Chapter 9: Of Apples and Engineers.

(…………………………………………………………………………………………)

Twilight and Isaac both arrived at Sweet Apple Acres later than anticipated due to several unforeseen encounters, of which Rarity was the most memorable, but not the only one. Shortly after the white unicorn had departed, Twilight felt she should guide Isaac through the Ponyville marketplace to give him a better understanding of their culture and daily livelihoods. Most importantly, she needed to prove that not every pony was out of their corn-loving minds.
It was an idea she came to regret as she was forced to pony up the fifteen bits to pay Lily, Daisy, and Rose for the flowers they had given Isaac as a ‘gift.’ Still, he appeared to be taking it all in with a lot more level-headedness than from before, but she had to continue to watch him closely for further signs of distress.

On the way out of the market they happened to cross paths with Mayor Mare and her aide, Secret Cherry, both of whom were engaged in a quiet yet heated discussion, judging from the strained looks they gave each other.

“Mayor Mare, Cherry, how are you today?” Twilight hailed with a zeal that quickly sank as the two politicians became intensely aware of her presence. What she had thought was just a simple argument at first, not the phrase ‘locally contained explosion,’ now seemed more fitting.

“Oh,” the Mayor quickly softened her composure, “Twilight, it’s good to see you.”

“Is something the matter?” Twilight found herself fidgeting uncomfortably.

“No, not at all, my dear. My secretary and I were just having a little disagreement about current matters on hoof. Speaking of which, have you made any progress on the investigation of the stolen tome?”

“I’m afraid not, Mrs. Mayor,” Twilight shook her head, yet found herself eying Isaac despite her efforts not to, “I don’t have much to go on right now but I’ll let you know the moment I find anything useful.”

“I see, I eagerly await any news, I have faith in your abilities, and in the Princess to bring a quick resolution to the situation.” The Mayor then turned to her aide, “Let us go. We have a lot more business to take care of and we should discuss matters of your behavior in private.” She said with a scolding tone.

“Of course, Mrs. Mayor, whatever you need.” Secret Cherry said with unerring submission, while giving a brief bow before falling into measured step behind the Mayor. After a few strides she gave a momentary glace over her shoulder at Twilight and Isaac, giving them an appraising look and a cocky grin.

“I don’t like her.” Isaac growled as soon as Cherry was out of sight.

“You shouldn’t say that about the Mayor.” Twilight verbally rebuked him, “I know we didn’t get a chance to introduce you, but she’s been under a lot of stress lately.”

“No, I’m talking about that Cherry pony,” Isaac huffed defensively, “did you see the look she gave us? I’ve seen that expression before and nothing good ever comes of it.”

“You’re just imagining things. Cherry is one of the most level-headed ponies you could ever meet.”

“I’m telling you, she’s dangerous.”

“Come on,” Looking to change topics Twilight began trotting at an increased pace, ‘we don’t want to be late.”

(…………………………………………………………………………………………)

Erected all along the perimeter of Sweet Apple Acres there was a wooden post-and-rail fence that cordoned off the farmland from the surrounding areas. The wood was very old, with numerous fractures and splits up and down its length, yet remained strong and unyielding. In truth the fence was used more for land marking rights than actually trying to keep anypony in or out. Twilight could not recall a single time when she’d ever witnessed the front gate being closed. Apple Acres was always open to anyone at anytime, a true testament to the openness of the local community, baring a single incident with a certain Zebra notwithstanding.

She looked out over the prosperous farm and its many hundreds of apple trees that had grown upon the green of the rolling hills. It seemed as if every single tree was filled to burst with countless red delicious apples, a sight that never ceased to amaze her.

Over the hills and in between the trees was a well traveled and weather-worn dirt path that headed towards the heart of the apple orchard operation, to Applejack’s home, a big red barn-like structure with white trim, an extension built into the east side, and a reinforced gray gabled roof with a tower, no more than a story tall, on the front. It was a robust structure that had served generations of apple farmers well.

Just outside said house, Twilight could see Applejack unpacking an open top cart that was loaded down with broken tree branches and several wooden buckets overflowing with fresh apples. Pinky Pie, wearing twin buckets that too were full of apples, had been bouncing about like a hyperactive puppy on stimulants as she joined up with the farmer. It was a miracle that she didn’t scatter her cargo of fruit all over the place with her unrestrained energy.

“Twilight,” AJ greeted warmly, her freckles seemed to brighten with her smile, “thank ya ever so kindly for comin’ ta help me out.”

“No problem, Applejack. I’m always happy to help a friend.” Twilight’s smile hesitated when she spotted the dark patches under said friend’s eyes.

“You don’t look like you got a lot of sleep last night?”

“Naw, I’m just right as rain suga’ just some bad dreams that’s all.” AJ casually dismissed the suggestion. “Nothing ta worry about, it’ll take more than one bad night ta tame this pony.”

“AJ, you’re not exactly known for having bad dreams. I’m curious, what were they about?” Twilight was growing very concerned. She had hoped it was just an exaggeration on her part, but between Pinky and herself they had begun to hear disembodied voices and now AJ was having nightmares. She wondered if all her friends were beginning to show similar signs of mental disturbance. She had since dismissed that idea since Rarity hadn’t shown any signs of being afflicted, though Twilight would have to ask her about that later tonight; as well as Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, when she could.

“Shoot, Twilight. Its nothin’ ya’ll need to worry your lil’ head over.” Uncomfortable with the subject AJ found herself drawn to the gray Pegasus standing silently behind the lavender unicorn. The Stallion’s eyes were darting nervously over the trees, cautiously inspecting each one as if the boogey-mare herself was about to jump out and eat them all.

“Ah see ya’ll brought some extra help too, don’t recognize him from around these parts. Seems ta be a mite on edge, though.”

“That’s Cutter, he’s an engineer from Manehattan, and an old friend of mine.” Twilight smirked apprehensively at the alien’s odd behavior. “He’s just nervous around new places and ponies.” She had hoped her explanation would satisfy the farmer and would be the end of it. A flimsy hope that faded as AJ raised a suspicious eyebrow and leaned oppressively.

“Ah never knew you’d done been to Manehattan?” Applejack interrogated, while Twilight cursed her absolutely terrible ability to act out a convincing story. She noted with grave annoyance that Pinky Pie had been smiling at her the whole time, shaking her head in quiet guffaws as if watching the funniest thing in the world.

“I haven’t,” Somewhere Twilight could hear her conscience screaming at her to quit while she was ahead, “we met, uh... met in Canterlot, at the library.”

“It’s no good, abort! Abort!” At least she hoped that was her conscience.

“Ah see,” AJ’s abruptly pulled away, but had a much snarkier expression as she unhooked her cart’s harness and went over to greet the new arrival. Isaac had halted in his apple orchard reconnaissance just long enough to notice an orange pony grabbing one of his hooves in hers.

“Howdy partner.” She vigorously pumped his arm in a series of rapid hoof-shakes. “Welcome ta Sweet Apple Acres, here we grow tha biggest, tastiest apples in all Equestria. We’re always happy to be makin’ new friends here and any friend of Twilight’s is ah friend o’ mine.”

“Hi!” Pinky joined in on the fun as she shook Isaac’s other hoof with equal amounts of enthusiasm and jollity. The former-human was shaken about like a flag in an utterly merciless hurricane crosswind.

“I’m Pinky Pie and I know every pony in Ponyville, but I don’t know you so you must be new. Of course you are, how silly of me, oh, but you’re Twilight’s friend too even though you just got here. That gives us so much in common, you know. Even though you’re still new aren’tcha and probably don’t have many friends yet, other than Twilight that is. Oh, it’d be so great to throw a welcoming party for you. Do you like cupcakes? Muffins? Strawberry-rhubarb pie?” So it continued on until the moment Isaac’s legs had managed to find a solid register in the dirt and he forcefully withdrew both arms, breaking away to freedom from the pair of overly eager ponies and the sugar rush ramblings.

“Ah must say we don’t get many city folk around these parts.” AJ continued, good mood uninterrupted as Isaac rotated his shoulders popping his joints back into alignment.

“You must be Applejack, Twilight said you needed some help.” Isaac said in a no-nonsense tone, now more eager than ever to be done with this nonsense.

“Ah sure as suga’ do. Got me some old trees that need ta be gottin’ ride of right away.” AJ circled him, evaluating his body closely, while he watched her closely for any sudden moves, “Hmm... yer not quite as sturdy as Big Macintosh, but ya’ll should do nicely.” She nodded in satisfaction.

“Twilight, can ya and Pinky finished unloadin’ the cart and buck som’more apples while ah show Cutter the ropes?”

“Actually, Applejack, I was wondering if we could talk to you in private.” Twilight protested, whether from a desire to extrapolate the situation to a fellow element holder, or from nervousness at casting Isaac out into the world unsupervised, she couldn’t tell.

“No time suga’, we got’sta finish these here chores before suppa’ time. Pinky can show you the patch of trees we’ve been buckin’ and Cutter here sounds like he’d be the perfect pony ta help me cut down them raggedy old trees over yonder.” AJ pointed to some unseen point in the north.

(…………………………………………………………………………………………)

Isaac followed the farmer pony as she led him towards a section of the farm far to the north of the barn. Of all the ponies he’d met that day, she was the first to wear any sort of distinctive clothing; in this case it was a Stetson hat. He had been fully aware (even before he removed his advanced suit) that clothes were the exception, not the rule. He knew that he, himself, was walking around in his birthday suit in a reality where the dominant species mostly consisted of females. Given all that it didn’t bother him at all, that was the problem. It bugged him that it didn’t bug him.
Setting aside such thoughts for the moment he instead wished to focus on the task at hand. He wasn’t too keen on the whole tree cutting idea, but given that moments of respite between necromorph outbreaks were a vanishing opportunity, it was nice to finally have something else to do, if for only a little while.

Their travels had brought them to a patch of farmland that was home to ten of the most wretched trees he’d ever seen. They were mere leafless brown husks with a smattering of fungus and moss beginning to grow on the trunks. It was no wonder that the farmer wanted such things removed from her land A.S.A.P.

“Tools are rhight over here.” Applejack pointed to a parked cart burden with various lengths of rope, several saws, an ax, a few shovels, and other various pieces of farming and gardening equipment.
“I reckon a two-pony saw it will make it easier.” Reaching in she pulled out a single-sided saw that was between six to seven feet long with a pair of handles on each end for ponies to grip with their front hooves. Carrying it in her mouth she set it down next to the first tree.

“Ya’ll know how to use one o’ these, right?” she smiled with self-assured confidence as if she truly anticipated him to give a negative.

“Of course, even a first year novice would know that.” Isaac snorted glibly.

Applejack grabbed the saw and used it to make a notch on the trunk of the first tree, a guiding line for where the cut would be made, and waited for Isaac to join her.

“Can’t believe I’m doing this,” Isaac mused quietly to himself, “a Master’s in electrical and mechanical engineering, a twenty-one year career serving on every model of ship across trillions of miles of space and it ends with me cutting trees with a talking pony using a saw straight from the dark ages. Since when did someone decide that hell was too good for me?” He took hold of his end of the saw, mirroring the gripping method the farmer pony used.

“Ready?” she asked eagerly.

“Sure,” he mumbled, lost in his gloom.

“Then GO!” Applejack gave an excited holler and in a flash of movement Isaac felt himself suddenly snapped forward to be forcefully face-flattened into the tree with a mighty thwack.

“Guh!” he shouted in surprise as he wheeled backwards, head over heels, to land flat on his back, legs and wings comically flopped about.

“Heh, heh,” the freckled farmer chuckled, “whoops, sorry. Forgot ya’ll city folk ain’t accustomed ta a lil’ hard work. I’ll be sure ta go a bit easier on ya.” Applejack apologized as Isaac shook his head and blinked back the dazed mist from his eyes. Her words had sounded sincere enough, but he had seen the unmistakable glimmer of mischief in her eyes. He silently rebuked himself for letting his guard down, allowing himself to be made the fool. Behind those large innocent green orbs there was just as much playful mirth and deception as anyone else he’d known. Well, two could play at that game.

“I’m okay,” he said while rubbing his nose, relieved to find nothing had been broken, “it was an honest mistake, don’t worry about it.”

“Good ta hear partner. Ready ta try again for real?”

The two of them had returned to their original positions, saw at the ready.

“Ready?” she repeated.

“Yup!” He jumped into action, not bothering to wait for the signal. He dug his feet into the dirt and pulled the saw as quickly and vigorously as he could. His efforts were quickly rewarded with a loud crash and the sight of a much flattened orange pony half embedded in the rotten tree. She slid down the trunk with a noticeable squeaking sound before coming to rest on the ground with a clunk. With a pop and a shake of her head, she was able to straighten herself out, eyes like green lasers that wanted to burn him into a smoking brown puddle.

“Ya’ll did that on purpose!”

“Whoops, guess I don’t know my own strength. Need me to slow down?” Isaac said, taunting her.

“So that’s how it’s gonna be?” Her previous expression of injustice made way for a smile that was as cocky as it was all knowing.

“This is how it is.”

“Why of all the nerve!” She shot back up onto her hooves, “I refuse to be shown up by a high falootin’ city slicker who don’t know tha meanin’ of an honest day’s apple buckin’.”

“And I won’t tolerate some fedora-wearing fruit with a superiority complex.”

“Don’t ya’ll use your fancy words on me, you’re just as bad as Big Macintosh.”

“I don’t know who that is, but he sounds like my kind of guy.”

With words exchanged, a challenge issued, the two of them once again had taken up ready stances by the tree, saw at the ready. The hot-headed human engineer and the stubborn-as-a-mule farmer pony glared venomously at each other, hooves twitching, waiting for the other to make the first move. From an unseen direction a slight breeze had begun to blow while a piece of tumble weed appeared and rolled lazily by.

Isaac was first on the offensive, pulling his end hard and quick with sweat already appearing across his body. Despite his efforts Applejack was able to stand her ground and recovered the initiative with an equally potent fury, the handles digging uncomfortably into her skin. Both of them heaved and grunted as they continuously alternated the balance of power. Sometimes it was in prolonged tugs-of-war, and other times in a series of lightning quick exchanges. It was an intense and dangerous struggle that both poured all of their efforts, all their passions, into: pulling, pushing, and resisting. Each cutting movement was more intent on the defeat of their rival than actually felling the tree, yet it was still working. Within minutes after they’d started, the familiar sound of splintering wooden fibers had filled the air and the dead tree collapsed with a mighty crash.

That minor interruption didn’t concern them and did nothing to stop them from continuing on with their unwavering focus. Moving as Siamese twins connected by a long metal blade, they headed to the next tree to continue the war. Back and forth, back and forth they vied for position. Every victory added another new bruise to their opponent, their own bodies keeping track of the score. So far they had been tied in points and the realization of such made them fight even harder, redoubling their efforts. No inch or quarter was given, the pride of apple farmers and the integrity of engineers everywhere had been laid bare that day and only one would emerge victorious.

The second tree tumbled and neither hesitated as they moved to the next.

(…………………………………………………………………………………………)

Within an hour Twilight and Pinky Pie had bucked enough trees and gathered enough red fruit to fill the cart to the brim with more produce then either could eat in a single month by themselves, even if they ate nothing but. When they had tried to move the cart, however, they soon realized that they had made a grievous error in judgment. The personification of pink pony was grinding her teeth as she strained against the harness trying to pull the cart up the shallow hill while the magic purple pupil had thrown her back against the wagon and pushed from behind. Progress was slow but as the pair made it to the summit they decided, or rather were forced, to take a brief respite to catch their breaths.

“Applejack always makes it look so easy,” Pinky gasped like a drowning fish alongside Twilight who was not faring any better, “Can’t you use a little of your magic, Twi? Just a teensy-weensy-itty-bitty, ‘I’m a Doctor not a farmer, Jack,’ bit?”

“Not... an option,” Twilight paused for a big breath, “especially not after what... happened... at the,” another large gulp, “Winter Wrap Up.”

“Oh yeah,” Pinky inflected as if remembering something funny, “AJ did have a word or two with you about magic on her farm. Actually it was a lot more than a few words, but I don’t think I have to remind you of that since you were the one who just brought it up now.”

There was a slight interruption in the conversation when the sound of three filly voices rose above the silent orchard, cheering and hollering in high-pitched squees of delight. Only one group of fillies could manage that feat and have decibels to spare so that even the deaf could hear them. It seemed to originate somewhere around the northern quarter where Isaac and Applejack had gotten off to.

“That sounds disturbingly like the Cutie-Mark Crusaders. I wonder what’s going on that’s got them all excited?”

“Oh, oh!” Pinky had begun to bounce about excitedly, leaving a still fatigued Twilight to wonder where the sugar lover stored all that extra energy.

“Come on Twilight, let’s go check it out. Maybe they’ve started a party already. I do so love parties, but they shouldn’t have started it without me, how rude. We’ll I’m sure they just got excited and couldn’t help themselves, after all every new pony deserves a party...”

“Enough, Pinky!” Twilight interrupted, screaming in a sudden anger, “Are you always so annoying? Can you ever think of anything besides parties?” Normally she didn’t mind the party pony’s rambunctious rants, she enjoyed them at times, but sometimes she wished she could, to Pinky, could just... could just...

Twilight had to bite her lip hard to interrupt her darkening thoughts from spiraling further out of control. Having regained her senses she hung her head in shame. She would never, ever, wish to cause harm on her friends or treat them unfairly. That unfamiliar feeling of emptiness was creeping in now, she closed her eyes steeled herself to fight the darkness, to keep it away.

“You okay?” Pinky gently placed a hoof across her friend’s forehead. Thankfully she was far more concerned and not offended.

“This isn’t like you Twi, you’ve been acting strangely since last night.”

“I noticed,” she agreed, “I’ve been feeling funny too.”

“You just need something to turn that frown upside down. Come on,” she intertwined her arm with the egghead’s, “a party awaits us and laughter is always the best medicine, Doctor Pie is never wrong.”

“Actually, that sounds like a great idea. Thanks Pinky.”

“Don’t mention it! What are friends for?”

(…………………………………………………………………………………………)

With the sound of gleeful shouting fillies as their guide it had been a cinch to track down the source of the disturbance. The sight that greeted Twilight and Pinky was both a typical situation of the usual chaotic shenanigans that frequently played out in Ponyville. At the same time it was so utterly bewildering that Twilight had to sit down before she dared to attempt to make sense of it all.

The best way to describe it was that both farmer and engineer had been at each others' throats engaged in an all out, no-holds-barred, Iron Pony competition. Isaac and Applejack were both covered in numerous bruises on their bodies and legs and each sported a black eye on top of that. A few of his feathers had fallen onto the ground, while she had lost her hat somewhere. Nearby there was a neat stack of ten freshly cut logs, all of which had pony shaped holes in them, and a pile of eight exhumed tree stumps. The entire area looked like a demolition zone. Grass was trampled flat, a cloud of dust hovered overhead, and apples had been scattered and squished under hoof.

Through out it all sat three little ponies who continued to cheer and encourage the combatants. These three fillies were known to all residents of Ponyville as the Cutie-Mark Crusaders.

“Yeaahh! Way to go Mister, show Applejack who’s the boss!” Cheered Scootaloo, the first member of the CMC. She was an orange skinned and purple mane pegasus child with stubby wings and grayish-purple eyes. Although she was still too young to fly, that didn’t stop her from buzzing her wings in support of the gray stallion.

Next to her was Sweetie Bell, Rarity’s younger sister. The two unicorn siblings shared the same white skin. Yet Sweetie Bell, unlike her older sister, had sap green eyes and a twirls in her mane that were half rose and half purple, offset with a grayish tint. Having no clear role model to cheer for, she just made a ruckus for the sheer thrill of it, voice ringing clear and melodious as if caught in a song.

“Come on, Applejack! Ya’ll can’t lose to some newcom’r! Then there was the final member of the CMC, Applebloom, who was shouting her lungs out in support of her older sister, Applejack. The fervent pale olive colored filly, with orange eyes, was perhaps most recognizable for the big red ribbon she wore in her rose colored mane, which was currently obscured by AJ’s signature Stetson hat.

Now Applejack was using her famous apple bucking legs trying to uproot her remaining tree stump. Isaac, however, had tied a rope around his stump and used a nearby tree as a fixed axle in an improvised pulley system and beating his wings to give him an edge, but never leaving the ground. The battle only ended when there was heard a stereoscopic sound of ripping roots as they tore their stumps clean of the earth.

“Done!”

“Finished!” They both shouted their victory in unison, ending the fight in yet another tie. For them that was an unacceptable - offensive even - outcome. They expressed this intolerable situation by colliding into one another, pressed together; chest to chest, muzzle to muzzle, and eyes undeterred.

“There are no more stumps ta uproot.”

“Sure about that? I can see one more in front of me.”

“Then there is only one way left ta settle this.” AJ stepped back and upturned one of the freshly liberated stumps, “a hoof wrassle.”

The five bystanders watched the two combatants lock hooves in a deathgrip. Both AJ and Isaac heaved and panted, growling against each other, completely united in their desire to emerge victorious over the other. Seconds seemed to stretch out into minutes as the exhausted ponies heaved with all their remaining strength. Their arms remained unmoving like stone pillars while their sweat ran like rapids down their faces. While Twilight and the Cutie-Mark Crusaders watched, unconsciously holding their breath in rapt fascination, Pinky Pie was happily munching from a box of caramel popcorn while pumping a yellow, ‘#1’ foam finger fist into the air.

It had been an impressive fight, but, in the end, there could be only one winner.

“Yeeehaaawww!!” Applejack gave a victorious yelp as a defeated Isaac slumped limply onto the tree stump, his face one of utter shock and bewilderment. He couldn’t believe that he’d just lost, and to a southern talking pony fruit to boot. He felt a terrible blow to his male pride, as if he’d just been kicked in the family jewels. It felt both demeaning and yet strangely liberating at the same time. He’d been defeated, true, but at least he wasn’t going to be torn into bloody shreds as a consequence of it.

“Aww, cheer up there, Cutter.” Applejack not-so-sympathetically patted him on the back, “Ya’ll done put up a good fight, but nopony could eva hope ta put me down.” Isaac just rolled his head to the side and stared with an unimpressed look.

“Hay, Cutie-mark Crusaders,” At AJ’s beckoning the three fillies had rushed in to stand at attention before her, “It’d be mighty helpful if ya’ll could show Cutter here back ta tha barn so he could get cleaned up.”

“Yes Ma’am” the CMC saluted with military precision before rushing off to pull, push, and plead with Isaac to follow them. He gave Twilight a pleading look, asking for an intervention. One that wasn't coming.

“Don’t forget ta introduce him ta Granny Smith, ya hear me Applebloom?” AJ called out as Isaac was lead away. Once he was a safe distance out of earshot, she walked up to Twilight the farmer’s tone suddenly serious.

“Twi, ya’ll sure he’s from Manehattan?” Her question must’ve hit a nerve because Twilight suddenly cringed. “He certainly ain’t no stuck up prissy pony that ah would associate with that stuck-up city.”

“That’s what I wanted to tell you about, AJ. Not in the open however, we need to go someplace where we can talk in secret. You see...” Applejack raised a hoof to silence the unicorn.

“Then why don’t ya’ll keep it a secret until after we finish with these chores.”

(…………………………………………………………………………………………)

Once again Isaac found himself being led about by pastel ponies. He was fast losing his patience; it was feeling like he was regarded more as a pet than someone who’d single-handedly survived impossible odds, twice. Then he only had to take a single look at the three children at his side before such anger and indignation vanished like vaporized water. He would never admit it to anyone, but he found them rather... cute, even adorable. The fact that they looked up to him with eyes filled with adoration and respect didn’t hurt either. With them around it was easy to almost forget about his recent humiliation, almost. The best words he could find to describe their behavior was ‘bubbly innocence.’ They certainly had the energy of Pinky Pie, but were not nearly as unrestrained or insane.

“Wow, mister. Ya’ll must be really strong,” Applebloom said in genuine admiration, “Ya’ll managed ta get Applejack ta take her hat off.”

“Is that good?” Isaac looked at her as if she were speaking nonsense which, to him, she was.

“Good?” Applebloom sputtered in incredulity, “My big sister says that she has a lot o’ tha Apple family pride in her. If she takes off her hat it means she’s really getting’ down ta business. She didn’t even take it off during her race with Rainbow Dash during last year’s ‘Running of the Leaves’ competition.”

“Yeah,” Scootaloo jumped in with merrily, “you were awesome back there, not as awesome as Rainbow Dash, but still very cool.”

“So what do you do, Mister Cutter?” Without warning Sweetie Bell had hopped onto his back in a single bound. While he was of a mind to order her off, he could help but resist doing so. Human or pony, he had a weakness when it came to children. At time really wished he could’ve had some of his own.

“Well,” Isaac briefly considered following Twilight’s example and making something up, but surely there was no harm in telling these kids what he did as long as he avoided specifics. Besides if it ended up irritating Twilight then that was just and added perk.

“I’m a systems engineer.” He proudly told them.

“What’s a sys..syte..cyst, what’s an engineer?” Sweetie Bell felt her cheeks heat in embarrassment.

“That's ‘systems’ engineer,” Isaac corrected, feeling a wash of confidence and self-importance overtake him, “It’s my job to build, repair, modify, and maintain the various tools, weapons, and machines that peo... er, ponies use in their day to day activities. Got something that is broken? Bring it to me and I can fix it and improve it. Got a nasty monster breathing down your neck? I know how to build the weapons that’ll put that creature in its place.”

“Could ya’ll teach us ta be enghineers?” The red haired child asked with winded anticipation.

“I suppose I could.” He answered; unaware of what would come next. All three of the fillies had taken deep potent breath before, in unison, they shouted an almighty cheer that left him wondering how something so small could produce a sound so big.

“Cutie-Mark Crusaders: System Engineers GO! Yayyyy!!!”

They certainly had not held back in their gleeful adulation and afterwards they smiled at him, continued to speak highly of him. Isaac hadn’t seen such happiness in such a long time, however he knew that they were ignorant of the fate that awaited them. Then the reality of the state of affairs came crashing back down on him. For a moment, brief although it was, he didn’t see three little pony children full of life and silly vigor, but something else. Voided, lifeless eyes, decayed flesh hanging by threads from shredded muscles, a trio of tentacles sprouting from their backs with the sole deadly purpose of spitting spiked barbs at the living. There was a word for such abominations; necromorphs, lurkers, undead children. The name didn’t matter, he could hear their screams in his mind’s eye, could picture the moment of their deaths and terrible conversion.

They didn’t know what was coming, they were only children. It was at that moment he had made his decision. Repayment and rewards be damned, he didn’t need either from Twilight or her Princess and it no longer mattered that they were a different species. He could not allow himself to stand idly by and allow such a future to befall any of them. The Marker wasn’t built yet, therefore he had a chance to avert the outbreak before it began.

(…………………………………………………………………………………………)

It was some time later before Isaac emerged from the bathroom. He had taken his time cleaning the sweat and grim off, but in truth he had wanted the alone time to collect his thoughts while the warm water massaged his sore muscles. In the end he was clean and presentable even if all the bruises made it look like he was wearing a gray shirt with black polka-dots. He heard familiar voices and followed them into what he assumed to be the dining room.

Inside was a large maple table, circled by five wooden chairs, which looked almost as old as the pony that he saw sitting at its head. The elderly green pony he saw had more wrinkles on her face than there were apples in the orchard, her snow white hair was done up in a tight bun that looked very uncomfortable to him, and when she walked towards him he could clearly hear the joints cracking as ancient joints were forced into activity.

“Hello, Mister Cutter.” Applebloom greeted him happily, “Are ya feelin’ better?”

“Yes I am, thanks for asking.” He responded in kind.

“This here is my grandma, Granny Smith.” The child introduced him to the wizened old pony.

“Little Applebloom has been tellin’ me all about ya, young un.” Her smile was devoid of teeth, but no less warm and inviting. Isaac found himself a little put off by her invitation, though. She’d called him young, well, compared to her he must be.

“So, she continued, “ya’ll are tha stallion who done tried ta put the spurs ta my granddaughter?”

Suddenly Isaac felt incredibly uncomfortable around the elder pony. She was the least threatening person he’d ever seen and seemed to be very open. Right then, however, she was giving him, ‘that look.’ He knew, ‘that look,’ well; others had used it on him before. It was the judging gaze of a protective guardian sizing up a potential candidate for their daughters.

“Is she shitting me?” He thought coldly. “Does she not realize I’m far too old for her granddaughter?” He was about to voice said objections when said grandchild suddenly emerged into said dining room.

“Howdy everyone.” Applejack arrived, hat firmly placed back on her head, accompanied by Twilight and Pinky Pie.

“Granny Smith, ah see ya’ll all have met Cutter.”

“Indeed ah have, my child, he’s not quite what ah had expected.” She answered truthfully, “But it ahpears Big Macintosh might have some competition.”

“Granny, since we’ve finished early, what say we celebrate with a little o the good stuff.” Applejack walked over to the kitchen door in anticipation.

“Good stuff?” Isaac liked where this was going.

“Sure thang,” AJ exalted when Granny Smith gave a wink of approval, “we gots jugs o’ moon-shine, sun-shine, apple-shine, salt-shine, and since ya’ll are from Manehattan maybe ah should get the orange-shine. Ah made it from the finest oranges my uncle and auntie sent over.”

“Then fire up that son-of-a-bitch and throw it at my head.” Is what he wanted to say but given his close proximity to both the purple mage and a trio of children he figured it wouldn’t go down exceptionally well, so he settled for a simple, “I’d love some of that orange-shine,” instead.

“Cutie-Mark Crusaders, time fer ya’ll to skidaddle.” Granny Smith ordered while pushing the three fillies towards the door.

“Awwwh, but we wanna watch.” Sweetie Bell pouted at the injustice of it all.

“Sorry young-uns, this here is big pony business.”

“You’re no fun Granny.”

“Ah said for you ta get. Go on and play in ya’lls clubhouse.”

(…………………………………………………………………………………………)

“Well... so much for that idea.” Sweetie Bell sighed after their imposed ejection from the barn.

“Don’t worry, girls,” Scootaloo said in her usual energized tomboyish manner, “we can have Cutter show us how to be engineers tomorrow.”

“So, what’ll we do until then?” Applebloom kicked a stone.

“Same thing we do every day,” Scootaloo brayed, “to try and discover our true talents.”

“Ah know that, Ah mean what ac’tiv’ity thing are we gonna try next?”

As if in answer to her question a sudden rumbling crack, like distant thunder, echoed in the air. The sound had been short, sharp, and powerful enough to startle the fillies with its sudden invasion. The three fillies exchanged confused looks as they searched the sky for any signs of a storm, but not a cloud graced the flawless blue sky. They put an ear to the sky and waited a few breathless moments for a repeat performance. Their patience was rewarded as a second thunder crack blasted through the air, but this time they were able to pinpoint the direction it was coming from.

“Look! Over there!” Scootaloo shouted while pointing at a large column of black smoke and dust that had suddenly appeared, rising slowly over a nearby hill. It was soon joined by a second trailing plume of dark smoke that seemed to wrap around the first. Youthful curiosity overrode caution and the fillies ascended the nearest hill to get a better view. Once they had reached the summit they looked over the rolling fields of Apple Trees, but they found nothing was out of the ordinary. Their gaze lifted higher and they briefly considered Ponyville. Even from here they could see a flurry of frenzied activity had overtaken the town, but the smoke didn’t come from there. Looking even higher they traveled to the base of the Prismatic Mountains and proceeded slowly up the bare rocky slopes. The end of the journey was at the summit of Mount Eclipse, and what they saw there had made their hair stand on end and their blood freeze. Without realizing it they had huddled close together, bodies pressed tightly, trying to find solace in each other arms.

There were three massive spiraling plumes of smoke now, the third following in the wake of a large fireball. This wasn’t supposed to happen; everything they’d been told and had learned in school had said this was impossible. So they just stared and watched, their young minds blank, unable to find the emotions to express the horror unfolding high atop Mount Eclipse.

It was on fire, the very heart and soul of Equestria had been pierced and was bleeding rubble down the mountain side.

Canterlot was burning.