private Rebuilding Equestria (1x1 between C. Thunder Dash and ExplosionMare)

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

@Courageous Thunder Dash

Global trembled as Braeburn tightly hugged her, feeling the gravity of Equestria’s situation. She wished she had a clear answer for him. Instead, all she could do was empathize.

“I-I don’t know, Braeburn. I don’t know why this happened. Lots of ponies lost everything, me included. T-that’s why we’re doing this mission. We have to rebuild the world and bring everypony back. I k-know it’s hard, but all we can do right now is keep going.” she told him, struggling to hold back tears of her own.

 

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

@ExplosionMare

Braeburn just continued to cry, hugging Global close. Celestia came in for the hug and so did PInkie and Fluttershy. "We're here for you Braeburn. We will have that orchard regrown...someway...somehow..." Celestia said feeling bad herself. 

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

@Courageous Thunder Dash

Global suddenly felt an unfamiliar weight on herself when Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Celestia surprisingly joined in the hug. She wanted to hug everypony, but her arms were too short to cover everypony. Instead, she shifted around occasionally to make sure she got everypony. She mainly stuck to Braeburn since he was suffering the most.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

@ExplosionMare

Braeburn was still sobbing hard. Everytime he tried to stop, he just...couldn't. However, the group had to find the seeds of the orchard or else the ponies of Apploosa would starve. Time was running out. Celestia sniffled. "We have to get those seeds as soon as possible." She said. 

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

@Courageous Thunder Dash

“Braeburn, I know you’re really hurting right now, but we have to go find the seeds. I promise you, things’ll get much better once we find them.” Global whispered to him.

She squirmed out of the pony pile and offered Braeburn a hoof. She’d offer a hoof to anypony else who needed it. While she waited for the group to get up, she straightened out her mane and dried her tears. The time for mourning was over for now; now it was time to be brave.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

@ExplosionMare

Braeburn kinda wanted to ride on Global's back for now. He was still hurting and just wanted someone or something to cuddle as they started their search for the seeds. Braeburn's sobs returned to quiet sniffles. 

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

@Courageous Thunder Dash

Global noticed that Braeburn seemed like he wanted to ride on her back. She rubbed her back before allowing him on to prevent any cramping or soreness later on. She bent down and waited for him to climb on before she continued trotting down the trail.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

@ExplosionMare

Braeburn slowly got on Global's back still whimpering and sniffling. He just rested himself there because he was just so tired, tired from the crying and the stress this whole situation was putting on him. It's why he needed all of the support he could get. 

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

@Courageous Thunder Dash

“It’s ok, Braeburn, it’s all going to be ok.” Global reassured, patting Braeburn gently on the head.

She trotted further and occasionally looked behind her to check on Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Celestia. They were all emotionally and physically drained from the journey. Global was beginning to feel that way herself, but she had to press on. That was the only way things were going to get better. She had to push back her own feelings for the sake of others’.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

@ExplosionMare

There was still a long road ahead of them in terms of putting Equestria back together again. "B-but...h-how....?" Braeburn asked with a broken voice, still whimpering and sniffling on Global's back. 

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

@Courageous Thunder Dash

“W-we’re gonna find those seeds and then find everypony’s ashes. We’re gonna bring them b-back, just like how we brought you back.” Global said through tears threatening to spill.

Seeing Braeburn in such a vulnerable state made Global’s heart break. She didn’t want him to feel this way anymore. She didn’t want anypony to feel like this anymore. She was going to encounter many ponies like this, but she had to remain strong. That was the only way she could help fix everything.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

@ExplosionMare

Braeburn started to sob softly again as he rode on Global's back. There was hardly any signs of seeds...but perhaps the snake that Global had around her neck could come in handy with finding the secret stash...or perhaps they could find a creature that could help with the seeds. It would have to be a squirrel or something...

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

@Courageous Thunder Dash

Global glanced back at Braeburn who was still in a saddened mood. Understandable, given the day he’s had. She also noticed the snake next to him who was resting quietly. She thought about it and wondered if he could help locate the seeds in some way. She wasn’t sure how good snakes were at finding seeds, but the thought was at least worth considering. Gently, she tapped the snake in order to get its attention.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

@ExplosionMare

The snake was snoozing a little. It woke up quickly and gave a questioning hiss at Global. Fluttershy was trying to get her emblem to glow. Sadly, there didn't seem to be any squirrels around here, since this was a sort of western desert-like region. 

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

@Courageous Thunder Dash

“Hello there,” Global whispered to the snake. “Do you think you could help us find the seeds? Or maybe other creatures?”

From the side, she could see Fluttershy attempting to use her amulet. Unfortunately, it didn’t work since no animals were nearby. They’d have to wait until they found tiny piles of ashes for the artifact to work.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

@ExplosionMare

The snake slithered off of Globals back and onto the ground. It sort of burrowed into a hole and was gone for some time. It then popped its head up and hissed at Global. It may have found something...but what was it. Global would have to dig in order to find it.

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

@Courageous Thunder Dash

Global looked at the snake curiously as it immediately began to sink himself into the ground. She wondered for a brief if he was going to come back up. He did, thankfully, and seemed to be holding something. Global could hardly make out what it was.

“What do you have there?” she asked him softly.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

@ExplosionMare

The snake nudged at Global's hoof. It was probably telling her that she needed to dig. "Perhaps the snake is telling you to dig Global." Celestia said. Whatever the snake had found, it was most likely very important. It could even be ashes...

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

@Courageous Thunder Dash

Global looked at the snake then looked at Celestia who had translated his actions for her. She found that odd at first, then remembered she had probably interacted with all kinds of animals in the past. They both told her to begin digging. Her heart sped up a bit, wondering if something useful was hidden underneath the dirt. Could it be tools? Seeds? Ashes? Only one way to find out!

Scratch! Scratch! Scratch!

Her hooves made rough contact with the dirt, sending pebbles flying. She resisted the urged to cough as dry particles made contact with her face and eyes.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

@ExplosionMare

The snake made its way around Global's hooves and further into the hole. What was in the hole, looked like a small brown sack. It could be the seeds that Braeburn was talking about all the along. They would just have to get the sack to be sure. 

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

@Courageous Thunder Dash

The snake helped Global retrieve what was underneath the dirt. She stood up quickly, panting from all the work. When she was composed, she looked at the brown bag the snake was holding in its mouth. Her eyes grew wide, figuring the contents of the bag had to be the seeds. Excitedly, she took the bag in her hoof and popped it open, dumping the mysterious object or objects into her other hoof.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

@ExplosionMare

Seeds poured out of the sack. Braeburn looked up. "The seeds!" He yelled as he dashed and stopped in front of Global. "Here, let's split up and start planting them." Braeburn said. There were five of them in the group. Global had her snake...but it certainly wasn't anywhere skilled at planting seeds...

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

@Courageous Thunder Dash

Global beamed as she discovered tiny, brown seeds in her hooves. She then retracted her hoof reflexively as Braeburn rushed over to her in excitement. When her heart had settled, she split the seeds up so that Braeburn, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Celestia, and herself could go about planting all the seeds.

She began in a small patch of dirt behind her, slowly digging until she felt a bit of moisture. She allowed the seeds to gently slide off her hoof into the soil. Once that was finished, she rolled the pile of soil over in order to properly cover up the seeds. She continued to repeat this process with the other seeds.

She looked to the snake who seemed to have no idea how to plant. She figured she could probably teach him how to do it. Hoofing him a couple of seeds, she began to explain the planting process.

“You can help me plant if you want. It’s actually really easy. All you have to do is dig a little hole until you feel it becoming wet. Then, you put the seeds in and cover them up with the dirt you dug up.” she explained.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

@ExplosionMare

The snake titled its head at Global. It seemed like it wondered how it would hold the seeds. It hissed at her, stating it could just dig the holes for them. Perhaps that was the only thing that the snake could do for now...

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

@Courageous Thunder Dash

Global shrugged, realizing the snake could probably only do the digging. That was fine with her if it meant she could keep the particles out of her eyes. She grabbed another hoof full of seeds and pointed to the ground where she wanted the snake to dig.