trans_9 | [open] wide open spaces

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[open] wide open spaces

Hydroponics was simply amazing.

It was relaxing. That was the best way Aerith could describe it. She was sure there had been plenty before her to make this observation, though. Still, it was comforted her in a way she'd needed. Even if it wasn't the planet, her planet, it still gave her a sense of peace. Despite it being an artificial environment, it was realistic and that in itself was astonishing to her.

Nanaki had mentioned the area before, but seeing it for herself was a different story. It made her forget, just for a moment, about being on a strange ship in the middle of space.

That was a nice feeling. She could see why people would spend a lot of time here.

So she wandered around, absorbing what she could, taking in all that was around her. Aerith didn't have a specific purpose - other than exploring. It certainly was a big place.

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"You'll wanna ask the growers. The critters don't bother the crops much, but someone else might've taken a spot. But I'd say it's all right. We want as many as we can grow, especially if they're food."

Applejack grinned up at her tree, then offered her hoof. "I'm Applejack, pleased to meetcha. I work with apples, but I'll lend a hoof with anything else too."

Aerith nodded, making a mental note to do so. "Okay. I don't want to invade anyone's space, of course."

She took Applejack's hoof, giving it a shake similar to a handshake. She couldn't say that she'd shook hands...hooves...with a pony before. Always a first time for everything, and she smiled.

"I'm Aerith. It's nice to me you too, Applejack. I usually planted flowers, I never had the soil to grow anything more. But any help would be welcome."

"Nothin' wrong with a few flowers to brighten up the place. Actually, I'd like to see some. It'd almost be home that way."

It wasn't something Applejack discussed often, but she did miss Earth. Being on a creepy ship with a single grassy space just wasn't the same.

Aerith nodded, looking over the immediate area and trying to imagine what it would look like.

"It would be nice. I always wanted to do something in a large space like this. I only had a small area to work with," she said this a bit quietly, thinking back to her own home. "I did manage to grow some at my house, but that took a lot of work. Where I'm from isn't exactly plant friendly."

That sounded terrible to Applejack. A place were you couldn't grow plants? Preposterous!

"Where were you that you had so much trouble? Sounds awful."

Thinking back to her home, Aerith feels a mixture of emotions - wistfulness, nostalgia, sadness. It wasn't the most ideal place to grow up, but it was as familiar to her as the back of her hand.

"I grew up in a city that was all metal," she gave Applejack a helpless shrug. "Actually, there was a city built on top of the place I lived, so I couldn't even see the sky. I happened across an abandoned church with some of the floor missing, and I was draw to it. I wanted to plant."

Aerith would see Applejack's ears droop. "I'm sorry. Sounds like y'all needed a few more bright spots. But I'd never make it down there. I need someplace to roam, you know? This here field's somethin', but I still miss it. That's what I'm fighting for."

"A few bright spots couldn't have hurt anything. There was a lack of them in a lot of places back home." Aerith frowned a bit, remembering the darkness that lurked in Midgar, even in some of the cities they visited. It was partly the Lifestream being siphoned from the planet, but it was also a sense of despair that could be felt in the air.

Shaking her head, she pushed those thoughts aside. "Even if my home has its bad spots, I'm fighting for it too. I'm positive we can make things better, if we're given the chance."

Applejack nodded firmly. "That's right! We'll make things better, startin' right here with some fresh food. Our slop's not so good, huh?"

She had yet to meet anypony who liked it.

Aerith had to laugh at that, the food certainly wasn't the best. "I'd say it's missing a certain something." Or a lot of something - the taste, texture, and color....it wasn't the best food experience she'd had.

"I did see Aqua planting some vegetables earlier. You can only buy seeds on planet, right? I'll have to keep that in mind next time we're on one with a good market."

"Yup. Best be careful. I bring my apples down for some tradin' when I can, but I think we've got some money to spend too. They've sure got some weird things to sell down there, though."

She huffed. "Think I saw some pony hide."

Aerith nodded, biting her lip. "I did go on planet when I first arrived, but that seemed to be like one giant festival. I've heard it's not always like that. I bet you do run across some weird stuff out there."

"Sure do!" Applejack responded, shaking her head. "But it ain't always a party. The first place we went was a planet that was goin' under. We had to fight a war. I didn't get out on the lines, but I went inside one of those computer things to sort some stuff out."

She sighed. "It's terrible, what we're facing. We just can't help 'em all."

Applejack had a good, if a bit depressing, point. Aerith frowned, folding an arm over her stomach and grabbing the elbow of her other arm, hugging herself a bit. "I guess you're right. I wish we could. It really just isn't fair."

Blowing a strand of hair from her eyes, she looked out over their surroundings, considering her situation. "I'm probably lucky, we haven't really run into any huge fights since I've been here. I keep hearing about the different places we go to and the things that are dealt with, so I'm trying to prepare myself, but it's a little hard sometimes."

Applejack had to agree. "It's rough, but we make it. What do you think you'll be doing out there? Fighting? We've got some training happening if you need it. I sure do," she chuckled. "Most stuff ain't made for ponies."

Aerith laughed, shaking her head in the negative. "No, I'm not a very strong fighter. Especially without materia. I usually run around and heal afterwards."

She gave Applejack a thoughtful look, trying to imagine the pony in a fight, and she just couldn't picture it. She figured it must be difficult to adapt to human surroundings. "Did you have humans where you're from?"

"Nope! We've got all kinds of critters. Sheep, pigs, cows, dogs, cats, gators, dragons...but no humans. But then I get here and everything's built for all y'all."

She was still working on standing on her hind legs in just the right way.

"What's materia? Can you find some?"

Aerith tried to think of the best way to describe materia - it was hard without going into a long story about the Lifestream and everything that had happened on her planet.

"Materia is a substance made from my planet. It crystallizes, and makes a ball about this big," she cupped her hands to show Applejack a rough estimate. "They can form naturally, or be manufactured. They can give us abilities to cast magic, or summon different creatures to help fight. They're very useful. I wasn't able to find any once I came here, though."

"Oh, so they give you powers. Like unicorn horns!" Sort of. "Can any of y'all use 'em, or are they just for a few?"

She didn't know much about powers, but they could be very tricky. "They sound mighty useful, though. Stacy should've kept 'em."

For a moment, Aerith imagined herself with a unicorn horn and she smiled. "I suppose they might be similiar to unicorn horns. Anyone can use materia if they have it on them and equipped properly."

Tilting her head to the side, Aerith thoughtfully tapped her chin as she spoke. "They are useful. Two of my friends are here, and it's possible they may have some. I didn't ask." She gave Applejack a curious look. "Do you have any special abilities?"

"Then you should ask! Or they could be lying around in storage somewhere," Applejack suggested. "That's where I got my hat."

As for her own powers? She shook her head, mane swinging from side to side. "Nah. I'm an earth pony. I just do what I do best, no fancy magic or flying tricks, but I'm one of the best farmponies you'll ever meet!"

Maybe she had...a little pride.

"In storage? I'll probably take a look then. You never know, there might be some!" It would be incredibly useful, and it never hurt to look.

She smiled at Applejack. The pony's pride was easy to see, but it was nice. Nothing wrong with Applejack knowing she was good at something. "Sometimes magic can be overrated. Without magic, things are simpler. More normal. I like that."

A throwback from when she was young, but she did still think that. Having magic was handy of course, and she'd accepted who she was, but life without magic would be so much less complicated.

Normal's good, yup! "I'm not saying magic ain't useful. Two of my best friends are unicorns and they've pulled us outta a few fine messes, sure! Just feels like nopony appreciates us sometimes."

But that was worth getting past. "I like what we've got here, though. Plenty of space. Y'all are welcome here anytime you like."

Applejack was one positive pony, and Aerith could really appreciate that. She tried to be positive herself, even if she felt herself slipping in that area. Talking to Applejack reminded her that she should be positive.

"Thank you, Applejack. You'll probably be seeing more of me around here in the future."

"You too!" Applejack promised, managing her best jaunty wave with her hoof. "Take care now, y'hear?"

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[open] wide open spaces

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