SteelEagle

The offer from Sunrise was plenty generous indeed, for the young colt was entirely loppy still. Not nearly loopy enough for the pain to become anything more than a memory, but still he could feel the edges of his consciousness being little more than a fuzzy idea. That, and caramel apples were always a delicious treat, though as he eyed it a somewhat unsettling thought anchored in his mind and turned it against itself. Were they Apple Family Apples, or wer ethey from another source? Were they stricken by dirt and grim, was hay going to be found halfway through? And were his teeth even ready for such a treat? he'd hate to tempt his taste buds and tease his quaking stomach. Valen shook his head politely and pointed to his mouth. "Not sure-" He said, moving his mouth around so he could get the feeling back. It didn't work, and a sigh preceeded the following. "No, no thank you. A kind offer, but I'm completely pooped and out of it. I need to get back to the farm before I collapse, lest I force you to carry me back by yourself," Valen said, slowly easing his way out of the chair and hobbling around as his body tried to operate his hooves effectively to minimal effect.

- You are allowed to cry at the end. All your tears may be shed.

I gotta say, Chrysalis should be added to this list.

- The song made the episode for me.

There was a momentary delay to Pathfinder's previous question, which for the briefest of moments panicked the mare. Snowy may have been so offended, scared, or creeped out that no words could escape. She may have started going back from whence they came in an effort to flee the crazed, immature adventure. The better part of her psyche scoffed at such notions, but the sheer fact they crossed her mind was enough to justify a look behind. Quickly, she snapped back to take a glance. What she found was a far better alternative to Pathfinder's fear. Snowy had just had a minor problem with the last hurdle and was just now pulling herself up. It was to be expected, especially of a Pegasus who normally wasn't doing anything entirely too physical. Pathfinder's mental state let out a sigh, then berated itself for being silly enough to entertain decidedly un-adventureesque thoughts. "I'm here... sorry... I...that section was a lot harder. Kind of glad it's done..." She said as she got her bearings, taking a deep breath and sighing. That section had been quite the doozy for a tourist trap, which led Pathfinder to think that the next phase was likely mental more than physical. Suddenly, Pathfinder wasn't feeling so confident! Snowy gave another of her light laughs that made Pathfinder slightly more smitten every time she did it. "Though for a seasoned adventurer, that was probably the same as a light stroll," Snowy shook her head, which Pathfinder found herself doing as well almost in-sync. "If I ever went on an adventure with you, I don't think I'd make it..." Pathfinder considered it. Maybe she had a point as she wasn't exactly the most stunning example of physical preparedness. For an rich executive she was marvellous but, well, lacking would be a kind descriptor for her as an adventurer. Then again, Pathfinder thought to herself as she stopped the robotic shaking of her her head with a hoof, some had called her a poor physical specimen as well. "Nah, you'd be fine! There aren't any rules against flying in an adventure, except maybe traps designed to take out pegasi specifically. But really, it's all about just dustin' yourself off or pulling arrows outta your wings and just pushing on. Some say that when your hoof has been cracked open or your wing has an arrow in it that you need to get out. Well, yeah, if you aren't an adventurer. You know how many times I've failed a jump or set off a trap or generally just screwed something up? More than I can count and I keep on doing it. Every time I've been hurt or put into danger has been my own fault. But guess what? I power through it, and that's all it really takes is that willpower! And you have awesome, incredible, cute willpower so you'd be a very good adventurer, I think!" Pathfinder said before striking a dramatic pose, her own version of a pep talk being almost entirely animated with her hooves.

Pathfinder didn't need to be the smartest pony in all of Equestria to know what had just happened and that it was mostly her fault. As Snowy fell into the pit again, Pathfinder facehoofed. She was stupid. Very stupid. Unbelievably, almost inconceivably stupid. Not only to believe what she said but to say it so quickly. She racked her brain for superior options; were there any? Of course! She let out a great sigh just before Snowy pulled herself up. Of course, it was so simple! And here she was, calling herself an adventurer. Admissions of love were only supposed to come when you were in mortal peril, duh! That was the only way it worked. The fact she had forgotten it made her ashamed, as Daring's sister Derring had done it that exact way to Bravado in The Platinum Crown. She had written the stage version of that piece of art and she couldn't even remember one of its most important moments?! The shame! "I-I'm okay..." Snowy said, blushing wildly, "I just... I just need to regain my footing and I'll be fine." Pathfinder smiled and looked away, her own butterflies taking their cue. It was mostly about how embarrassed she was regarding the scene with Derring and Bravado in the underwater cave, but in the end it didn't matter as she noticed both of their cheeks had the same hue. Cute. "Feel free to take the lead, I'll follow right behind!" Snowy said, her voice having regained its confidence. Pathfinder nodded as she herself regained her composure. There was a time and place for more stilted and awkward flirting and eye-catching, and that time and place was called 'soon' and 'out of touristy-safe danger'. She saluted Snowy. "Ay-ay, cap'n!" She said before leaping across the hole and, taking her time to insure that Snowy could follow closely. The following hurdles and gaps were of no great difficulty and after a few more minutes of what Pathfinder would term warm-ups, they were back on solid ground. Pathfinder trotted ahead...and the silence was deafening. "So...wassup?"

The cookie Pinkie Pie gave to Apple Bloom was sugary and sweet with just the faintest hint of salt. She knew just how to keep your taste buds guessing; most of the time, a baker would have used too much salt and it would have overwhelmed everything else. But Pinkie used just a pinch, never more and never less. If anything, she was at least consistent in her baking methods! Apple Bloom smiled as she rapidly ate the cookie. Good eatin'! It distracted her from the overuse of P-words, of which she could only get the general gist. Sometimes with Pinkie that was all you could hope for and anything above it was gravy. "Well, ah *GULP* say that sounds mighty dandy there, Pinkie. Ah could sure use any sorta help ya can give me, ah'm sure she'll be great! Hay thar, mah name's Apple Bloom. Ah need to throw a party for ma' granny, and if ya could help me, ah'd be greatly grateful!" Apple Bloom said, extending her hoof just as the pony in question nearly popped Pinkie's head off with a hug. She certainly was an excitable one; now Apple Bloom could see why she was chosen. She hoped that the pony was up to the task, seeing as how Apple Bloom hoped to make quite the splash! With Pinkie's help, she was sure that it would all turn out as well as possible. Well, the party at least.

As Rarity was lead into the room, perhaps unwillingly as it was hard to tell with how physical the farm pony was with her, Valen jumped up in his seat and smiled, clapping his hooves together in an immature and all together excitable display. It was time! Or nearly time. Close to the time, in any way f looking at it. When was the last time he was this excited? Probably when the Royal Arts Exhibit had come to his academy. She would have fit well in there too, though whether as an admirer of the arts or as a piece herself was open to debate; she was exquisite. Before he could speak, Applejack launched another one of her sorties against Valen's mane in her desperate, nearly insane bid to curtail his desire to be stunning. She did it a lot and the glint in her spoke to it being another one of her playful little games that she set out to win, even if others were unaware they were playing, her wide grin making the whole thing infectiously innocent and fun. Valen tried to shake himself loose in time, but she was too strong and fast and all he could in defense was giggle and squirm as she finished her job. Breaking free, he turned back and saw her smile once more. She was a pretty happy pony whenever she wasn't sore from work and even then, she was less mean as she was curt and he if he tried to count how many times she had said sorry to him since he'd arrived he would have had to stop at some point and consult somepony. He rubbed his cheek with a smile, Applejack motioning to the bounty in front of him. She could make one heck of a breakfast, a fact that he was not aware of before he came to Sweet Apple Acres. She was a famous workhorse amongst the family; after what he had seen, he knew she should also have been a famous cook. Each serving was delicious and perfect, filling and packing the foal with energy. In deliciousness, they reminded Valen of the meals his friends would eat. They preferred large, decadent meals to Valen's smaller, perfectly proportioned meals, yet while his diet had changed so had his workload- unlike his plump friends, he worked his meals off thanks to the Apple Family. It made the trade-off worth it. It spoke to how much she cared, as her entire life seemed to revolve around her family and friends in one manner or another. It was stunning to see such a big heart relfected not only through a visage given to warm eyes and wide smiles, but near constant action. It seemed symptomatic of the entire family. Despite all of his complaints, their care and love was infectious and it was to be the biggest lesson he would take away from them, But this day was not about lessons; it was about quality time with the famous Miss Rarity. It was about clear, honest fun. But first he had to get away from the table, which considering his rounded belly may have been a job all its own. "I've eaten plenty enough for the rest of the day- maybe even two, Applejack," Valen said as he tried to readjust his mane to no avail. Drats, she had won. He turned to Rarity, smiling. "Miss Rarity! How is your morning so far? I'm all ready to go whenever you are. I brought stuff for a picnic for when we have the time, and lots of little odds and ends. See this magicfiber towel we can use to clean the gems?! Wonderful! And I'm even bringing the scarf my mother got me for Hearths Warming Eve. It should counteract any chilly mountain air, I think. Plus, look at me!" He said as he wrapped the scarf around, looking equal measures adorable and young.

I like your stuff! If you're doing OCs, one of Valen Orange(click link in profile) would be amazing.

Spoiler level should come down to what your position on any given series is. With MLP, it has never been about the plot for me, it has always been about the journey. With few exceptions, the plots have been predictable. So I don't mind spoilers.

Snowy could sure move! Pathfinder was impressed that a lifetime of board meetings didn't slow her down all that much. If it had been any other way, Pathfinder would have been worried that she would have to take charge the entire time. And while that had some appeal as it was her natural state, she was truthfully looking forward to following someone else for a change. The fact it was a cute someone was a wonderful addition to the equation, and the fact she was fast too aided matters tremendously. The lifelong adventurer almost has trouble keeping up. Almost. Pathfinder was well-weathered in pursuit. The gallop she had going was strong and fierce as the light allows her to see the upcoming obstacles. A series of jumps of varying distances and elevation would have provided an interesting diversion alone, but some jumps had hurdles at the zenith while almost every one had a hole, a pit, a gap to increase the consequences and severity of failure. Pathfinder's ears perked up- finally, a challenge worthy of them! She galloped and leapt without breaking her stride, timing her leaps with as much precision as she could muster. There wasn't anything truly challenging here for someone with her experience, as no town would risk such great expense if it could be financially risky. The pits were short and the landing soft, the jumps challenging but lacking anything that could test an experienced pony. It was, in short, perfect entertainment for a thrill seeker who was seeking something less carnal and something that allowed her to explore her mind without worry playing loose her expression. In Pathfinder's mind, many thoughts were bubbling around as a crazy mix of wild emotions confused one another as mixed signals shot around gaily. They would be interrupted by a more reasonable affair. Snowy fell a few jumps ahead of Pathfinder into the abyss, the distance greater than Pathfinder had intended, her desire to give Snowy some space to manage her jumps coming back to bite her. As Snowy fell, Pathfinder's pace quickened and she made quick work of the following jumps in her bid to catch up with Snowy. She launched herself over the hurdle and onto the narrow ledge that Snowy was just then pulling herself back up from. When Snowy;s safety was assured, her form fighting back up, Pathfinder's mind drew a blank. What was this she was feeling? Why was it so sudden? She knew that Snowy was safe, and she was accustomed to seeing danger such as this. Plus, she knew this place represented no real threat. She knew Snowy was safe, so why the nervous landing, hoof tapping against the ledge, the initial eye dart to see if she was safe, the lump in her throat? Then it struck her. She was personally a little ashamed and confused. Confused because she knew of nopony who would ever say it this quickly, ashamed because she knew it made her seem so immature to believe in it this suddenly. Pathfinder's voice was even, the excited inflection almost pathetic as it was so obviously forced to give her words strength. "H-hey, Snowy! Two things! First off, I think I love you. Secondly, are you okay? Because I think we're about halfway through this course and if you need anyone to hold- carry, carry you, just say so and if not, it's MY turn to lead!" Pathfinder said, her words gaining strength as she escaped the gravitational pull of the first point in her sentence, ending with her striking a pose, hoof in air towards the exit dramatically.

The extreme chaos in the bakery came to an abrupt end which, to Apple Bloom, was the greatest sign of true chaos. Only then could a situation go from bad to good to worse to best. She shook her head and such thoughts vanished in a wide smile, beaming at the party pony whose own energy was both infectious and endless. "Why, you betcha! We're gonna throw 'er the best, grandest party an Apple's ev'r had! But ah need yer help, Pinkie. Ya see, Applejack's gonna bake one of her special apple cakes and that's gonna be mighty delicious, but that means ah can't bake a cake naw and ah need to make somethin' for the party. So ah came down here 'cause ah was thinking to myself, 'Who knows more about parties and party food than Pinkie Pie?' and the answer's no one, so ah'd be mighty grateful if ya could help me out," Apple Bloom said with a smile as she approached the counter, placing her hooves on it at the end and plastering a wide, ceaselessly adorable grin on her face.

It was another relatively successful day for Apple Bloom. As with every good orchard pony, she had done her chores and made sure that her big sis didn't have any complaints regarding Apple Bloom's performance for the day, seeing as how when she did have complaints the day turned sour as Apple Bloom wasn't one for redoing work she had already completed to a level to her liking. But no room for negativity as she had done everything asked of her and on a light day of work like today, that meant more quality time with her friends. Not that her family time wasn't quality and all, but sometimes Abby had to be around those around her own age. It had been a fun, fun day. Even though they hadn't earned their cutie marks, on some days- an increasing number really- she was happier just to be around them. Such was the nature of good friends and in many ways she preferred it that way. A part of her was worried about what would happen when one of them got their mark, while a larger part of her knew it wouldn't change a thing. Cutie Mark thoughts played a subtle role in her active mind as she came cantering back to Sweet Apple Acres, empty of stomach yet still bustling with energy as she rounded the house towards the collection of voices "Applejack, ya'd nev- Great Uncle Strudel!" She said, shocked and overjoyed to see him. Why, she hardly ever saw one of Granny Smith's brothers! What good fortune brought him here? She launched herself at the elderly stallion, not giving a hoot for a second as to who else was there. After she gave him a firm hug, she opened her eyes- still attached to her great uncle- and spotted the rest of the ponyfolk gathered 'round. Most of them seemed to be in the proper place, but a stranger adorned these parts now. She was excited to see him too, colt looked caught up in one of Applejack's lessons, but she still had her arms around her great uncle. "Howdy thar!"

Whatever Sunrise's intention was, as commendable an action and thought, Valen found himself straining against it. The gas was the one thing between reality and the weary, battered body in there and the awesome alicorn he was in his little drugged fantasy world. Compared to that remarkable fantasy, reality was lacking. The gas hissed lower and lower until he could no longer feel the effects as pronounced, and a wave of pain both old and fresh flooded him. Valen let out a whimper as the dentist did her job, eventually pleding a full dental clean. He didn't need a dental clean, for the love of Celestia! He was a well-bred, well-read, well-taught foal of Upper Crust birth. His hygiene was without complaint or issue, any claim otherwise a fabrication, a falsehood, a bold mis-belief fostered by jealousy. He was always the glittering, shining image of well-mannered excellence in the art of appearance. He wore the finest perfumes and used the greatest product to ensure a silky smooth smell and feel. His mane was a work of art, fought over by high-priced stylists who decided to work on their treasured craft by using his head as their piece. He worried so greatly about his appearance that it naturally extended to dental care, as Valen had gone his whole existence without need for a crown or any other dental work besides a check up. Everything else about him had changed in his short time in Ponyville, but one thing remained the same: He did not need a tooth cleaning. "Nooo zhanks you," Valen said through the work, mustering up his reserves of calm as hid body throbbed and ached. At this stage, the only thing keeping him sane was the comforting thought of an apple pie and other deliciousness back at the farm.

"Alright, here I go!" Snowy said, her voice echoing loudly enough for Pathfinder to know she was just dandy. She was confident too, a fact that in any adventure was worth an enormous weight of gold as far as she was concerned. her experience bore that out as fact, though her simple-minded friends would tell her that it was the best way to get seriously hurt. Pathfinder continued to stomp and whoot, cheering her date on as much as she could. Normally Pathfinder was trying to be as quiet as possible in a cave like this, but she figured that Snowy could use the encouragement. Who wouldn't want a small cheering section? Boring ponies! And it seemed like she was fully capable of being an excellent adventurer as she committed herself to the leap. Commitment and confidence were very alluring traits. She bounded over the first hole easy, but it was the second hole that could prove difficult. Luckily, she hit and kicked off immediately, her wings opening up in reflex. Luckily, Pathfinder saw that Snowy's control extended beyond business and she landed of her own, non-wing aided power past where Pathfinder was. "That wasn't so bad," Snowy said, wonderfully underplaying her success. Pathfinder didn't waste a second, grabbing and hugging Snowy with the greatest excitement. She was impressed, happy, overjoyed at the success of her date, especially coming off of the heels of her seeming indecision and discomfort with the idea of such a large leap. When prodded, she had tremendous courage and Pathfinder was beyond happy to see she could help Snowy see it. "Awesome! You did great, Snowy! I knew you could do it, and now that we got that out of the way, we're gonna kick this course's flank!" Pathfinder said, moving behind her date as she let Snowy go and twirled her tail in excitement. "Okay, super explorer Snowy, it's your turn to take the lead to the next obstacle!" Pathfinder said, her enthusiasm powering her voice broadly.

She had to begrudgingly accept the help of the dentist, who hit the work with the proper amount of gusto. It made Apple Bloom feel a little off-put that some townsie could come in and push the wagon better than a dedicated orchard pony could, but then again, one was a mare and one was a filly so she guessed it made sense. Still, she couldn't deny that they were making awfully good time, Apple Bloom's form and focus combined with the size of the dentist and her own energy to enable them to make good on their promise to wrap winter up on time. "Ah thank you mightily, Sunrahse," Apple Bloom said through another powerful grunt. Then, everything changed as word of the manticore flowed up and down the line, which was enough to get her tiny little legs to stop pumping. "Wait a minute, did somepony say...MANTICORE?!"

Being a member of the greatest family in the history of Equestria and beyond had many responsibilities and rewards associated with it. First, you had to work your flank off, and the Apple family didn't work in any office building or in some froo-froo business. They were orchard folk, farm folk born and raised. Beyond the physical labor, being an Apple meant you were part of a tight-knit unit. Apples were never as open and honest as they were with each other, never as friendly, angry, sad, happy as they were around others. It was a fact of life for most of the others that they were honest and consistently dependable in matters of the heart around each other, frankness and honesty valued above whitewashing and gentle feelings. To Apple Bloom, she chalked it up to another responsibility, and one she had some difficulty adhering to at times. But that was just the start of her responsibilities. There was a mighty large list of them, though she preferred to think of them as just chores. Still, there was an equally long list of rewards for adherence. The fist was just being able to be around her family, the sort of reward that she would selfishly cling to no matter what. Big Mac could be a bore, but if there was anypony else in the world with a bigger heart, she would need to see proof. Granny Smith had once made her somewhat uncomfortable, maybe ashamed, but now Apple Bloom couldn't imagine a day going by without a story from her. Applejack was simply the greatest sister in the whole wide world and didn't need much more than that to describe her. And another reward was that best big sister's after-dinner activities. Applejack was sometimes too tuckered out to play or do anything, but after dinner and as the family retired to go and do what they needed to do before they laid their heads down and gave in to the sweet release of sleep, Apple Bloom and Applejack could spend quality sister time without fear of interruption or worry. Well, at least when Applejack was up to it, which was most of the time even when she didn't feel like it since Apple Bloom was both incredibly adorable and took, "No" as a suggestion. "Hey sis, whatcha wanna do?!" Apple Bloom said, the heavy soup in her stomach not seemingly having affected her in the slightest as she bounced up the stairs to the second story, where both of their rooms were located. Best part of the night was sister time!

"Well..." Snowfall started as her voice lost all manner of authority. "Six feet is kind of... Do you...do you think we could cross that just by jumping? You know, like a running leap?" Pahfinder gave two things thought. First, it was sort of cute seeing her date get flustered. She so well wore the mask of a consistently confident and charge-taking mare that to see her knocked back, if only for a moment and with nothing but good cause and reason, was absolutely charming. It was nice to know that everypony no matter the stature had moments of profound mental stutter. It was a heartwarming fact tha made Snowy all the more pony. Secondly, Pathfinder gave her question due process in the workings of her mind. Six feet wasn't much at all for strong ponies, nor was much of a risk for a new adventurer. However, the lack of vision beyond it is what gave Pathfinder pause- and why set up such a simple hole with nothing to provide much of a challenge as the third leg of the course? Pathfinder's adventure sense was tingling. That or her lack of bathing recently was allowing bugs to crawl on her coat. "Yeah, a running start should be fine. Here, I'll go first. You can follow. Next obstacle, we switch. Sound fun?" Pathfinder said with a wink as she trotted gaily back a few feet, turned, and galloped to the edge of the hole. Once there, she gave a mighty push off with her back hooves and found herself tossed into the air and over the somewhat incompetent hole. She was about to land confidently on the other side, having over shot the hole by several feet, when reality set in. It did so as her hooves slammed against the artificial cave floor and she heard a metallic clack. A trap door. An excellent design! Th obvious trap was the bait, luring ponies into falling into the hidden trap door. Well done! Pathfinder had less than a second in between the sound and the door opening up. She brought her back hooves down not in a landing, but in a kick as her front legs mustered what little energy had been gathered, the trap door opening up just after she kicked off- her motion perhaps to the untrained eye having caused it. In all, the launch off was weak, but as good as she could get considering she was nearly halfway across trap door. She flew in the air for a second before landing and tumbling on the other side, her hat falling off in the process. Pathfinder picked it up and dusts it off before placing it on her head, turning back towards Snowy. It was maybe only a 14-foot gap all told, but she could hardly see Snowy. Well designed! "Okay Snowy, not sure if you saw, but there's a super cool trap door directly on the other side of the hole. You're gonna land on it no matter what and when you do, you're going to have no time at all to land. So you gotta act like you're trying to jump another hole immediately, keep that running motion and jump immediately. Do itand you should get even further than me! GOOOOOOOOOO SNOWY!" Pathfinder said with enthusiasm, stomping her hooves in applause

Valen had smiled ear to ear when the mare known as Cheerilee approached, having quite assuredly found her attitude charming. It was rare to see one mare who worked so well with Valen, and with Rarity here as well, the answer was now two. It came to pass that she was better than either of them in the art of Applebucking- knowing she had been a wonderful athlete in he earlier years was a delicious morsel to add to her character- by a large degree, too large a degree, and the end result of her efforts was the avalanche of snow from the tree. Perhaps it was a exaggeration, but it may as well have been. He wasn't minding the snow, all things told. It acted as a sort of insulator that through its intense chill dulled his senses, allowing him a reprieve from the pain. In fact, in his fractured, fevered mind, he was willing to lay there for a few minutes. It was a stupid idea swiftly rejected by fate as a unicorn mare dug Valen out. It was cruel, to his mind at least, that a mare apparently so frantically devoted to the well being of others couldn't have been with him earlier when a slight reassurance from a professional or help with the Cheerilee at the bush could have done him a world of good. Cheerilee pulled him up by the scruff of his neck and laid him down gently, his body weary and all around beat, tired, exhausted. Then the hippie showed up; he was kind, but something about him really seemed to get on Valen's nerves. It was probably the misshapen, lingo-driven way he spoke. Then the bear showed up and was acting friendly under Fluttershy's guidance, and everypony seemingly wanted to apologize to it. Just another day in Ponyville as far as he was concerned. Valen turned towards the wagon, attempting to maintain an upbeat demeanor with a smile. Still, the arrival of the bear and subsequent forgiveness seeking put him off, if only slightly. "Okay, well, I say its time we focus on wrapping up winter, Ponyvillians! Yee haw," He said mechanically, the last two words being devoid of emotion and seemingly said as if he were a bad character actor.

It wasn't that Apple Bloom was unneceasrily full of pride or unwavering in her belief that she could do anything. However, she wasn't about to let some pegasus dentist come in and help her without there being an actual need for it- she was an Apple, darnit. She would get help when she needed it, but not before she tried as hard as her little filly body would allow. "Ah'll be fine, Sunrise," Apple Bloom says stubbornly before, with a determined gaze in front of her, she starts pulling. Her legs strain in terrible fashion, digging into the ground in terse, brutal fashion before she took another. Her back muscles, tiny and compact, flex against the rein. "Ahhhhhhhhhh....ah got...thiiiiiiissss...." She wheezes as the wagon movedsslowly despite all of her great effort. It moves about thirty feet before she falls to her hindquarters and takes a deep breath, wiping her brow. "Ah guess ah could use your help with this here wagon, Sunrise."

His time at Sweet Apple Acres had been interesting, to say the least. When he had first learned he was to spend a somewhat significant amount of time at the farm, he was apprehensive, nervous, excited in an unkind manner. How would he fare in a world so unlike his? Some told him to use it as an opportunity to learn and appreciate a lifestyle so vividly contrasted against his own, walk a few miles in the horseshoe of another. He had decided after about an hour that the people who said those things were ignorant, as despite the patience and kindness of his hosts, he was reminded almost hourly that he did not belong. Maybe it was when he milked the cows. It was wildly uncomfortable for all parties involved, as he felt as though he was doing something wrong. He knew he was doing *it* wrong, since the cows had no problem telling him so rather forcefully whenever he did. They talked entirely too much and he was blaming that for his consistently small output, as well as the fact that it was naturally difficult for a pony to milk a cow. It required a large degree of trust between cow and pony and while they had that relationship with the other ponies of the farm, they did not have that with Valen. More than a few times, as they sat there gabbing away and he tugged and pulled and squeezed and worked for what seemed like drops of milks, he was reminded by the cows that he wasn't quite ready for it. Maybe it was whenever he went to go feed the chickens, as horrifying as that could be. Savvanahcock and her compadres had established who was the rooster and who was the hen in this specific relationship from the first go. They treated Apple Bloom with such love and affection but for Valen, it was nearly a fight to the death. Getting eggs would end with them knocking him to the ground and pecking them until he couldn't feel it anymore. Feeding them had the same result with the added benefit that feed often got stuck in his mane and they would chase him. He was sure that a few times at night, one of the chickens had been right outside of the window, staring at him. Maybe it was a dream, but as he would lay there the next day covered in welts from the previous day's feed, he knew that he wasn't quite ready for it. Maybe it didn't matter that he wasn't very useful in the art of apple bucking or any form of heavy chore or labor: As long as he could contribute in some way, there would be great benefit all involved? No, wrong, because he had no skills that translated. Even basket weaving didn't really help out as the bushel baskets he made, while wonderfully decorative and pretty, were found wanting in terms of structural integrity and strength. A bushel basket wasn't very useful when it broke into a pile of twigs, as Applejack had with exasperation several times moaned. Another avenue of usefulness, out. Truly a blow as until the basket had broken under the strain of six apples and been rendered useless, he had considered it a fine achievement. Another sign that he wasn't quite ready for farm life. By the time that had failed, it had become clear that aside from his below average bucking and hauling skills, he had few marketable farm abilities. No worry, Applejack had said with a smile. They always needed help at the house. And truth be told, he was more of a help here than he was outside. However, he had started to feel as though Applejack liked having to have a cabana colt to call upon to do everything from washing dishes to scrubbing floors to doing what little laundry they had, and that was often just in the first few hours. It was unskilled labor that didn't really require much in the way of the strength, and sadly was perhaps what he was most qualified for. After all, he wasn't going to be so mean and base as to force an elderly mare to do the work that a fine upstanding healthy colt could do, right? Whether it was their attempts at guilt tripping him, Applejack's sickly sweet manner in which she'd ask, or his own desire to be of some help but he would use the elderly mare as his own fallback excuse. And he was glad to be of some help, to have some things he could do reasonably well, because his hosts were wholly capable in their livelihoods and it made him him feel lazy. Granny Smith, easily the oldest pony aside from the Princesses he had ever seen, knew more about baking and orchard running than the rest of the land put together. It was a shame it was wrapped up in a package of such irregularity and non-linearity that he doubted even a tenth of her wisdom could be articulated, let alone understood. Big Mac lived up to his name, his strength being unrivaled and his work ethic unnervingly solid and unquestioned, free of drama or issue. He was also quiet so often and for such long periods that it spooked Valen terribly. Apple Bloom was a wonderfully sweet filly, but rough, tumble, bursting energy and a contempt for stillness. Having to share a room with her was by itself exhausting as she was wont to flail around and knock him beside the head. Considering all the other head bumps he was taking during his story, he knew to make an appointment to see a doctor. Applejack was the cause of perhaps three-quarters of his head injuries. She was an affable, terribly friendly pony with good work ethic and morals. She also was a walking disaster zone for everypony around her though never her, a fact which as her unofficial cabana colt spelled doom for him. It was all a microcosm of their family unit. They were rough and tumble, dirty, close, dawn to dusk workers, the backbone of Equestria. He admired them. Respected them. Loved them. He also knew he didn't belong and his time in the small country city would have been a punishment had it not been for Rarity. She was a wonderful, wonderful, splendid mare. They shared some of the same interests- fashion, fine personal grooming, being wonderfully generous, avoiding nasty business- and they fared well together. For a colt such as Valen, who lacked that need to test limits, she was pitch-perfect as an older influence. She was kind, gentle, and preferred to be more of a caretaker rather than a playmate. She was more than understanding with his clothing request and stood by his side during his repeated failures during Winter Wrap-Up; Celestia knows that was just the tip of the iceberg. Fact was that in the end, he and Rarity got along, they got along well, and she was an amazing change of pace and breath of old air into Valen's day. So of course when she had offered to take him gem hunting with her, he leapt at it like it was the last orange in the orchard. Not only was it more time with Rarity, but it was about eight hours of light labor as opposed to nearly twelve of heavy or maddening labor. Applejack hadn't seemed that off-put and the night before, he could hardly sleep, packing for the day and imagining all the beautiful, pretty gems they'd find. The morning of, he woke up, ate his breakfast with more excitement than he had ever since the Ponywalk. That generally meant he talked entirely too much. "-And then I made sure to get that really wonderful magicfiber towel to get all the dirt and grime off of any gems we find. I have a red one, a green one, a pink one, a purple one..." He rambled on as he had for the last ten minutes about Rarity, gem hunting, and what he was bringing. It was a pleasant topic.

"My... er... Thanks! I didn't see that at all. Your eyes sure are sharp, Pathfinder. Though I suppose I'd expect nothing less from a seasoned adventurer! You spared me what could have been a painful or at the very least embarrassing fall." Pathfinder couldn't help but feel a small surge of pride. She wasn't often given any sort of compliment regarding her abilities, mostly just insults and remarks unkind. Few gave her lifestyle the respect it deserved and even fewer shared in the desire to see the same thrills as she. To have somepony close by that had a spine for thrills and a heart for compliments for Pathfinder was a big deal, and her swell of pride felt like it was well-earned. Maybe. Pathfinder gave a concise smile and giggled. "Nah, I didn't see it. I felt it! They have water here at the bottom of the hole, see, and that makes the air around it a bit colder, like maybe a few degrees. They probably haven't changed the water for a while, it started to get a bit nippy. I'm sure you can feel it. Snowy. The longer the water has stayed out, the more the cold spreads. Only question now is how to cross the hole without flying," Pathfinder said, taking her hat off to scratch her head rather basely before crouching down. Her hoof travelled on the ground before it ran across one of the few rocks that weren't entirely artificial and bolted into the surroundings. She kicked it across the ground until it shot into the small chasm. A second passed before she heard it klack against the opposite side of the artifical hole and a few seconds later, a light plunge into the water. "...Okay, that was deeper than I thought. It doesn't sound like its too wide though, maybe six feet...thirty feet down, probably," Pathfinder guessed, mentally giving herself leeway of six feet wide and thirty feet down.

Whatever gas Sunrise had used on Valen, he was hoping it never, ever went away. Whether she had used too much of a perfectly fine gas or if she had mixed it up and was pumping him full of something quite powerful didn't really matter, for the effect was the same. The young Manehattanite was in an entirely different plane of existence as the dentist went to work. Birds danced with dogs. Cats somersaulted over moons and the bareness of the desert rose up and danced with the alphabet. Suddenly, extra cars- fantastical designs in future technology novellas- appeared in his dream, zooming along dirt roads making such noises the likes of which had never before been heard before in Equestria. In other words, young Valen was completely knocked around and high by the gas, tiny giggling rasps escaping his opened mouth every so often, made formless by Sunrise's oral intrusion. Once or twice he jerked, and his weakened forehooves played tiddlywinks with his stomach fur, kicking imaginary ball around in a game that only he could understand in that state. "YYUURRR DOGAHGAHING GAHT!" Valen whispered thoughtlessly to the dentist, the closest he could get to, "You're doing great", though it was more in response to her tone than anything she had said- he was simply too out of it to understand anything as sublime as language.

Snow had taken the lead initially, Pathfinder allowing the business mare to inch ahead. Her words were confident and her mannerisms the same, and Pathfinder saw no reason for Snowy to not be so. This was, after all, a tourist trap. It wouldn't be a good business if there was any danger after all, and if worst came to worst somepony would just have a bump on their noggin. No big whoop and therefore no sincere need to be afraid- in other words, Snowy's reaction was right on the money as far as Pathfinder was concerned. Besides, she was pretty awesome so far- surely she could hoof it out? But as they entered the dimly lit cave, the walls close and the air stagnant, the mood changed. Not in a dark way, Pathfinder excused herself the pun, necessarily. More exciting or dangerous perhaps, though Pathfinder could hardly consider it such. There wouldn't be any threat of serious injury or worse her- anything they saw would be smokes and mirrors or, failing that, just smoke. Pathfinder grinned and her pace quickened as she trotted deeper into the cave-obstacle-thing. It was nithing like the real caves she had seen and been in, they were often much noisier than one would think. The dripping of water, the sounds of scurrying rats and other creatures, echoing gusts of wind were but a few noises in a cave. Here, whoever had designed it opted for total silence and complete stillness as soon as possible. No light penetrated this far in, no sounds, the only feeling was a small brush of air from just down below- "Stop!" Pathfinder rasped silently, sticking her hoof out in front of her date. After a second, she nodded and started gently trailing her hoof in front of her until it was no longer above solid ground. "Oh, cool. A hole!"

- Caramel Apple is here as well!