Author's Notes:

Hope you found the delay worth the wait

Once Galen finally woke up and made his way back to the farm around supper time, everypony except for the Apples had left. Apple Bloom had made her way back home and they were all lazing about the house, not even bothering with a familial meal as their appetites would surface at odd times or just not be hungry in general. Galen ended up sleeping for the majority of the day and turned in early after gathering his things from Applejack's room. The next morning, he was up bright and early with the sun to make his way back to town and ask Rarity if her offer of clothing was still available, though he left Riley at the farm since he wouldn't be gone for long by his reckoning.

He made his way through town and quickly found himself in front of the Boutique, an eyebrow cocked up at an angle at the establishments outward appearance. Hopefully, he could get a set of clothes here without having to convince her to use durable materials and simplicity. Spying the open sign in the window, Galen let himself in with the gentle chiming of a bell. Rarity was nowhere to be seen, but her voice called out melodiously from someplace in the back, “Just a moment~”

Galen moved around the foyer out of curiosity and looked at her various display pieces. There was a large variety of clothes, from elegant gowns fit for royalty to simple sun dresses with beautiful embroidery. To see that Rarity wasn't so much of a specialist as a pony who catered to any walk of life gave Galen some hope that he would have little trouble in getting some decent work clothes.

To say the least, he was a bit stunned as he left the Boutique about a half hour later with plans to drop by later today to pick up three sets of clothes. She knew exactly what he needed and even offered to make him a set of leather chaps to protect his jeans from the worst of any potential wear and tear. To say that Galen almost choked on his tongue would be about right. Rarity saw his expression and quickly reassured him that this leather was solely made from the bark of a certain tree that came off in strips and was put through a slight curing process. Galen shook his head and wandered over to Lero's place to check up on them since he remembered Rainbow being fairly drunk the other night.

A few moments after he knocked on the door, Lyra opened it up and smiled up at Galen. “Good morning, Galen. What brings you here?”

“Well, a quick trip inta town ta visit Rarity fer tha most part,” he replied. “That an' Ah wanted ta talk ta tha Mayor 'bout property prices and where Ah could set up a forge. Figured Ah'd drop by real quick an' check up on yew and yers.”

“Thank you for dropping by to check up on us,” she said with a small grin. “You could just ask Twilight all about that,” Lyra continued, “She's rather... knowledgeable in all kinds of topics. I'm sure she could answer most of what you need to know aside from the property prices.”

“Is she up? Wouldn't want ta disturb 'er if she isn't,” he replied.

“Yeah, she's up,” Lyra replied. “She's just being lazy right now. Come on in and I'll go let them know you're here.”

“Thanks,” he replied as Lyra let him in. He moved to the love seat from before and sat down as Lyra made her way back to their bedroom. He didn't wait long as Lyra, Twilight and Lero came in a few moments later, settling on the couch across the room from him.

“Morning,” Lero said with a grin. “Rainbow's sleeping right now, though she'll be up and about by the time she smells breakfast cooking. You eat yet?”

“Not yet, though there's still plenty o' leftovers back at Jack's place,” he replied.

“It won't be any trouble if you joined us,” he said with a smile.

“If yew insist,” Galen said with an answering grin.

“I do,” he said with a laugh. “So, you had some questions for Twilight?”

“Yeah,” Galen said as his smile faded away as he got into a more serious mindset. “Ah was wondering 'bout the building and noise regulations fer a forge in Ponyville.”

“So that's what you want to ask from the Princess?” she asked with raised eyebrows.

“No,” Galen said with a slightly angry expression. “Ah won't be askin' a thing from 'er unless it's ta get me home. If there's a way home. Ah'm jus' gonna take out a loan ta get started. Thing is that Ah don' even know how much things're worth, what ya use fer money or if ya barter.”

“Well, we have a common currency called a bit, though bartering is still common enough around the smaller villages and communities,” Twilight began as she straightened her back and raised her head to begin lecturing. “Since you're usually buying from the source here, you can haggle with the vendors for a better deal, though you can't do that so much in the larger cities because of the merchant guilds establishing a stable market price. As far as assigning monetary value, the standard of the bit revolves around a standard of living. Years ago, Princes Celestia wanted to eliminate the effect of greed on the lower classes of her citizens and through a number of laws changed the total value of a bit and regulation of the set prices of basic necessities like food. What that means is that for anypony to live a standard of life, from rental of an apartment, feeding themselves and even earning slightly more than they spend in their weekly needs so that they can prosper instead of just surviving. That being said, anypony working for an employer will earn no less than twenty bits a week in highly populated cities and no less than fifteen bits in towns and villages like Ponyville and the like.”

Galen blinked a few times as his mind digested the information and gave it few minutes to ponder what that meant. To say the least, it made Galen very happy to hear that for the most part, wealth and happiness weren't one and the same. However, he still had very little actual information on how much it would cost for him to purchase everything he needed. His consternation must have been evident as Lero cleared his throat and nudged Twilight's shoulder with a small smile. She looked over at him and understanding came to her a moment later.

“Oh, right,” she said with a small blush. “It's not often I get to explain our monetary system and couldn't help myself.” She paused for a moment as her horn lit up and a book suddenly popped into existence in front of her which fell about an inch before her aura surrounded it and kept it afloat before opening and flipping through several pages before stopping partway through it. “This is a catalog of building supplies from Canterlot, their set bulk price and the quantities per unit. This is the same guide that each contractor uses to help provide an estimate for their customers. So what would you need as far as materials go?”

“Well, Ah'd need at least enough granite fer the forge, chimney an' foundation, so tha's simple enough,” he began. “Then a twelve foot high roof surrounding the foundation with four or five foot cross beams an' supports so Ah can maneuver heavy projects 'round without harming maself. Would only need walls fer tha sides. Fer tha rest, Ah'd say a small five room cottage in tha back would be good enough fer me an' Riley ta live comfortably.”

“Hmmm...” Twilight hummed to herself. “What would the length and width of the forge's foundation be?”

“Twenty foot by forty would be reasonable, though thirty by fifty would be better,” he replied. “Tha forge would be a ten by ten by four an' set back just over halfway.”

“I would say roughly two tonnes would suffice with a little left over,” she mused aloud. “That should run about two thousand bits or a little less since you're buying such a large quantity. The lumber will run about one thousand four hundred with the sizes you gave me. Would you want a contractor from Canterlot or would you prefer a local group?”

“Local would be fine,” he said. “If Ah'm going ta be livin' in tha community, Ah should support it, right?” Lero and his mares gave Galen big smiles at that. “Ah'll need ta do some shopping fer tools as well. Ah take it there's some forges up in Canterlot?”

“There are a couple if I remember correctly, though most are run by unicorns since they can shape the metal by magic and don't need to use tools to work the metal,” she replied. “Earth pony and pegasi smiths have slowly faded away, though there are some around since their talents led them to becoming a smith.”

“Ah'll have ta visit them in tha' case,” Galen with a crooked smile. “Can't make much with only mah lonely little hammer ta help.”

“That hammer's not so little if you ask me,” Lero said with a laugh.

“It is when compared ta some o' tha hammers Ah used ta repair some o' tha farming tools in tha village,” he said with a snort. “Had ta use a ten pound sledge ta repair a plow once. Mah arm was sore fer a few days after tha' piece o' work.”

Lero winced at the thought of such grueling work. “I guess you're right about that. So, do you think that's all you'll need? Think you'll be happy with just that?”

Galen took a few moments to roll Lero's words around. He thought about what he could do with his life here, a forge to call his own and a community to provide a service for. If he couldn't get home, at least he would have a life here that he would be satisfied with. If they did eventually find him a safe way home, he would stay long enough to work off his loan and leave it to some pony who could make the most of it. Could he be happy with that? “Yeah,” he finally said. “Ah can be happy with tha'.”

Applejack had just made her way down to the kitchen when a knock came from the front door. Curious as to who it could be at such an early hour, she made her way over and found Pinkie Pie smiling cheerfully back at her.

“Good morning, Applejack,” she said with a big grin as she lifted a small, steaming basket up that gave off the scent of warm cinnamon rolls. “I brought some rolls!”

“Ah can see that,” she replied with a snort. “So, what brings ya out here?”

“Oh, I just thought we could talk about a few things,” Pinkie replied. “That's all.”

“Oh?” Applejack said as she slightly raised an eyebrow. “Well, why don't you come on in. Ah was about ta have some breakfast, so you may as well join me.”

“Okie dokie,” Pinkie replied as she came in, humming merrily. “So what's on the menu?”

“Just some fresh fruit and apple juice,” she replied. “Haven't eaten too much since we're not all that busy right now.”

“I see,” Pinkie said as she tossed the basket up on the table and took a seat.

“So,” Applejack said once she gathered her modest meal together and took a seat herself. “What did you want to talk about?”

“Us,” Pinkie replied without any preamble. “I want to get to know you better and I'm sure you'd want to do the same with me since we're both looking in Galen's direction.”

Applejack blushed slightly and gave a little cough. “Ah suppose that's true enough,” she replied. “But ta be honest, there really ain't that much ta me that you don't know already. Ah'm pretty dull once ya peel back all our adventures. Just a simple, hard workin' mare that tries her best to look out for her family and friends.”

Pinkie smiled a bit sadly at her words and said softly, “Well, that's the mare I want to know.”

“Oh, come on, Pinkie,” Applejack scoffed. “Ah'm sure you'd get bored with me quick enough. You're a cute mare and Ah'm sure you'd have your pick of the stallions and herd mates if you put yourself out there.”

“You'd think that,” she replied as she brought a gleaming apple to her mouth and took a small bite. “But that isn't what I want. I want somepony... someone that I have to work for. Plus I kinda tried the whole dating thing in the past and it didn't work out too well for me...”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” she said with a half smile. “Turns out I get reeeally nervous when I'm trying to make a good first impression and I try to over compensate which leads me to get a little hyper and that makes everything worse because I realize what I'm doing and that makes me get self conscious as I worry about how I'm starting to make a scene or a complete fool of myself in front of the stallion I'm interested in...”

Her words were suddenly cut off by a tan hoof in her mouth. Applejack looked at her from across the table with an unreadable expression. She let out a small huff of air as she leaned back and took her hoof away from Pinkie's mouth, her expression changing to one of slight annoyance. “Ah never thought you'd be one ta get nervous or worry about appearances when it comes ta getting somepony ta like ya.”

“Being friends is one thing,” Pinkie replied before a slight blush dusted her cheeks. “But it's a whole different game when I'm trying to get them to like like me...”

Applejack snorted in amusement before she distracted herself with a cinnamon roll. She took a bite to buy her some time as she just looked at Pinkie across the table. She still sported her blush and was fidgeting in her seat in abject nervousness, but now that she said what she had, Applejack spotted the faintest of worry lines in her friends expression. Pinkie really was worried that if they went for Galen on their own, that if Applejack didn't want to deepen their relationship, they would find their selves at odds against one another. “So, how'd you figure out Ah was even starting to look at Galen like that? Ah mean, Ah wasn't even sure until you asked me about it.”

“Well, I kinda had a hunch, but I couldn't help but notice how your eyes lingered on him and how you looked back at him every so often,” Pinkie said with a sheepish smile. “I may be good at setting ponies up every once in a while, but I'm still pretty inexperienced when I try to put my own advice to use.”

“Ah would think you've been reading too many romance novels, but Ah gotta say that he was lookin' mighty fine the other morning as he chopped up some wood,” Applejack said with a half smile.

“So, you don't mind the fact that he has hands or anything like that?” Pinkie asked with a tilt of her head.

“What do ya mean?”

“Well, I remember Dash grumbling a while back about how you thought they were weird and completely brushed Lero off as someone you would never consider getting to know more than as a casual acquaintance,” Pinkie supplied.

Applejack looked off in the middle distance at that, her face flaring into a brilliant blush as her own words came back to haunt her. “Ah suppose Ah did say that... Ah guess that Ah don't mind 'em so much since Ah've actually spent more time with Lero after Dash and the others got with him. He's good to them and works hard to take care of them, even when they're trying ta do the same. Guess it took a while for me ta look past his body ta really see what it was that they found in him... A strong stallion with a stronger heart.”

“I didn't really have that problem, but I thought I really had a shot with Lero, Dash and the others, but I don't think his heart had enough room for one more mare in it when things started to settle down...” Pinkie said with a melancholic expression. “It would have just ended up in one or more broken hearts if I had tried, so I didn't and saved us all the trouble.”

“Oh, Pinkie...” she said lamely.

“It's alright,” Pinkie said with a curt wave of her hoof. “What's done is done. I knew it was only a crush and I kept it at that. Anyway, that's beside the point. I want us to keep being friends, even more possibly, especially since we're aiming for the same stallion. I don't want either of us to feel like the other is taking more of his time or trying to get him to like either of us more than the other. I've seen too many relationships go sour because of jealousy and misunderstandings. I don't want that for us...” she finished in a tiny yet firm voice.

Applejack was taken aback by her quietly passionate words. Gone was the Pinkie that she had known, that cheery and always optimistic pink pony that could quite literally bend over backwards to accommodate somepony. This Pinkie was strong and unerringly frank with her words. This Pinkie had found someone she wanted in her life and, if she had to, would go head to head for his affections if she couldn't convince Applejack to see her as something more than she appeared to be. Wanted her to truly see her as who she is.

“That'll never happen,” Applejack said firmly as she tentatively reached a hoof halfway across the table to Pinkie. “Ah won't let it happen and neither should you. We'll do this together or not at all.”

Pinkie smiled and reached her own hoof across to meet hers. “Together,” she said happily with a backbone of unforgiving steel.

“So, now that that's settled, how 'bout we finish breakfast?” Applejack said with a little laugh.

“Sounds good to me,” Pinkie replied with a little giggle.

With that, the two mares began to slowly eat their meal with lightening hearts and a healthy dose of optimism for the future. As they talked, they began delving slightly deeper into topics than friends usually went into as they went about getting to know each other better. As the time rolled on by without their noticing, everypony that came by just left them be as they were oblivious to anypony outside the room, opting instead to either briskly go about what they needed and left or just went out to take care of their minor errands. That is until Galen finally made his way back to the farm...

Galen trudged his way back to the farm by five and made his way to the kitchen for a glass of water before a reasonably well deserved nap. Riley had come up to him for a quick pat on his head before running off, so that was one less thing to worry about. Over the course of the day, he had been quasi-molested by Rarity's magic in her moderately overzealous attempts to get his attire as well fitting and functional as possible after her initial measurements, though he had left her establishment with a modest wardrobe in a sturdy canvas bag that could be reused. Of course that was after Twilight dumped huge volumes of both numbers and information on him, complete with a comprehensive sheaf of papers for him to peruse within the next few days. He hadn't even made it up to the Mayor's office before he had been ran down to the barely functioning husk he was now. For him to walk into Applejack's kitchen with barely half a mind was a feat in and of itself, but it was something involving that basest of male instincts that made him pause at the doorway before entering. He looked in through his sleepy haze at both Pinkie Pie and Applejack as they looked back at him with slowly widening eyes. He had a very uneasy feeling as he looked at the pair, so he slowly backed away and fervently prayed to whatever divine being of this world with the remainder of his feeble energy that he would survive the encounter.

“Smart move, sonny,” Granny cackled from her seat in the corner.

“Huh?” he replied dumbly as he turned to look at her.

“Least ya got good instincts,” she replied with a wide grin. “Maybe ya should just head back on ta bed since ya look like something the cat dragged in. Ah'll leave something fer ya ta drink in a bit.”

Galen was too tired to respond reasonably, so he just followed the wizened mare's advice and went back to the guest room, only staggering once in his seemingly endless fatigue before laying helplessly on the bed he borrowed from his hosts. He had been up for over eleven hours and had done little actual physical work, yet he was so tired he hadn't enough energy to spare to worry about some things. He hadn't felt this way since he was in his final classes in high school several years ago and never thought he'd feel this way again since his graduation. He took some small solace in the fact that he'd never face the awkward gathering of relatively faceless names from an online graduation years after the fact, even if he hadn't come to a land inhabited by magical ponies and mythical beasts of legend.

Applejack looked back at Pinkie with a slightly shaken expression before she chuckled. “Ah guess we'll finish this discussion later?”

Pinkie gave her a full bodied laugh as she hopped off her seat and walked around the table before stopping beside her and said, “The usual spot. Wednesday. Just after lunch.”

“It's a date,” Applejack replied jokingly despite Pinkie blushing at her words.

“Definitely,” she replied softly before giving Applejack a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth and darted off through the back door.

Applejack stared after her as she raised her hoof to the spot that was kissed and smiled softly. Her brief state of shock was cut short by the low laughter from the other room as Granny Smith walked through. She looked at Applejack with a wide grin until Applejack finally asked a gruff, “What?”

“Nothin',” she replied with her nose pointed to the sky. “Just getting Galen a glass o' water since you two scared 'im off with your mare talk. Poor colt looked worn enough ta have worked two full fields without you two scaring him off like a territorial timber wolf.”

Applejack flushed at her grandmare's words and looked away slightly before replying, “Ain't like he was walking in on us during something private or we was talkin' 'bout him. He could have gotten what he wanted without a fuss.”

“May as well have been,” Granny replied with a brief cackle. “Don't think Ah didn't hear 'bout your date this Wednesday either. Ah'll make lunch like usual an' make sure you leave room ta snack with your new marefriend. Earth below, help us if Applejack musses this up...” she finished with a playful grin.

“Don't you worry none about me,” Applejack replied hotly.

“You know Ah always will,” Granny said as she walked over and brought Applejack into a warm hug. “Just want you ta be happy. That's all.”

“Thanks, Granny,” she said quietly as she nuzzled back.

“Now, if you'll let me go, Ah got a glass of water ta fetch for that poor boy,” Granny said a moment later. Applejack gave a little laugh and broke away from her.

“Thanks for keepin' tabs on us, Granny,” Applejack said with a half smile. “Glad ta know we got somepony lookin' out for us still, even if Big Mac and Ah'm a little old for it.”

“You're never too old for me not ta worry over,” Granny replied as she turned the tap on and slipped a glass under the stream. “Maybe once you're the same age as me, Ah'll stop worryin'.”

Applejack snorted at that, a wide smile spreading across her face. “Right,” she simply said. “Well, we got the chores caught up till Tuesday. Figure Ah can take the initiative tomorrow an' try to keep everything manageable.”

Granny just nodded in agreement as she turned the tap off and stepped back from the sink. “Applejack?” Granny asked to get her attention. When she had her attention, Granny continued, “Just remember that even though Pinkie ain't a farm mare like you, she still works just as hard as you do. Maybe even harder some days.” Applejack tilted her head in a gesture that she only half accepted what Granny said. “Just trust me on this one, Applejack. Ah know from experience. Make sure you keep that in mind if you start something with that cute mare.”

Applejack made a slight choking noise as her cheeks flushed slightly at her words. “Ah...” she began, “Ah'll keep that in mind, Granny. Thanks for the advice.”

“No problem, young'un,” Granny replied as she left the kitchen.

“Ah don't think she ever told us that story before,” Applejack mused as she looked aimlessly around the kitchen. She sat back down at the table and pondered a few things about the next day that she wanted to get done. As she sat there, she found herself buffeted up on an indescribable feeling. One that she hadn't thought she would feel again for at least a while more. The feeling of happy elation that she not only had a date in a couple days, but also that fluttery sensation of nervousness that always came with starting a new relationship. After a time, she shook her head with a smile and muttered to herself, “Ah'm as excited as some school filly with a new crush.”

So with a rueful chuckle, Applejack got up and went about preparing dinner, a constant and unwavering smile on her face for the rest of the night.