Roosting [Open]

[appletastic]

Getting some shut-eye aboard this...plantboat presented more of a problem than Applejack had first guessed. How was she expected to just tell time? And without time, how did you know when to sleep, when to wake up, when your work was supposed to start and stop?

She'd taken to just plain collapsing whenever she'd felt too tired to go on any further, but that sure didn't feel right. Every sleep time felt different, like she'd gone a few hours one night and many more the next. Was the work even going to get done on time?

So far, she'd done as much as she could whenever she'd felt alert. One of those apple trees was going to be ready for a bucking in a few days' time, and that would bring all kinds of work. Some of the apples would be kept raw for sale and trade, of course, and others would be baked and dipped into various sweets. She'd already promised a pie to Dean, and she was sure there would be more to follow.

At the end of this workday, though, Applejack carried just a few things on her back: one or two ingredients she'd begged for in her flankpack, a just-scavenged empty basket for future apple-carrying, and an old blanket for the pile of hay waiting for her back in Hydroponics.

It sure was uncomfortable to sleep there, though. The hay and outdoorsy breeze didn't bother her, no, but the lack of starlight did. How were you supposed to know it was night time? That the sun would come?

That was the problem, actually. There would be no sunrise to wake her up in the morning. Plant-boats didn't have suns, and even if they did, Princess Celestia wasn't around to raise it. There wouldn't be any more cock-a-doodle-doos announcing her gift of the mor. Her sister Luna wouldn't be bringing the night either. Out here, it was nighttime eternal until they found a way to pierce the darkness.

Applejack wanted to plan for that Ohm-bucking part some more, but the time to take on the darkness would come later. For now, the farm pony just wanted some sleep. Judging by the way she rolled, twisted, and huffed against the meat-couches in her current location, the only place with something that slightly resembled a starry sky, the time for sleep wasn't quite here yet.

"Consarnit, this just ain't working," she sighed. "How's a pony supposed to sleep on these things? A good bit of bedding's supposed to stay put."

Comments

[appletastic]

Kaya would find herself looking at a pony with a sheet in her mouth, trying her best to find the one arrangement that was comfortable. As the issue ran deeper than that, it wasn't quite working.

"Well howdy Kaya," a tired-looking Applejack greeted, straightening her legs back up. "Just trying to find a place for a lie down. I thought I'd take in the view."

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Kaya looked confused. "But on the obs deck? I cant imagine its a terribly comfortable place: the couches just aren't nearly cushiony enough. Besides, I figured that the Hydroponics bay would be a better fit."

Poor pony, she looked so frazzled. Kaya couldn't just walk by and say nothing.

[appletastic]

"I tried it there, just didn't feel right. No sky," Applejack explained, looking up at the view outside the window.

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

"No sky?" Well, she hadn't thought of that. If that's a problem, then why don't you just sleep in the Sensoriums? I'm sure you could simulate a sky that way."

Not that she'd ever heard of anyone sleeping there, but then Toothless had done that before, right?

[appletastic]

"I've heard a bit about that place. Doesn't it do funny things with your head?"

That was all Applejack knew of the place, really. Weird stuff tended to happen in there.

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

"No, not at all. Whatever place you imagine, even if it feels real and all, you know yourself that it's an illusion of the mind. The important thing is that you can even see your own home if you want to. For some of us, its actually important: it can help more than you know."

At least, it had stopped her from getting dreadfully homesick.

[appletastic]

"So it just...takes a picture from your head?" Forgive Applejack, she's heard of nothing similar to the concept before. It'll take some getting used to. "Of anything?"

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Kaya nodded. "Of anything, yes. Your world, my world, everywhere. You can even design the kind of place you'd prefer to sleep in! It's definitely comes in handy!"

And if that didn't work, she could always offer her a place on the bus.

"It can be pretty creepy to some, but trust me, there's nothing to fear from the Sensoriums."

[appletastic]

"Just like that? Huh. Think I'd have to see something like that for myself," Applejack thought. She wasn't quite sure she believed it.

"Can we go check it out?"

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

"Of course," Kaya said, smiling. "I can even go first if you're still skeptical. Come on!"

And she led the way, still rather pleased to have the sensible pony aboard. Something about Applejack just made her think there really was no end to the different sort of people you met on the ship.

They reached the doors, and Kaya extended her hand, "After you."

[appletastic]

"Thanks," Applejack smiled gratefully, trotting into the strange gray space. It was just...gray space all around them, below their feet even. That was creepy!

"Is something supposed to be here, Kaya?"