff of his neck. “Oh, come now my boy!” Discord said in a chipper tone. “It was all done in good fun!”

“Ah swear if yew don' take care o' all this an' set us straight, Ah'll plant mah foot so far up yer ass tha' Ah'll be ticklin' yer tonsils with mah toenails an' yew'll be fartin' metal shavings fer weeks,” Galen threatened as he tossed the god in front of the small group of irked ponies and a cutely smiling lioness.

“Okay, okay,” Discord said with a sigh as he got up, brushing the dust off of his chest. “I did have a reason for all of this, just so you know. Sage words of advice and all that.”

“Alright,” Applejack said as her expression softened somewhat at his honest explanation. She could tell that he didn't mean any harm and honestly thought he had good advice for them. “Ah suppose we can at least hear him out if he was honestly tryin' ta help us.” The others looked flatly at her, but she just shrugged, nodded and gave a little smile.

“Applejack!” Discord said with a wide grin. “The voice of reason! I suppose I can lead with you first. If you'd kindly follow me?” She nodded and followed him back to the curtained alcove which had transformed into a lounge set with a tea set, a pair of cups steaming gently on their saucers. “Care for a cup?” he asked as he took one of chairs for himself. Applejack just shook her head as she sat across from him. “Well then, I'm sure you'd like to hear my advice.”

“Yep,” she answered. “Don't mean ta rush ya, but today's a market day an' Ah have things that need doin'.”

“You let me worry about that,” he replied enigmatically. Applejack just snorted in amusement. “Anyway, there's a reason why you and Galen are dressed as you are. You two are the exact opposites of your characters as you are right now. You, Applejack, have absolutely too much on your mind, versus too little While our dear boy's heart is guarded tighter than a prince in a keep. You're planning and plotting, trying to work out the best way for things to come out when you should just let things happen naturally. Trust the others to rise to the occasion and they'll surpass your every dream.”

“So, you did all this just ta tell me ta take it easy?” she asked in a deadpan voice.

“Would you have listened if I had just popped up and asked you to heed some advice?”

“Ah suppose not," she replied with a sigh. "But next time, just do that and not... this. Did give me a good laugh with what ya did ta my brother, even if it wasn't nice of me, or you, ta do that.”

“So, you'll think about my advice?” he asked sincerely.

“Ah'll give it a try,” she answered with a smile.

“That's all I ask,” he replied magnanimously. “If you could, please send Pinkie Pie in next?”

“Sure thing,” she said as she hopped off her chair and left to fetch her marefriend. “Discord's askin' for you next Pinkie.”

“Alrighty,” she said as she bounced off to the side room. Surprisingly, it was the same as when Applejack was in it and Discord asked her if she'd care for some of the same tea to which she declined as she took her seat across form him. “So!” she began once she settled on her chair, licking a front paw cutely while she leveled a narrowed eye at Discord. “What advice do you have for me?”

“Simply be yourself, be confident and open your heart to the ponies... er... entities that you love,” he simply said. Pinkie froze on the spot with a light pink blush.

“That's easier said than done,” she muttered with a little puff of air.

“Why's that?” he asked.

“Well, you haven't had several dozen failed dates because you were wound up too tight or nervous about making a good first impression because the first ten dates came crashing down in exploding flames by being yourself,” she replied in a deadpan. Discord blinked as he tried to triage the damage caused by her blunt force reprisal. “I mean, Applejack's the longest running relationship I've had to date and I'm so so so worried that I'm going to do or say something that might ruin what we've got.”

“Pinkie Pie,” he replied softly as the gears in his mind finally reengaged. “How long have you known Applejack and how long has she known you as more than simply an acquaintance and more as a good friend? A few years now, right?” She nodded in reply before cocking her head at his odd question. “Well, I think she knew exactly what she was getting into when she started going out with you. She knows that you're quirky, that you value the happiness of others as the ultimate currency in your life, that happiness and fun are what you live and breathe. So what would she think if you thought that you needed to be less of who you are to be with her? That you felt you had to lock away part of yourself just to make her love you?”

Pinkie's expression fell lower and lower at his examples of exactly what she had been doing and what she thought she had to do. “S-she'd probably be r-really sad,” she said quietly, fighting back her tears as he struck right at the center of her worries.

Discord floated up and over to Pinkie, wrapping her up in a one armed hug. “Exactly,” he said in a consoling tone. “That's why you shouldn't do what you're doing. Because if you bring anything less than your everything to the table, they're going to feel cheated and you're going to feel resentment, even if it's directed at yourself. You just have to have the courage to open up and be yourself. Completely and without reservation. I can tell you that they will need you, all of you, sometime in the future. Galen especially.”

“Can you tell me what's going on?” she asked as her sadness washed away.

“I'm sorry, Pinkie,” he replied seriously. “If I tell you anything about what's going on, it could change the outcome of everything... But my advice is still good, even if a grim and terrible fate didn't rest on it...”

Pinkie's expression turned to shock at his words, leaving her spluttering as she tried to get out a response. “H-huh?! Bu-but how?! Why?! Wh-who! When?!”

“Enough foreshadowing for now, Pinkie,” he replied with a well natured wink. “But I would appreciate it if you'd keep that last bit just between you and I...”

Pinkie pushed her jaw back up with an audible clack before she gave a feeble nod in agreement. “I can do that,” she said in a faint voice.

“Thank you, my friend,” he replied gently as he pulled her into a hug. “But my advice still stands. Be yourself as best you can and have the courage to let them love you as you are. Quirkiness and all.”

Pinkie gave Discord a massive smile that lit up the room and launched into him with a bone crushing hug. They hit the floor with audible popping sounds as his spine was forcibly realigned and a surprised gasp followed quickly by a pleasured groan as the long ignored tension in his back was suddenly let lose. Pinkie giggled as she looked up at Discord. “Seems to me that some-draconeqqus has been under a lot of stress...”

“Maybe a little...” he conceded with an uneasy expression.

“But seriously,” she said warmly as she changed the topic back. “Thanks for kidnapping us and giving us some advice. Although, I don't know why you included Big Mac...”

“Just needed someone to come along for the ride to fill out the cast,” he replied with a chuckle. “Can't do something like this without at least a little chaos...”

Pinkie giggled as she let him go and bounced back a step while Discord floated back up to settle down on his rear legs. “I guess,” she said with a little smile. “So... you want to talk to Galen next?”

“If you wouldn't mind,” he replied with a grin. “He probably has the biggest stakes in all of this, everything considered.”

“Okay,” she said in a tiny voice. “Can you at least tell me a little bit about what's going on?”

“I'm sorry my dear,” he replied sadly. “I must keep certain to airs so that things hopefully turn out for the better.”

“Alright...” she said with a cute little pout before a memory lit up her expression. “Oh! A while back, I kinda had a Sense thingy about Galen a while back a few days after I officially met him telling me that he needed somepony to make this place a home to him. Does your secret have anything to do with that?”

“Maybe?” Discord said with a helpless expression. “I've heard about your Pinkie Sense, but even I have no idea what it is or how it works.” Pinkie gigged at that. “In any case, I have no doubt that you and Applejack can make this place a home for Galen if anypony can.”

“Awww...” Pinkie said with a faint blush and a nuzzle under his chin. “Thanks.”

“Anyway, I'm sure everyone's wondering what's taking us so long, especially since my little chat with Applejack was so short,” Discord said with a sigh. “It was quite nice talking with you, Pinkie Pie. We really should get to know each other better. You seem like a lot of fun.”

“Maybe I can find some time to throw a God of Chaos meet and greet at Sugar Cube Corner... as long as you promise to keep it tame,” Pinkie replied with a slightly serious expression. “Since the Cakes have the twins, I don't want too much funny business going on.”

“That sounds wonderful and you have my word,” he said with a smile while he made a shooing motion with his lion paw. Pinkie giggled as she got the message and bounded from the room to fetch Galen who had adopted an expression of quiet suffering. It really was quiet suffering as his joints had rusted up again without anypony noticing and was starting to cramp up from being locked in place for so long. They oiled him with giggles and apologies aplenty before he was sent on his clanking way at Pinkie's words.

“Now...” he growled as he walked into the room with Discord. “What do yew want?”`

“Please,” Discord replied with a sneer, resorting to old habits to cover his unease at the situation. If he didn't handle this just right, things might not turn out so well for everyone involved at the end of everything. “It's not what I want, it's what's best for you that I want...”

“Why would yew want tha'?” Galen asked in confusion, all thoughts of separating the limbs from Discord's body and returning them to their rightful owners forgotten in a flash.

“Well... it would be amusing to say the very least,” Discord mused with a chuckle as Galen growled and hefted his ax. “Come now, my dear boy. No harm has come to you or anypony you care about. The only thing I ask of you is to lend me your ear for a bit and ask that you heed my advice.”

Galen puffed out a breath as he looked Discord up and down, taking in his tense and worried posture. If he was so worried about something as little as this, it really couldn't hurt to just listen to the fellow, could it? “Ah suppose,” Galen replied with a warning in his voice. “But Ah'll have yer word tha' yew'll make this wasted time up ta Applejack. Ah won' have 'er sales mucked up because yew couldn't come talk ta us proper.”

“You have it,” Discord replied quickly as a relieved smile brightened his face. Galen nodded and eased his stance.

“Come on then,” Galen said impatiently. “Out with it.”

“Alright,” Discord said as a steely expression settled on his face. “From what I've heard, you have two mares vying for your heart, is that not so?” Galen didn't say anything, although the bit of steam suddenly flowing from his funnel gave away his embarrassment as did his curt nod. “Well... would it really be so bad if you gave up looking for a way back?”

Galen felt like he had been punched in the gut without warning. “Why would yew ask tha'?” he asked warily. Sure, he was invested in finishing his project and paying it off, but Celestia had promised him answers about a potential way back home in the next week or two since she was supposed to be looking into it. If he had a chance at going back home, he wasn't entirely sure he wouldn't take it once all his debts had been settled, but the curve ball thrown his way by Pinkie Pie and Applejack had rocked his boat more than he'd want to let on.

“Well, you have a pretty pair of fillies chasing after you for starters,” Discord replied with a little grin. Galen's expression changed to one of unease at that. “Oh, come now, Galen. Surely you can't be so shocked by that, can you? A strong male like yourself who works hard for what he wants and doesn't simply collapse in despair when he finds himself in another world with but a paltry few possessions to call his own.”

“Kinda,” he replied with a metallic clang as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Not sure if Ah would end up leavin' them for sure if there is a way back ta where Ah came from. Ah know Leera's got a life here an' 'e loves 'is wives, but Ah'm still jus' tryin' ta find out where Ah fit in with evr'ything. Ah jus' don' wanna start somethin' Ah'm not sure Ah can be faithful to...”

“Let me ask you this instead,” Discord said in a ponderous tone. “Is it a home you're trying to return to or is it just a longing for what's familiar?”

Galen froze at his words. Is that it? he thought to himself as his mind was quickly thrust into high gear. Am Ah really jus' tryin' ta get back ta what Ah know? Sure, tha' village was where Ah grew up in an'd there's plenty o' good memories there, but it ain't like it used ta be. Ah mean, Ah leave fer months at a time jus' ta do mah own thing an' there's barely a welcome back when Ah come strollin' down main street.

“How much do you really know,” he said defensively instead, unused to having his mind cracked open so casually. “Why do ya care so much 'bout me an' those fillies?”

Discord's expression turned gleeful at that as he twisted and turned sinuously in the air above where he stood. “I simply know what I know and probably a few things I shouldn't. But to answer your second question, I suppose it's because I have a thing for the chaotic and your life happens to be neck deep in it at the moment. Maybe it's because I've found that love is the only madness that any entity willingly throws themselves into and I want to see how it plays out. If it plays out well, it ends up boring, stable and happy, but the ride along the way is simply spectacular.”

Galen's expression turned ugly at that as he strode forward purposefully with a deep growl in his throat. “They ain't no game or ride. It ain't a thing ta sit back an' watch fer yer own amusement... Fer some reason, they've fallen fer me, but Ah'll be thrice damned an' throw maself straight down tha mouth o' hell if Ah'll let them end up as somethin' fer yew ta laugh at.” He lunged forward the last couple paces and grabbed Discords horns in his steely grip as he felt a deep and unbowing well of strength well up from the pit of his stomach. He wrenched Discords head down so that he could stare the god of chaos eye to eye. “Their lives are theirs ta live, an' Ah swear if yew ever...” he paused for a breath as he felt a hard, razor sharp determination swell up to match a sudden blossoming of raging passion matching and melding with the strength he felt. He felt like he could move a mountain if he had to. “Ever make those fillies regret their relationship or where their hearts lead them, Ah'll find a way ta make yew rue tha' decision fer tha rest o' yer days...”

Discord felt pure, unadulterated joy at Galen's proclamation. This was the hard one, the one whose walls he had to crack and he had done it spectacularly. Now, he just had to let those cute fillies plant their little seeds and let their vines exploit those cracks. “Oh~ So scary...” Discord said with a chuckle as he detached his head from his horns with a little difficulty and walked off. “I guess I'll have to keep my distance in that case.”

“Discord!” Galen yelled a moment after he got over his confusion at holding a mismatched set of horns. “What're yew playing at? Why do yew even care? We're only three in a world o' thousands an' thousands... Why us...”

“Because you have some some forging to do, blacksmith,” Discord replied in a sinister rumble.

“What're yew talkin' 'bout?” Galen asked in confusion.

“Something that you'll know after some time,” he replied as he magicked into existence a anvil, hammer and a piece of jet black coal. “But just remember that you can destroy as easily as you can create with these things...” At his words, the things he brought to the room cracked and shattered, falling into a pile of tinkling shards and dust. Discord snapped his fingers and in a blinding flash of light the pair was back with the others, Discord standing at their head as Galen had been moved to stand in their ranks. “I thank you for your time, everypony, dog and man. To return home, I must direct you to little Miss Mac who has had the means to do so the entire time!”

Everypony traded flat stares between Big Mac and Discord while Galen slapped his face with a clang, muttering “Why didn't Ah think o' tha'?”

“Simply click your rear hooves together while saying 'there's no place like home' and POOF!” at his last word, Discord literally exploded in a nova of glitter. “You'll be back at Sweet Apple Acres, back to normal and everything along with a little something for your trouble,” his disembodied voice continued, a smile evident in its tone.

When it was evident Discord had nothing else to say to them, they all looked to Big Mac whose red cheeks had darkened a few shades and shuffled at suddenly being the center of attention. “Well?” Applejack said with a raised eyebrow. “Get on with it.”

Big Mac shuffled on her hooves a bit.

“Come on,” Pinkie Pie added with a smile. “Get on with it!”

Big Mac's blush deepened and she looked down at the floor.

Everyone sighed and yelled “Get on with it!”

A rumbling disembodied voice chimed in with a sigh a second later, “Oh, come on! Get on with it!”

Big Mac and everyone looked around for a startled moment before Big Mac took a deep breath and did as instructed, muttering “There's no place like home” while clacking her rear hooves together. After her fifth repetition, a white fog rose up from the ground and obscured everything. After some time, the fog dissipated and they looked around to see that they were all standing in front of the Apple's barn, everything still as it was. The moment Riley found his species and dimensions returned, he gave a high pitched bark of joy and ran off in search of Winona. “So that was a thing,” Pinkie Pie said with a giggle at seeing her familiar hooves and fur back to normal. She looked around a bit and let out a loud “Ooh!” as she spotted a small bag filled with five solid gold apples, complete with a small stem and a tiny leaf enameled the proper colors. “These are awesome!” she said with a bounce, her grin coming close to splitting her face in two as she balanced one on top of her head. “And it looks like Discord was nice enough to give us each one, Riley included!”

“Gotta admit,” Applejack with a smile at the apples. “At least he knows how ta give his gifts a bit o' flair... But at the least, Ah got some things Ah gotta think about tonight.”

“Me too,” Pinkie replied a bit quietly before her chipper attitude resurfaced a split second later. “But that doesn't mean you aren't getting out of our plans on Friday.” She finished with smoldering eyes and a brief kiss on Applejack's lips.

Applejack flushed a bit at that and chuckled with a goofy smile. “Ah wouldn't miss that for the world,” she said.

Galen cleared out his throat politely, a faint blush on his cheeks. “Yew still want me ta come inta town with ya, Jack?”

“Sure,” she replied with a smile. “And Ah'll even pay for lunch despite everything that happened.”

“Hey,” Galen replied defensively. “Ah was chased by some massive wolf made out o' wood! Ah think Ah deserve a bit o' slack fer extenuatin' circumstances.”

“Oh!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed with wide eyes. “You're lucky you survived without even a light mauling! We've had a few encounters with the timber wolves before and they're super mean. We were crazy lucky and Applejack only had a pinched ankle for our trouble.”

“Yeah,” Applejack said sternly as she looked up at Galen. “You should steer clear o' them things. Might extend your life by a good while.”

“Yew can say tha' again,” Galen groused with an amused snort. “Damn thing chased me an' Riley fer a couple miles easily. Didn't know what Ah was dealin' with an' lost an arrow ta it before we ran.”

“At least that was the only thing you lost,” Applejack said softly, a worried expression warring against her other emotions at his revelation. “If you're gonna go out again, make sure you drop by Fluttershy's again an' have her give you the low down on the Everfree.”

“Ah'll make sure ta do tha',” he replied with a nod. “Sorry 'bout worryin' yew like tha', Jack. Ah know Ah didn't mean fer any o' this to happen.”

“Nopony does, especially when Discord gets involved,” she said with a snort.

“I think this calls for a 'Galen didn't get mauled to death' lunch date,” Pinkie Pie said with a smirk.

“Ah think that sounds along the lines of what Ah was planning,” Applejack supplied. “How 'bout we meet up 'round one?”

“I'll reserve us a table,” Pinkie said before Galen could get a single word in protest out. “See you two there.” With that, Pinkie bounded off with her peculiar leaping gait, golden apple bobbing and bouncing as she made her way as she left the group to gather their things for market as well as the rest of their wits.

“Well, come on,” Applejack said as she made her way into the barn to get hitched to her wagon. “The day waits for nopony.”

Galen snorted at that with a slightly dazed smirk while he took his bow, quiver and bracer off to rest in the tool room just inside the barn, the bag of surprisingly heavy gold apples coming to join his belongings while they were off in town. After taking care of everything, he was just in time to catch Applejack and match her pace as she started out of the barn while Big Mac hurried around to pick up where he had left off on his chores. Galen left the farm with a little sigh and a whole new set of thoughts percolating in the back of his mind as he strode down the road by Applejack's side.

Author's Notes:

^run

Slightly sound (and slightly sinister) advice and some foreshadowing courtesy of Discord... Who else?

Also, let's see if you guys got the second, hidden reference