The next few trees pass in near silence, only the occasional ringing as Applejack bucks the tree and Doug’s deep grunts that get a little louder and more strained as the baskets in the cart pile higher and higher. Applejack keeps nervously glancing over at Doug, heart hammering in her chest.

Eventually, she gets up the courage to speak. “Do... “ Applejack starts before gulping. It shouldn’t be this hard! Mare up! “Can Ah ask ya somethin’?”

“Sure,” Doug says immediately, pausing to catch his breath and glad for the break. He’s on his second layer of baskets, and peers down the rows and rows of apple trees remaining, each jam packed with apples. I’m not sure I can even lift the next ones high enough. Maybe I’ll have to climb up the cart to rearrange them? But I’m already struggling to drag the cart, but that’s with constant starting and stopping. Maybe I’ll have to let Applejack take the reins then. “I’ll answer any question you ask, though the answer might be ‘I’m not telling you.’”

“Ah guess that’s fair.” Is this really a question you want the answer to, though? Applejack looks away, her inner voice getting to her. What if he says yes? What if he says no? She quietly asks, “Was there somepony back home that you loved?”

Doug nods, raising a hand to stroke his chin. “Well, sure. I have…”

A moment of silence passes as Doug chokes up, motions coming to a halt. Applejack glances over, confused at the pause. He wryly smiles to himself, his eyes closed as he chuckles darkly. “Guess I’m not so different from you.”

“It’s alright, partner. We’re only equine,” Applejack says, hesitant steps taking her close to him.

“Only human,” Doug echoes, smirking, though it quickly fades.

“Our country, our rules.” Applejack smirks back as she raises a foreleg to his thigh, lightly pressing down. He reluctantly sits, folding his legs in a weird manner that crosses them underneath each other. She doesn’t know if her legs could contort themselves like that, and it’s painful just thinking about trying. Nevertheless, she softly nuzzles his face once it comes into reach, trying to comfort him like she would a distraught foal. Like my dam used to do with me. She smiles when it seems to be working. “Still. Ya wanna talk about it?”

“I guess I should have expected that, huh?” Doug says, a hand coming up to scratch the back of her mane. It’s much softer than he would have guessed, especially with the utilitarian ponytail and sunburnt appearance. She gives an appreciative coo, twisting her head and directing his hand under her hat and between her ears. Heh, just like my cats. Not quite a purr, though, but maybe there’s a spot somewhere that’ll get her leg to kick.

“Turnabout’s fair play,” Applejack says, content to let his hands wander over her mane. Maybe Ah should’a taken Rares up on one’a her offers to get some sorta hoity toity spa treatment. Nah. If they were this good, Ah’d never get any work done on the farm. Matter of fact, nopony else would, either. He’s sure takin’ his sweet time, though. She forcefully presses her head against his chest, nearly bowling him over if he wasn’t gripping her neck. “So, you gonna tell me, or do Ah need to wrestle it outta ya?”

“Well, it’s not like it’s a secret, or a surprise,” Doug says as his fingernails scrape into her scalp, brushing against the lasso concealed underneath. It’s quite effective at alleviating the tension, his spirits buoyed by the simple contact. “I’m worried about my friends and family back home. What they’ll be going through when they get the call that I’m missing, and no one knows anything.”

“Mm,” Applejack says, settling down next to him and tucking her legs under her in the comfortable pony loaf. Her withers push against his, and she can almost forget that it isn’t a pony she’s reassuring. What was Cloud Kicker sayin’, about him not knowin’ how to get home?

“And maybe I’m trying to distract myself,” Doug continues softly, almost able to forget that it isn’t a girl comforting him. His hand travels inside the thick mane, enjoying the happy little noises she makes every time he digs into her. He stares off into the distance, eyes focusing on nothing. “Because maybe if I don’t think about it, then I don’t have to worry. And I won’t break down like this. Or wonder if I’ll be able to get a message to them. Or if I’ll be able to return. Hell, if I want to return!” He motions to the orchards around them, the natural beauty of spring in full bloom. Even the sun conspires to light everything perfectly, glinting off the glistening apples as it filters through the trees.

“Sure is somethin’,” Applejack says, pushing her body against his a little harder and following his hand as it travels from tree to tree. Ah sure wouldn’t mind if he stays. Ah bet even Rainbow would like him if he gets his hooves on her. Wait. What if this is how he enslaves his ponies!? Hmm. Maybe Ah’m okay with that. Applejack dryly chuckles to herself, drawing only a firm rub to her ears in response.

“I want to see it all,” Doug says resolutely. “Actually, more like, I want to know everything I can. There’s so many things I never imagined were possible! Like you healing the tree; what else is there?” He stands, reaching up to touch one of the ripe red apples. It comes away easily. He just stares at it for a few moments before his face contorts in a fit of rage, slamming a fist into his thigh. A suppressed cry rumbles in his clenched throat, straining to escape.

Applejack reluctantly gets up, her body already protesting the lack of limb around her back. She warily watches him, only a little surprised at the outburst. It ain’t like she never felt like kicking a hole in the wall after what happened with her parents. And the fresh plaster in more places than she’d care to admit shows her control ain’t as good as it could be. “You’re okay not goin’ back? Ah’d be more’n a mite disappointed if Ah never saw mah family again.” At least Ah had Big Mac and Granny to help me through it. He doesn’t have anypony.

Doug’s deep inhale comes irregularly as his body quakes. He eventually ekes out, “I think I’d be okay with a letter, letting them all know I’m okay.” Doug shrugs, dipping down to place the apple in one of the full baskets. He hangs his head, eyes closing, hands balling into fists that he brings up to his forehead. “I shouldn’t be so quick to give up on them. But part of me tells me it’ll be easier if I do. If I just forget about ever trying to go back. That the only response I’m going to get is that it’s impossible, or prohibitively expensive, or will kill me in the process.”

“Well, that would make the decision pretty easy,” Applejack concedes, inwardly cheering. Or maybe it’s more like a sigh of relief, even if it comes at Doug’s expense. Ah shouldn’t be happy that his misfortune helps me, but Ah can’t help it. “Ah trust anything those hornheads come up with as long as Ah can see how it works.” Applejack snorts dismissively. “Which too often means Ah don’t trust them one bit. Hay, they probably don’t even know the risks of what would happen.”

“Yeah. And I’m sure there would be lots of consequences, intended and not. And it’s the unintended consequences that can really bite you. It’s why I'm not sure about the whole portal thing.” When Applejack cocks her head Doug explains, “Something about opening a gateway between worlds or dimensions that would allow travel back and forth. Maybe it’d be permanent. Maybe not. No matter what, that’s a decision far above my head, one I’d need to think about for a long time if whoever is in charge lets me make it. And it’s all hypothetical anyway.” Obviously, I need to start with the assumption that it’s possible; otherwise it’s a moot point. And if this is a different dimension, are there laws about that kind of, well, immigration? What kind of trouble can I get in for just existing?

“That’d be Princess Celestia, if it doesn't get bucked up by the Council of Creatures. Ah mean, to the Council of Creatures. Not that those varmints don’t deserve every bit o’ criticism leveled their way. Schemin’ fiends to the last one.” Another dimension? Huh. And here Ah thought he just came from… well, Ah’m not really sure. Other side of the world, maybe. Or the Everfree, but that’s lookin’ less and less likely every minute.

“I guess politicians are terrible no matter where they are,” Doug says, his voice passionless and resigned. Princess Celestia? I feel like I’ve heard that before.

“They ain’t all bad. Mayor Mare does her best, even if she has trouble coordinatin’ the Wrap Ups. But, Ah don’t know if Ah wanna talk politics. Just gets me riled up, is all, them unicorns thinkin’ they know best for everypony.” Applejack sighs, shaking her head. “And Ah’m doin’ it again. Sorry.”

“S’alright,” Doug says, grabbing the next basket, but only one. “So, who’s Princess Celestia? I feel like I’ve heard the name mentioned a few times.”

“How…” Applejack trails off, holding a hoof to her head as she takes a deep breath. “How in the hay have you not heard of the Princess of the Sun?!” She cuts Doug off as his mouth opens. “Ah know, Ah know, you just got here and all. It just feels blasphemous, you know, that somepony didn’t learn about the Caretaker of the Sun and all that she does for not only Ponykind but everycreature.”

“Caretaker of the Sun?” Doug says, unsure of what exactly that means. He points at the ball of light steadily rising in the east. “You mean that thing?”

“Eeyup,” Applejack says, nodding. What else would Ah be talkin' about? “She raises it every morning, and brings out the moon and stars every night.”

Doug stares at Applejack for a few seconds. “Really?” He turns, squinting at what appears to be a giant ball of flame. “Really?!”

“Really really,” Applejack confirms.

“And you know this…” Doug trails off, waving a hand at the orange mare and beckoning her to explain.

“...Because anypony can watch her?” Applejack pauses, a little put off by the questioning. “Most mornings she’s on the balcony of Canterlot Castle. Might even be able to see her from here, with clear skies. Been doin’ it for more’n a thousand years.”

“Okay, I’ve accepted a lot as reasonable,” Doug says, mind reeling. “Maybe only because I saw it happening in front of me. And you’re honestly telling me that one pony - I’m assuming she is a pony - controls the trajectory of that,” Doug points at the sun, pausing as he waits for Applejack’s confirming nod, “and has for a thousand years. I assume, of course, a year being three hundred and sixty five days. And a day is twenty four hours, and I met you... maybe an hour ago."

"Three hundred and sixty days, but otherwise you're about right." Applejack nods again.

"Fine. Sure. Why the hell not.” Doug chuckles to himself. “It’s not like I can prove that’s a giant ball of gas burning millions of miles away.”

“Honest Apple.” Applejack grins as Doug stares at the sun for a few more seconds, then wildly throws his forelegs into the air. He shakes his head as he lifts the next basket. “Though you might need to explain what a ‘mile’ is.”

“Unit to measure length. Um, it’s about…” Doug takes a carefully measured step, then nine more, each about a yard. “That’s about thirty feet. A hundred and seventy five of those.”

Applejack eyeballs the distance, then walks it herself, taking uncomfortably large steps. “So, bit more’n nine steps.” She holds up a hoof. “Ten hooves to a step, ten steps to a stride, hundred strides to a stick.”

“A stick? Like, a click, or a kilometer?” Doug shakes his head in something between disbelief and relief. “You ponies use the metric system. Can’t say that I blame you.”

“Used to use all sorts,” Applejack concedes. “Couple hundred years ago bunch’a unicorns complained about having to do all sorts of conversions. So one day they gathered everypony up and ‘convinced’ them to pick one standard. Well, they based it off’a how much Princess Celestia weighed, and how far she walked in one step, and nopony could really say no to a system based off the Princess, ya know? Even so, some pegasi wanted to stick to their own system, convoluted as it was. They’d take a rope and stick feathers into it, then see how many feathers the wind would blow.”

“Like knots,” Doug says. “It’s a nautical term, with ships. They’d take a rope with knots in it, and drop it into the water and see how many knots would get pulled off. In order to determine how fast they were sailing.”

“Your measurements are weird,” Applejack says with a chuckle. “Ah sure hope there ain’t anything else from home you plan on keepin’ with ya.” She gulps as she realizes how that might have been taken, though Doug just seems to get a far-off look in his eyes.

“Like you said, your country, your rules, right?” Doug sighs, slumping back down. “Just one more reminder that I don’t belong.”

“Hey, partner, Ah didn’t mean it like that.” Applejack steps forwards a little, a better vantage point to gauge his reaction, though all she sees is a vacant expression. He seems to notice, shaking his head to clear his eyes and looking back at her. “Ah’d be more'n willin’ to learn some of your traditions, if'n it’d mean that much to ya.”

“Thanks,” Doug says, a hint of a smile appearing.

“And, um, Ah don’t mean to pry or nothing.” Applejack gulps, intending to do exactly that and knowing it. “But, there ain’t, like, a special somepony back home that’d miss ya somethin’ fierce? And ya’d want to come join ya?”

“Special somepony?” Doug’s glum look returns. Is that like a girlfriend, or a wife? Too bad the answer’s the same. Although, if that wasn’t the case, then I’d sure be treating this differently. “Nope.”

“Really?” Applejack says, her suspicions tripping even as she finds herself elated at the prospect. “Seems hard to believe. Why’s that?”

The wagon creaks as the next basket comes down extra hard. Doug pauses, looking away from Applejack. He says cryptically, “Never trusted myself.”

A loud bell ringing cuts off Applejack’s question, along with Granny Smith’s faint shout, “Soup’s on!”

“Well, you can tell me more after we’ve gotten some breakfast,” Applejack says, turning to the southwest and the farmhouse. She helps Doug turn the wagon around and get it rolling, then leads the way. “Besides, Ah gotta introduce ya to Granny Smith and Big Mac!”

Next Chapter: Ch. 8 - Coruscating Elixir Estimated time remaining: 15 Hours, 44 Minutes