trans_9 | Roosting [Open]

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."

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"I guess I could try it out," Applejack thought, glancing back up at the red view. "It'd be great to climb up somewhere and stretch out under the stars."

Given her luck, though, it'd be daytime right about now.

Jinx nodded thoughtfully. She hadn't been sleeping as well either considering how much she missed her room. "There's also those Sensorium rooms. I haven't used them yet but I hear you can make anything in there. Maybe you could commandeer one for a sleep?"

"I've heard about 'em," Applejack thought. "Still wouldn't feel quite right, but it might keep dark logn enough. You sure other people wouldn't need it, though?"

Jinx shrugged, "I dunno, but if there's more then one they can just deal with it. A girl needs her sleep after all." Jinx couldn't stand to see such a majestic, beautiful creature exhausted.

...it was at this point that even Jinx had to admit her love of horses was extremely girly. But never the less...

"There are other ways I suppose. A nice stiff drink helps me doze off if I'm a bit wired."

"And...hey, maybe I could open it on up! Let anypony who needs a liedown outdoors join in," she thought, wondering if that was a service the others here would appreciate.

Jinx's other suggestion puzzled her, though. "What kind of drink would that be?" She guessed it wasn't apple cider.

"See there you go, You could even recreate your favorite field or whatever. If these things work the way I've heard it should be easy enough."

And then she chuckled, "Well there's plenty, you can get them down in the tavern, Beers and Ciders and harder stuff. I mean if you wanna go the less grown up route there's milk. I'm not sure where the milk comes from on this ship but it's there."

"I'll check it out," Applejack decided, heartened by that information. It'd still involve magic, and therefore still be a little weird, but she might be able to make herself believe.

"Grown-up stuff? Are you talkin' about the stuff that makes a pony sick?" She'd seen some of the older ponies in Manehattan indulging in that as a filly. It struck her as awfully silly. Why drink yourself sick when you could have something that'd keep you upright?

"Think I might grab some cider or help 'em grab some more milk. Some of the cattle looked like they were about ready to burst."

"Anything will make you sick if you have too much of it, even water an healthy snacks. The drink I'm talking about tends to relax people, let them loosen up if their uptight stuff like that."

"There's actually cattle? I just assumed it was alien animals you know? Like...I dunno green six legged fluffy winged things."

"...huh. Well, I don't think I'll be needing that," she was sure. That silliness in Manehattan had been enough for anypony's lifetime.

She nodded enthusiastically. "Yup! Some of 'em are cows almost like we've got back home. Might have a few extra legs, but they need milkin' all the same."

To each their own, Jinx abandoned that train of thought for now...though now she herself was thirsty.

"Weird...I mean I'm glad I suppose I do like a nice glass of milk." She snickered, "But if it comes out green or something you can keep it."

"I don't think I wanna try it either, but if the others give the okay I'm not just gonna toss it out," Applejack insisted, though she didn't look too happy at the prospect of drinking green milk.

"Think I'll just lay low for a bit. Any kind of drink just gets me antsy, so y'all can have it."

Jinx couldn't help but grin, "This really is probably the weirdest part about all this." She muttered running her fingers through her hair, "I just...can't get over that you guys can talk and stuff. And you've got like this whole world just for you...horses I mean." She paused and then added, "Sorry that probably sounds weird."

Applejack considered that for a moment. She'd heard that again and again, that 'normal' ponies didn't talk. Well that was a bunch of horseapples, as the existence of her friends proved. But the humans weren't the only ones meeting new critters.

"I'm sure you'll get over it. Just like we got over all these humanfolk. There's nothing like y'all in Equestria, and now you're all over the place. Anyway, I'll bet it's better than not being able to understand each other would be."

How would they have managed then? Charades? Eye movements? She hadn't the slightest clue.

"That's for sure." Jinx grinned back, "It takes all sorts I suppose, unicorn tailors and apple growing ponies included." The little girl inside her could hardly keep from squealing in glee at the idea of having talking ponies and unicorns as friends. "And whatever it is Pinkie Pie does."

"Pinkie's our party gal," Applejack answered automatically, smiling fondly at the thought of her friend. "The second she even thinks your birthday could be comin' up, she'll round up the gang and gear up for a surprise."

And that was life with Pinkie in a nutshell.

"Huh, that'll be hard for her then. I don't think time flows normally around here. I haven't been able to find a functioning clock or anything." She had thought that weird, not distressing but weird. "Still I guess we can celebrate whenever we feel like it."

"Don't you go telling Pinkie about that," Applejack warned. "Give her a hint like that and she'll throw a party every day! Nah, best to just cheer things up when we're down."

Not that Jinx would join in all that nonsense, would she? "Not me. Just give me some work and I'm happy as a fresh apple pie."

A little too peppy for her style, Jinx liked her parties a little different then the style Pinkie was offering.

"Just remember, all work and no play ect ect." She winked.

Roosting [Open]

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