I wandered down a dull dirt path through the Apple family orchard, the smell of fresh apple blossoms on the genlte wind. Harvest would be starting soon, but until then I was free and clear to do what I want. Granted this wasn't exactly what I wanted to be doing, walking out in the orchards in the rain. As soft a rain as it was I still didn't really enjoy it.

Normally I would be out with Jinx, going to the park or taking her out for lunch, but she'd disappeared before I could find her. The usually preppy mare was gone entirely, not in her home, not in the fields, not in town, just gone. I couldn't help but take it a little personally, I had done everything I could to make it apparent I was interested, but every time she would always just chuckle and wander off.

I knew it wasn't on me, she clung to me when we were out, but her clingyness gave her away. She was trying to hide whenever we went out. But today there wasn't going to be anymore hiding, today I gonna lay my cards on the table and get an answer. Subtlety wasn't working, and I would be far more useful in the direct.

I just needed to find her first.

But for now I could only plan how I would do it and stroll through the orchards. It was warm, but the rain dripping down was starting to soak through my clothes. The ponies had a weird way of dealing with the weather, but I couldn't complain, light showers on and off for the week suited me just fine.

"Hello!?" a tender voice cried out, followed by a loud rustling, "anypony!?"

I stopped dead, spinning on my heel and stepping past the bushes that lined the rather overgrown path through the orchard. "Jinx?" I called. I looked around and spotted her laying limp on the grass, her wooden cart was missing and her lame back legs sat limp in the dirt and leaves. "Jinx, the hell happened?" I asked with as soft a tone as I could, carefully hurrying over.

Jinx spotted me, showing off a wide smile as she lifted herself from the damp undergrowth, "Jack, hi!"

I walked to the area under the trees, turning to the path and tracking her fall with my finger, "Right, so what happened?"

Jinx just giggled and hugged my calf as I ducked down before her. "I tripped is all... I felt like running. It's my fault--"

I traced a broken path from the bushes to where her cart was sitting a few feet away, "So, you were runnin' then ya tripped. Then ya just laid here?" I scooped her up, letting her underdeveloped legs sit cradled in my right arm, her body curled up around my left shoulder with my arm curled around her back, "All this from running?" She was cold to the touch.

Jinx just giggled a painfully tired giggle, "Like I said, it's ma' fault--"

I found her cart, the wheel was missing. I decided to leave it, better to get the mare herself somewhere safe. It was just a cart, she had plenty back at the orchard. "Girl, ya' shouldn't have to worry about hurtin' yourself just because ya' wanna run."

Jinx adjusted her forelegs around my shoulder as I carried us both back onto the path, "I know, it's my fault. I know I can't be runnin' it don't work with--"

I stopped dead, a loud snap rang out as my boots crunched down on a twig, "Jinx... I uh, you ain't got no where to be, right?"

She let out a soft mumble and rested her chin against my arm, her body crumbled and splayed in my arms, "We always do something fun, ain't no reason why we can't right now!"

I took a deep breath, gently moving my thumb over her weak legs, "I don't exactly know how fun this is gonna be, but I got a bit of a surprise. Wasn't gonna show ya for a while, but I ain't about to let this crap happen again." I ran my hand from her back and up to her head, "A girl wanna run, she's gonna run." I nodded heartily, my hat lurching forward as I threw myself into my gesture, "Ain't hell gonna stop me from makin' that happen."

Jinx just kicked her otherwise immobile legs in the soft breeze, "Jack, ya talkin' all weird."

I grumbled and adjusted my hat before walking on towards home, a small ranch style outside of the orchards, "Sorry.Uh...lot on my mind is all. Sorry if I don't make sense." I realized I was talking ahead of myself, explaining things she had no idea about.

At least as long as I'd known her she'd had her back legs broken and laid cart. But that was it, she just used a cart, parked her rear into it and ran around, no supports, no restraints, just sitting in a cart half in-half out. My solution wasn't much better, but it would at least give her a little more security in her movements.

I walked us down to the edge of the orchard, pausing before we left the trees. The rain had picked up into a decent patter, sending some water off the edge of my hat in rather large drips. I maneuvered my hat off and up to Jinx's head. "You okay?" I asked, fitting my hat to her head.

Jinx sighed softly. "Yeah." With her admission of comfort I walked on, heading slowly through the open ground between the orchard and the town. Most of the farmers lived in the orchard land or on the surrounding fields, Jinx included, but me, I didn't do the daily work, accounting for the Apple Family meant I could live in town, work on the orchards, and have a tidy commute every so often.

The walk was calm, the rain dripping down over my skin cold and smooth. The heavy plods of my boots turned to sharp taps as I stepped from the dirt path to the cobblestone roads of Ponyville proper.

Jinx tensed up as we entered the town. "Jack, don't like it out here ya know." I decided to take a quick detour to a small shop, someplace she could feel safe without the crowds. I found a warm looking cafe that looked mostly and stepped inside. I shook the water off my coat and took my hat back from Jinx. "Jack... your hat smells funny."

I chuckled softly and walked into the warm cafe. "Why were you smellin' my hat?"

Jinx went quiet as I found a booth off in the corner. "Um...reasons."

"Hmm." I set her down in the seat next to the wall and sat down next to her. The cafe was a pleasing cream color, with the deep smell of coffee and pastry stuck in the air. I leaned back against the wall and looked around, making sure the cafe wasn't going to suddenly flood with ponies. "Well, seems like a good a place as any." I put my hands on the table, trapping my fingers against the wood. "Jinx, I gotta ask, we're friends right?"

Jinx mumbled and shifted closer to me. "Ya' don't really gotta ask. Ya' know the answer."

I nodded, interlacing my fingers and looking down at the dull white table, "I uh- then- Jinx, I've been a bit obvious. With all the hanging about we do."

Jinx cocked her head, "I don't--"

I tapped the table with my wrist. "Jinx come on, I ain't just stickin' around to be friends." I lifted my hat and ran my fingers through my hair, "Do ya really not realize?"

Jinx looked up at me, her bright silver mane jumping as she lowered her view back down. "Jack I know, I've known. I ain't dumb, but you don't get it." She kicked her legs off the end of the chair, "Jack, ain't gonna work. Ain't never gonna work. No matter how much I want it to, or you want it to, it just ain't."

It felt like someone had just swung a hammer into my gut. I took a deep breath and held it before speaking. "Can I ask why?"

"Jack I can't walk!" Jinx turned to the wall, pressing her hoof against it and rubbing the paneling. "Don't need me. Ya need somepony that can move on her own! I'm fine as is, don't need to be takin' up a good pony like you with my problems. I just...I don't want you to get stuck with me."

I rubbed my face, my eyes a bit blurry from the bright light after sundown. "Jinx, I'd be lucky to have you with me. Ain't either of us gonna be stuck...." I rubbed her side. "Jinx, I love ya, I love your smile, I love your voice, and you telling me not to isn't gonna stop me."

Jinx looked up at me, her eyes slightly watery. "You seen those little things ponies been makin' with you folk, humans, the little pony legged babies. Sat-somethin'."

I rubbed my chin, thinking back to the last few years. Hybrid kids, half pony half human had popped up around five yeras ago. "Right, but what they have to do with it?"

"You'd make a good daddy." Jinx started nodding shallowly, "You and a good mare, a walkin' mare, could make a good one, a healthy little foal. An' I'm sure I ain't the only filly you been talkin' to." She leaned against me, hugging my arm tight between her forelegs. "I ain't worth being all torn up over, ain't worth going all out of yer' way for me."

I took a deep breath, my stomach in a tight knot. "So...this is a self hating thing?" I pulled my arm free and wrapped it around her, squeezing her tight against my side until her head was laid against my pec. "Well then let me tell ya' I ain't about to leave ya. Not without a damn good reason."

Jinx wilted under my touch, "Jack, I'm tellin' ya...I ain't--"

I took a deep breath, brushing my pony's mane with my fingers. "I made a promise to a poor old dog a whole hell of a long time ago, so don't you tell me to leave, don't you tell me not to care. Ain't right or fair for you to tell me that."

Jinx scooted closer, nuzzling against my side. "Jack, everypony's gonna laugh at ya--"

"Let em." I closed my eyes, basking in the soft texture of her coat and the thin skin of her ear between my fingertips. "I'll shut em up."

Jinx leaned against my side. "Ya know, I don't even know if I could have foals--"

I shook my head, letting my hand roam from her ear to her cheek, cupping her gently as she leaned against my side. "I'll have you. That's enough." I rubbed her withers, her cold coat slowly soaking up the warmth of the room. "Jinx, I ain't gonna force ya, but you give me this chance and I promise--"

Jinx let out a sharp shaky breath. "Don't make a filly a promise ya can't keep." Her voice continued to tremble as she breathed slowly in and out. "Ain't a good idea."

I let my hand rest against her cutiemark. "I wasn't planning to."

Jinx's voice slowly leveled out. "Jack, why ya gotta make things hard?"

I opened my eyes and spotted a pony waiting off to the side. "Cause I'm stubborn. And I see something I want." I squeezed her side, getting a soft grunt in return. "And she's being mean to herself, so someone's gotta stop her."

Jinx pressed herself against my chest. "I'm being honest."

I shook my head and took my hat off, setting it down on the table before us. "No you're not. You want me to be honest? I'll be real honest."

"Jack...."

I took a deep breath and looked down at her. "I see a mare who don't give herself any credit. And a mare who needs to start. Been talkin' with you for six months darlin', I know who ya are, and I know who you think you are. Two real different things too."

Jinx nipped my coat. "Jack, stop it."

I shook my head. "No, I'm tellin' the damn truth." I pushed her back and planted a kiss on her crown. "Beautiful mare before me, yet she thinks she's evil for some reason. Foolish you ask me." I held my head against her crown for a bit. "Now you got a place to stay tonight?"

Jinx squeezed me with her forelegs. "Yeah...I think I do."

I smiled down as she lifted her green eyes to me. "I'd appreciate the company, even if it's just for the night--"

Jinx shook her head. "What did I say? Don't make a filly a promise ya can't keep?" She kicked her back legs in the air. "You got an extra room. 'Bout time somepony used it."

I took a deep breath and dug some bits out of my pocket, a tip for the quiet space. "Guest room. Filly, you'd freeze, ain't no way I'm lettin' you freeze all on your own."

Jinx smiled as I scooped her up. "Dang...gonna make a filly blush like that."

I hummed softly. "No, not just yet. I think it's about time you got some actual rest, a good night's sleep'll do ya good." I walked out into the rain again, slowly putting my hat back on my head. "Warm night."

Jinx nodded slowly. "Yep."

"Ready to go home?"

Jinx sighed and leaned into my arms. "So what? I got a home now? No more moochin'?"

I shook my head. "Nope, ain't gonna let my mare sit out on her own in some damp barn." I started off towards home. "Gotta treat her like she deserves." I bounced her up and against my shoulder. "Jinx...thank you."

Jinx shook her head and nestled in against my shoulder. "Oh don't start...I'll get all teary."