I was ahead of schedule, Twilight had left behind a list of things to do around the library while she was out; However, I had to filter out most of oddies that were typically written onto a “to-do” list whenever she was in a hurry to get somewhere and felt randomly obligated to keep my claws busy while she was out.

Now mind you, I don’t mind working around home, just, dusting the couch?

Recounting the rings of the tree?

Brushing the leaves?

Vacuuming the stairs?

I don’t even think we had a vacuum in months, she mostly used her magic to get that done...

So, doing the tasks I knew were logically correct (like organizing loose books, cleaning up the apartment upstairs, etc.) I managed to get it all done before the sun started to sink over the horizon. I remember how quick everything happened too: While I was writing the letter to give Zecora the heads up, Twilight was absently making that task list right before Applejack came knocking to simply say “Hi”, however, the frantic Twilight was buzzing with something about getting to bottom of the “Thunder” she kept wondering aloud about.

Both me and Applejack were confused by it all but I was used to Twilight whenever she is in complete scientist mode. Yet, this time, she was even more troubled by whatever she was delving into this time around. I shrugged it off knowing that she can get a handle on things. Just hope that it’s something that can help Jeff.

Speaking of which I didn’t pay much attention to it at first, but the smell of home cooking caught my senses before the Sweet Apple Acres farm was in view. Sound like I’ll be catching up with them just before supper. Boy, I hope they don’t mind me coming by, I have forgotten to grab something before leaving earlier.

Recently, Twilight and I have found out that I’ve been growing more of my dragon attributes with each passing day. However, nothing really special at first, denser scales, slight growth in height but the most recent notable feature now, I could pick up some scents from a distance. Can’t really say what exactly but anything foodlike is first. Go figure right?

The farm appeared right where it always was, all but the main Apple house was dark. As I approached the archway into the front yard, I could hear voices inside. Even Jeff’s voice was mixed in. I can guess the blunt, honest Apple Family have welcomed the human into their home nicely.

When I knocked on the door,

“Can ye get that, probably Spike or somepony.” I hear Granny Smith speak up, “I’ma bit busy here if ye can’ see.”

“Alright,” I hear the deep drawl of Big Mac’s voice that accompanied the deep hoof falls of the big pony. When the door opened, I looked up to see the Apple red stallion fill the doorway as he looked down at me with a smirk.

“Eyup, It’s spike,” He spoke over his shoulder, “Come in Spike.”

When he moved out of the way, I started to walk in,

“Great to see ya folks, I take it things have been okay since I was last here?” I asked cheerfully as the big earth pony closed the door.

“Nnope, been a slow harvest, Don’ think we’ll gunna make the cut this buckin’ season.” Couldn’t tell if Big Mac was frowning or his face was just that stoic.

“Not ta menntion’ the human that came by today...” He pointed outwards in the living room, i looked over to see Granny Smith was sitting with Jeff. Good at least he didn’t get broken or something while hanging out here at the Apple farm.

“Oh dear, I think I’ll pass the word on and see if anypony will step up to help out if you need it.”

“Ayup…” Big Mac replied as he vanished into the dining room. Now, turning my attention to these two and, why does Jeff have his shirt off?

“Hey Jeff how are you-” I walked over to the Couch they sat at and I could see Granny with a pair of scissors, snipping away at what must have been his stitches. Doesn’t seemed that bad since only a little blood was coming out of the- Wait, STITCHES?!

“-Sweet Merciful Celestia! What happened?” I Dropped the new comic I was carrying with my mouth hanging in shock as I could see Granny Smith dabbing away the droplets of blood that came out as she cleared away his stitches.

“Oh, hey spike.” Jeff waved to me while he held himself still, he was hunched forward while Granny was carefully snipping the remaining stitches and removing them with the care of a nurse.

“A few stitches popped out, didn’t notice till Applejack pointed out the blood stains on the back of my shirt.”

“Oh, but why is Granny-” I pointed to her in confusion.
“She said she was a Medic in the volunteer unit out of Ponyville, so, she dug that out-” he gestured towards a strange looking medical kit on the table in front of them,
“-and started taking the rest of the stitches out.”
“B-but why Jeff? Shouldn’t we go see the doctor-”

“Ah Hang it Spikey,” Granny finally spoke up as she gently pulled another small section of stitches out of one of the two massive cuts on his back. They did look like they were healing nicely.
“I noticed his wounds were healin’ better than I assumed compared ta what he told me, so instead of fixin’ this crap work, I just insisted on takin’ them out.”
“Riight.” I sat down beside them.
“Of course, I didn’t realize how big these sword cuts were till he took his shirt off.”
“AH, wait, Sword cuts? Aren’t those claw marks?”
“Yea, if these were done by a beastie with two, very wide mandibles, and ta my knowin’ there ain’t such a creature in existence.”
“But...how?”

“I don’t know either spike.” Jeff sighed looking forward at the table, “If I remembered how they got there, I would tell you, but-” he winced when she started on the second scar, snipping and removing stitch thread with ease.

“So that means you’ll be removing the rest from his body right?”

“Eh, just tha chest maybe, but his face he’ll have ta see the Doc if that is to be-”
“So that means the doctor lied about these cuts being claw marks.”
“Eyup.” she snipped a few more stitches, removing them then carefully cleaned away the blood that oozed out of them. I began to notice Jeff didn’t really flinch with the thin threads being pulled out with care. I think, after what Twilight had told me about him before, I think he can handle this kind of pain like a boss.
“That must mean he knows more than he lets on.”
“Obviously.” I chimed in.
“Ye nailed it on the head there sunny.”

“That lying piece of shi-” I watch Granny causally bop him up the back of his head, that was when I watch the human finally grimace with either pain or humiliation.
“Language Jeffy.”
“Yes, ma’am…” He grumbled.

I watched the human go quiet while granny worked her way down the second back cut. It didn’t take her long before she got up to move around the human.

“Scooch back Jeffy; spikey, please move so I can finish this.”
“Oh yeah, no problem.” I got up from my spot on the couch while I watch Jeff slide himself back some before Granny Smith sat back down, this time she started on the two more nastier looking marks on the front of his body.

One that could almost reach around the right side of his body, the other clearly straight down his left side of his chest down to just above the stomach.

“Now these two, one looks like he was thrown through a window the other, a grapple from a real monster in the forest,” Granny Observed apparently more accurately as she started the process of removing the surgical thread again.

“I think this one.” Jeff Pointed to the one over his chest, “Was when I crashed the other when that thing, you guys call a Manticore, grabbed me and threw me into a tree.”

“Who took on a Manticore?” I heard Applejack’s voice as her lighter hoof steps came into the living room.
“That would be me,” Jeff raised a hand as he leaned back some more allowing more clearance to the stitches. I was only thankful the power crystal bulbs Twilight had installed in the farmhouse made everything very well lit. Can’t imagine Granny Smith working on Jeff like this by Lantern light.

“I did hear ‘bout that, didn’ think you-uhh…” she went quiet, I looked over to see she had come over beside the couch and there she was, staring away at Jeff.
“My gosh, Twilight went on ‘bout yer injuries sugarcube; but-but didn’t expect it to look like you’ve gone rounds out there.”

“Not surprised myself, taken what I went through.”
“Yeeah…” Applejack trailed off while Granny removed the last of the stitches from the second wound.

“There ya go, Jeff, since yer shirt is hangin’ out to dry, ye should be fine with it off.” I watch Granny started to put her tools away into the strange metal kit before closing it up. Jeff slowly stood up to stretch.
“No biggy, Need to let the scars air out anyway.” He turned to start walking around the couch when he stopped to look at Applejack with a puzzled look on his face. I too looked back at Applejack.

“Uh-oh.” I noticed it too.

“Uhh, Applejack?” I asked her, moved to the side to let Granny walk by with the kit in her mouth before venturing upstairs with it. I walked up to Applejack who had her jaw slightly slack as she was staring at me. I could see her green eyes shifting slightly as if she was looking me over. Didn’t think taking my shirt off made that much of a difference.

I walked up to her, whose eyes only slightly widen as I slowly waved a hand in front of her face, “Uhm, Applejack? You lost or somethin’?” I stood in front of her with a hand on my waist, confused on why she staring at me like as if she was looking at something incredibly hot.

I shook my head before waving my hand in front of her face again, “You like what you see or something?”

“Uh-wha- beg ya pardon?” she snapped back to sentience shaking her head, “I uh, I don-don’ know, right, supper should be ready, I’ma check on Mac to see if it is-” she took a quick step to the side, bumping into a side table. She chuckled after quickly catching the flower vase that almost tipped over.

“Careful,” I smirked at her while she sheepishly smiled back.
“Right.” she paused, about to be lost in staring at me again. As if this was the first time she saw any male with our a shirt, even though her kind was naked twenty-four/seven.

“Uhm-” Could almost map out the blush that started to fade through her weathered face.
“If ye done gawking at that human, get ye hide in the kitchen befer ye burn the barn down!” Granny’s voice came from up the stairs. Spike, Applejack and I all snapped a glance up the stairs, in a moment of puzzlement.
“Right, on it Granny!” she called back before quickly turning around to hurry into the kitchen.

After watching the swing doors close, I looked down at Spike, who, like me, was standing with arms folded. looking on shaking his head at what he too just witnessed.

“Was that what I think it was?” I pointed towards the dining room.

“MmHmm.” he nodded looking up at me before nudging me with an elbow, “I think you caught another pair of eyes on you buddy.”
“Right, Like catching the eye of your Rarity?” He turned sharply, stamping a foot into the floor.
“Hey, Don’t you dare think about that again Mister.” he pointed at me with a glare, “She may have dressed you while unconscious, but doesn’t mean she is into you like that.”
“Oh bull little guy, I heard her the other day while trying to talk to Twilight about not looking at me like that.”
“What?” he blinked after I mentioned Twilight as if I was talking about his mother or something.
“Yeah, she was acting Like Bones, not really taking any care in my body in an attracted matter, she even watched Doctor Horse put stitches in these,” pointing to my now healed scars, “and did not blush once at my shirtless appearance.”
“Who’s bones?” He tilted his head stuck on the name.
“Oh yeah,” I covered my face with a palm before waving the subject away, remembering that they don’t exist in this world, “A TV show character, that’s a whole can of worms to not get into right now.”

For some reason, I can picture Twilight being a fan of that show too. Hell, she’ll be picking apart the on-screen science knowledge with her own scientific knowledge. Then again, there are a number of other shows she would like to watch-and why am I thinking about this?

“Whats a TV?” The confused little dragon asked aloud. By now, Granny Smith had returned from upstairs. She headed into the Dinning room to enter the kitchen. I could smell the odor of home cooked foods filling the house. It was a very filling feeling in both nose and stomach. It growled with excitement.

As I started to walk into the dining room with the little guy walking along with me, I looked down to him, “Something that doesn’t exist in this world yet.”
“True, but I’m curious about the whole “TV show” thing, sounds like something that could replace boring comics or books.” In the threshold between dining room and Living room. I stopped to kneel down to look level with the dragon.

“My boy,” I placed a hand on a shoulder, “There are better things than TV, the comics back home would blow what you know out of the water.” since I noticed the comic under his arm, I decided to bring this up.
“Really?”
“Yup, in fact, once you discover those, you’ll nerd the shit out of any comic shop you come across.”
“JEFF!”
“Ah Shi-Sorry Granny!” I called out before standing up. Right as I did I heard the front door bang open with three chatty little voices coming in. I looked back to see those three little Fillies from before.

“-and when you-SPIKE!” Applebloom rushed over to give the little dragon a hug, the other two came over to him while I stepped around them to close the front door.

“Good ta see ya, Didn’ think ta see ya here tonigh’” the little pony, like her friends, were full of smiles.
“Likewise guys, what kept you out there this time?”
“Oh the usual…” Sweetie Bell, i think it was, rolled her eyes, “Plotting another way to get back at those miscreants as well getting our cutie marks.” It was humorously cute to hear a child’s voice talk like that as if the little unicorn was trying to be another Rarity. Which was kind of terrifying to imagine more than one of her in this world.

“Yeah, since the human ruined our last trap, we had to figure out where and how to set up another bully trap.” The pegasus filly, Scootaloo it was, nonchalantly mentioned me like as if I wasn’t standing there.

Stepping up, I looked down at them before clearing my throat.

“You mean me, right?” I asked with a smirk, two of the three almost jumped in surprise. They must of been so excited to see spike they forgot about the two-legged creature in the room; “Because I can give ya three at least an ‘A’ for effort on the trap earlier today.”

“So that's what that stuff was on the way here…” Spike noted aloud.

“Well, Thanks for that mister.” Apple Bloom then lowered her head in brief embarrassment, her eyes looking up at me, “Still sorry for that though.”

“Aww, don’t worry about it, Your trap was really nothing compared to what I’ve been through beforehand.” I shrugged it off, “so why did you girls set that up in the first place?”

That perked the attention of the three “crusaders”.

“Well, ya see mister-”

“Please, Jeff.” I gestured to her.

“Well, Jeff, We’ve been facing a bit of a problem in these past few days.” Apple Bloom tilted her head in thought. Spike shook his head with a smirk before walking into the dining room to take a seat.

“More like a pest problem!” Sweetie Bell chimed in placing a hoof to her chest, “A complete nuisance, all of them I think!”

“Still think we should just return the favor for what they did to us…” Grumbled Scootaloo, her stubby wings fluttered slightly to back up her frustration.

Looking at each of them, “What did they do If I may ask?”
“They trashed our clubhouse then, then-” Apple Bloom stammered.
“Got us with a mud bucket prank.” frowned Scootaloo.

That sparked a chuckle before covering my mouth, hiding the growing smile on my face.

“It’s not funny!” The little unicorn stamped her hoof, “That gawdawful mud was such a pain to clean!” could almost tell that was such a big deal, She would hate it out where I originally was before the crash.

“I’m sorry,” I tried to regain composer, “So you’ve been trying to get back at them since?”
“Yup, but I think we are goin’ tah need to go further out since setting traps and pranks aroun’ the farm ain’t really working.” Apple Bloom pondered aloud glancing off into space to think.
“Can tell…”
“What?”
“Oh, I mean, I can tell you might need a little bit of help taking care of these punks. Have ya’ll try simply talking to them?”
“Nope,”
“I dare not even want to look at them!”
“We’ve tried Jeff, but every time we did, they would laugh at us.”

That brought a deadpanned scowl on my face. I’ve been in the equivalent of middle class of students back in high school. I’ve watched as kids would get “kicked around” to the stronger kid’s heart's content. I’ve stepped up a few times to help the unfortunate, but that always resulted in a fight but they failed to realize that my Marine uncles where stronger Instructors compared to their self-defense teacher.

I remember the shocked look on their faces every time I counter their sorry excuse for martial arts (or their redneck brawling) with my harmonious home blend of MMA and MCMAP; However, at times all it takes is to just walk up to them, show them you’re not scared of them and they will back down.

“I think, I can help you, little girls.” I folded my arms nodded to them, “I think If I have words with them, then maybe they’ll even say sorry to you three as well beg for forgiveness.”

“I doubt it, I don’t even think they are scared of the Creature of the Everfree Forest.”
“Oh really?” I cocked a brow at them, “You don’t say?” Even though I hated the title, I would think it did scare some folks since no one has ever really seen a human before.
“Yeah, they even said so a few times.”

“You don’t tell us what to do!” Scootaloo mockingly mimicked these bullies, “We are with the Ponyville Ravens, and we Ain’t scared of no pony!”
“Really…” I facepalmed at the mentioning of the name of the gang, “The Ponyville Ravens?”
“Yeah, I’ve seen them around town before, they dress in black and travel in a small group that hangs out wherever they see fit.” Scootaloo nodded and grimaced, “Rainbow Dash and the rest of the six have confronted them before, but they would only pretend to listen.”

Geeze, taking the stories that I have heard of them, I don’t see why they haven’t put them in their place? Nevertheless, I’ll figure out how to deal with these punks.

“I seriously doubt they could do anything anyway, they don’t really pose a threat to the town at all.” I shrugged, keeping my thoughts to myself.
“Yeeah, but-” Apple Bloom was about to say more when we all heard the kitchen doors open with Applejack stepping out with something balancing on her head before quickly setting it down on the table.

Nudging what looked like a mini-dutch oven closer towards the center of the table, “Supper is done y'all, come and get it!”

The wonderful scent of home cooking invaded my nose again. I turned to see something else being brought out.

It was only a few minutes before serving trays and open pots of steamed veggies (mostly carrots), garlic toast and the mini-dutch contained what smelled like a chili of sorts.

When the girls and I entered the dining room, I could map out that it was an indeed a chili, inside the reddish stew looked like it had beans, chopped green beans, chopped potatoes and it looked like onion was chopped up into it too. Either way smelled great, I wonder how it tasted.

As I walked to find a seat, I noticed Applejack hesitated before moving out of my way,

“Beg ya pardon,”

“Sorry,” we said to each other before making our way to our seats.

Once at our seats, I watched as a stack of bowls was brought out and placed beside the dutch oven, as well plates began to be filed out to everyone seated, even two empty seats were prepared with a plate and utensils.

I picked up what must have been a salad fork for even the butter knives and spoons were slightly bigger compared to what I’m used to. Which caused me to wonder how sentient ponies eat, I mean, they obviously are civilized enough to not simply eat like animals but, explain how they eat with their hooves?

After quietly watching the rest of dinner being prepared, as in the condiments like homemade butter, pepper and- wait, where's the salt? Oh right, I can only guess that salt is like something of a desert of sorts to ponies.

I noticed a mug of that cider was being served to all of us as a beverage to accompany the meal.

After dinner was finally ready, “Alrighty!” Applejack was last to be seated at the table, opposite side of me.

“Granny, should we try again with the-”

“Dig in, I think Celestia receives ‘nough praise from us as is.” Applejack blinked before nodding her head in agreement.
“Well, ya’ll hear her, enjoy everypony.” She smiled as I watched not only her but everyone else begin to fill their plates with the home cooking, occasionally passing food around so every pony and dragon got a serving.

“Veggies?” Big Mac’s voice almost made me jump when I looked to my left to see him seated next to me.
“Oh sure, uh-” I was about to reach thinking that I was going to take the small pot from him but instead I held back to watch him casually scope some onto my plate for me,
“Uh, thanks.”
“Yup, here.” He placed back on the table with the handle facing Applejack who took it to server herself some too. Not sure if he was being nice or didn’t want my human hands touching the cookware.

Aside from that I also noticed how they were using their hooves. Handles, utensils and even cups were effortlessly attaching themselves to the bottoms of their forehooves as if magnetized to them. It looked weird but it looks like that how things roll around here.

But still…
“Sooo, dumb question,” I reached to grab one of the small bowls, while filling it up with help of a ladle, “How are you guys...uhm, able to hold things like-” I had placed the ladle back in the dutch oven to gesture to Applejack, who was holding a fork in her hoof, “-that?”
Even though it silenced some the table for a moment before everypony seated continued, Granny was the only one who stared at me with a doubtful look.
“Ain’t too bright are ya Jeffy?” well that was blunt!
“Granny!” Applejack snapped a look at her while the fillies giggled in reaction.
“Nah stuff it AJ, ye see, we gots what is called magic in these here hooves, we all has it.”
As I sat down listening, I had to hold back my thoughts for the time being for I was kinda confused if she was being serious or making fun of me.
“Indeed, idle magic that resides in every forehoof of every pony alive,” Sweetie Belle chimed in with a smug before taking a bite of her food.
“So says you miss Telekinesis.” Scootaloo rolled her eyes before the unicorn finished chewing to stick a tongue back at her.
“So, this idle magic acts like a magnet with whatever you try to grab things then?”
“Ayup, Ain’t no reason to think too much ‘bout it though, only magic smart folk would fret over it.” Big Mac’s voice keeps catching me off guard, it was the only other adult male voice in the room.

“Ah okay, just, for a human, that looks odd when there are items stuck to your hooves like as if magnetized or glued to them.”
“Get used to it Sugarcube,” Applejack shrugged, “that’s just how things go in this world.”
“Right,” we trailed off while we all continued eating before the room came to life again with chatter between the crusaders and Applejack.

I didn’t really pay that much attention to them for it was simply talking of cutie marks, bullies and other things I didn’t really catch on. I glanced over to see spike was quietly reading the comic while eating. I then looked back at my dinner, I took a spoonful of the chili, when the warm taste of veggies and beans blanketed my taste buds.
“Holy Wow,”
“Pardon?” Big Mac glanced at me puzzled,
“Oh nothing, this is just amazing,” I looked over to an amused Granny Smith, “What did you put in this?”
“Ah, nothin’ much, just onions, carrots, sweet potatoes and black beans; all stewed in thickened tomato juice.”
“Wow, can’t even tell half that stuff is in here.” I helped myself to a healthy spoonful of the stuff. I reached across to grab a piece of garlic bread before returning back to my plate to maow down on the veggies.

“Easy there feller,” Chuckled the old mare, “Ya actin’ like ya haven’t eaten in days.”

“That’s the thing,” I spoke after finishing my mouthful of veggies, “I haven’t, in fact, I don’t even have anything in my place at the moment.”
That was when I noticed Applejack’s ear twitched before she snapped a look of shocked confusion, which caused the subject change towards me as even the Crusaders looked at me.
“You said what now?”
“What I remembered what happened to my "starter kit",” I finger quoted the starter kit, “The foodstuff given to me was okay, but then I went through that spout of sudden medical problems so, without me eating it for a few days or weeks or whatever, it went bad…”
“That’s awful!” Applebloom at least voiced her concern.
“Sounds like ya be in a bit of a pickle there Jeffy.”

I took a drink of cider before continuing, “Yeah, It is, and since I’m just now stable enough to function like a normal person again, I’m going to have to do something about getting that ramshackle of a heap to work for me.”
“Well, to be fair,” Granny squinted an eye to think, “We ain’t got much ourselves othawise we could give ya something to hold ya over till then.”
“No worries really, I’m not really trying to ask for a handout or nothin’ I know you got your hooves full with the harvest and all.”
“Yup, which thank ya for the help when you showed up today.” Applejack smiled as she looked back to Granny Smith with an inquisitive look.
“Not a problem, I feel bad for holding work up as long as I did, so I had to do something to make up for it, but as I was saying, I’m just going to have to find another way to make ends so I don’t wind up on the streets so to speak.”
“Hmm, we may not got much, but I can see yas got potential,” Granny Smith nodded in (first time) approval,
“If ye can’ get yer hooves inta anythin’ then feel free ta come on back and we’ll send ya back home with somethin’, as long yas keep them strange hooves of yers movin’.”
“Oh, that’ll be great!” I looked back at my plate thinking about how I can only assume that as long you can look past the rugged country exterior to see the familiar hospitality that would be normally rare back home.
“I’m sure picking up Apples wouldn’t be the only thing I’ll be helpin around here correct?”
“Well of course,” Applejack rolled her eyes, “just prepare for anythin’ whenever you come out this way.”
I nodded in acknowledgment before returning to what remains of my dinner, which it didn’t take long as I was starving.

When the inevitable time came around for dinner coming to an end, I volunteered to help with the clean up while Spike had been swept up in conversation with the little fillies again. Despite the fact that Applejack did say she’ll do the dishes, I stepped up to at least handwash the dinner dishes while she dried and sorted the dishes and utensils away.

Of course, I didn’t think that washing dishes shirtless was that big of a distraction, however, Applejack was caught watching while the plates and what not was piling up in the other sink that was simply filled with water that acted as the rinse.

I glanced over within seconds of her turning back to her side of the work as if trying not to be caught staring.
“Waiting for me to fill the sink before putting it away?”
“Huh-what?” she was lost in that trance again before shaking the “fog” from her head, “uh-of course, I think I’m workin’ a little too fast, so I think I’ll-”
“Wait and stare while I fill the rinse some more?”
“Whu-I, uhh-” What has gotten into her? One minute she was a rugged farm mare now, she is a blushing little country girl. she quickly tried to disguise it by quickly grabbing a platter, shaking the excess off then drying it with one of the three drying towels hanging close by.
“I’m kidding,” I smirked, “Ya know, I was a dishwasher at a popular Restaurant back home for a few years.” I nudged the topic into a different direction, trying not to pick on the pink-faced cowgirl too much.
“Oh really?” it worked, she perked her ears in interest as she dried and stacked the dishes as she got a hoof on them.

“Yeah, I had to use a dish machine and do this kind of work as well. It was hard work since Me and at least one other guy had to bust out dishes and everything else to keep the restaurant running while it provided service to nearly three hundred customers a day or something like that.”
“Wow, so you do know what it means to work hard then?”
“Ehh, you can say that, since the lack of applicants wanting to apply for DMO or Dish Machine Operator, it gets harder when there are only three or four guys working a whole week.”
“Gosh, I’d take up that kind of work if it meant puttin’ food on the table.”
“Exactly, taking if the hours are good. Aside from that,” I grabbed one of the pots, set it gently in the scrub sink before walking over to grab and bring over a waste bucket to set it beside me while I worked,
“You have to stay on your toes and work your memory on where what goes where while making sure your pit is pumping clean dishes at a steady rate.” I dumped the water out of the pot before scrapping what was still stuck on the bottom into the waste bucket before taking a fist-sized ball of steel scrubber, sinking both pot and scrubber into the scrub wash to work the caked on crud on the bottom of the pot.
“All the while doing this solo.”
“Really? Can honestly say workin’ alone is a pain when workin’ on a farm, but sugarcube,” she picked up the pot and swished it around in the water before pulling it out of the water, dumbing it out before drying it,
“That sounds like tough work in its own right.”
“Yup, it was…” I grabbed the dessert dishes then placed them in the wash to soak for a moment before standing back with arms folded, remembering the other half of the story.
“Then I got fired from that place…”

Applejack walked halfway to put the pot away before she stopped to look back at me,
“Fired? For what cause?”
“Beating the shi-” I paused to look behind me at the swing doors, before looking back at the sinks, “-the snot out of a bunch of no-gooders trying to raise hell by any means.” I heard the clunking noise of the pot being returned to its hook close by the stove. She returned to the rinse to add a couple more plates to the stack.

“A bunch of dips, skinny punks too, decked out in red and black came into the Restaurant one Sunday noon armed to the teeth with bats and what not ready to go to town on the staff and patrons there, saying that some BS about too many white people being here or somethin’.”
“I take it ya whooped them and sent them runnin’ for their ma’mas?”
“Oh yeah, I busted out with my ASP, a collapsible baton, that I keep in my car, went back inside and proceeded to kick those bastards out of that place. I mean I did have help from some of the kitchen staff but it wasn’t without seeing nearly eighteen people being sent to the hospital with variable injuries.”
“But yet, y'all did what was right in terms of protecting those folk from getting beaten down by those varmints.”
“Oh explain that to the Police when I and five others were almost arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, of course too many people witnessed a different story and vouched that we were acting out of self-defense.”
“Not sure what half that meant but I think y'all were at least let go being seen a heroes.”
“Oh sure, we were let go for sure, some fff-freakin’ repayment…” I took a cleaning rag and started on the small dishes,
“That was a sixty dollar ASP I broke that day, should’ve looted their pockets since they owed me that much!”

“Sounds like ya came from a harsh world.”
“Eh, nothing much to it really, like you’ve heard before, I’ve spent nearly twenty years putting up with that kind of crap, me and my buddy Alex had fought in most aspects, with everything that was going on before ending up here was just another stage in the game of life.”

By the time I finished talking the stack of dishes had been placed in the rinse, collected, dried then had been put away.

“Wow, hmm,” Applejack returned to her spot next to me while I worked on the last of the dinner dishes, the large pot, and cooking sheets.
“Well, we ain’t kiddn’ when we said Y'all welcome to come on back if you need some work to do, it ain’t easy to start with nothing.”
“Right, not to mention-” I briefly pointed to my head, “-With that going on too.”
“Riiight.” we trailed off while we quickly finished up the rest of the dishwashing.

As I drained the sinks, I noticed Applejack had taken two mugs down and filled them with that cider. It dawned on me how many small kegs they had sitting on a rack in the kitchen. She walked over and offered me a mug before going back to get hers.
“Huh, thanks.” I looked up at her then back at the mug.
“Don’t mention it,” she had walked back over to me while I leaned against the counter near the sinks. Drinking from my mug I looked over at her as she adjusted her beat up stetson since she had placed it on a hook earlier before working on the dishes.
“And, Thanks, Applejack, Not often someone, or somepony, to just throw down an offer like that, especially since I’m a, well, a human in a ponies world.”
“Well, taken what ya has been through, you gotta have a hoof up to at least set the ground to stand on.” She drank from her mug too.
“True that; you, Twilight and Rarity so far you’ve been nothing but helpful towards me despite whatever they say at the hospital.”

“Also despite Twilight probably been draggin’ you around to crack the riddle of that stuff goin’ on with ya.” Applejack quipped in nonchalantly, which caused me to laugh at how accurate that has been so far with Yuckquill coming back to mind.

“So true,” I took another sip before looking at my mug before glancing at her before holding up my mug towards her.
“Hey,” she looked up, noticing me holding my mug up.
“To starting somewhere,”
“Tah startin’ somewhere indeed.” We clanked mugs before draining them.

I took both mugs and put them in the sink before we towards the kitchen door.

As I was pushing the door open,
“Whoa, door!” I didn’t notice the sound of running before I heard the sound of someone skitting to a stop. I held the door then peaked around to see the girls had been running around the dining room. Applebloom was looking up at me,
“Sorry about that-” then I felt something, more like someone, bump into me. It had enough push to make me stumble out the doorway and into the dining room.
“Oh geez, sorry Jeff I didn-” Applejack followed me but she failed to notice the little filly trying to get by.
“What the- Apple-” she lost her footing(?) before stumbling forward.
“Oh shi-” without thinking, I quickly caught her before she, fell, into, me…

Before we both knew it, I was back up against the table again with my hands braced up against her chest. Our faces were inches from each other. This time around, she failed to hide the pink fading back through her orange coat. Didn’t think her green eyes had the human eye styling, I think they called it starburst Till now; I’ve always thought these ponies had horse eyes but nope, human. Which, fits pretty well if you think about it…

It was a few moments of awkward silence before giggling caught our attention then, as if not missing the beat,
“Oh geez, if they start kissin’ I’ma gunna puke!”
Applejack snapped an embarrassed glare towards the living room,
“GRANNY!” I couldn’t help but laugh too as the rest of the house erupted in a fit of laughter as I looked over to see most of the household had turned to look at what Granny had obviously seen.
“Nah, Nah, ye youngsters got ye flings and such, kids these days,” I could see spike was the only one trying to control his laughter, “I’ma just take myself outside, there be a bowl with my name on it!”

“Ya know,” she looked back at me, this time she wasn’t as close to my face as she was before.
“For a mare who works on a farm, your chest fur is quite sof-”
“JEFF!” her forearms blurred to swipe my hands away before she backed up,
“Where did ya manners go?” she pointed an accusing hoof at me.
“South for the summer!” Granny Smith answered before the front door swung closed.
“Oh my sweet Celestia-” she dipped her hat over her face as the faint pink was practically glowing red at this point,
“Pardon me, gonna get some air.” she excused herself before rushing outside.

As the front door banged closed, I walked into the living room, Spike was shaking his head while the fillies ran upstairs in fit of hushed gossip and giggles, mainly about what they just witnessed happened.

“Way to hit then miss mister.” Spike nodded cracking a smile.
“Oh I’m just good like that.” I stood briefly in a superman pose, kinda proud that I’ve now made two mares blush at my awesomeness.

“‘ey, Jeff,” I hear from my now right, Looking over I see Big Mac peeking his head from around the back door,
“I think yer shirts done, Been hangin’ outside for a while now it seems.” I then threw my hands up at the irony here.
“And that would’ve saved us from some of the awkwardness a while ago!” I started to walk towards the backdoor to get my shirt.

“Ayup.”

Author's Notes:

A slight change in writing style, a natural flow of exposition or whatever its called...AAAND awkward moment between characters. also, slap an easter egg reference or two in there for good measure!

these slow-paced chapters are troublesome to write, but I'll get the hang of it, just need to NOT put'em off for so many days X_X