My Appletree, My Brightness [private visual to Harvey]

[thedoctorsmate]

[Donna's had some time to think about what she might want to say. She's seen that kind of grief. Seen the Doctor's eyes shine with tears for the loss of so many - for his children and his companions and his people. Felt the grief, sick and heavy, in her own heart when she'd had the children she'd thought were hers, ripped from her grasp in a failing and frantic program. That's not something you just get over, and everybody has their way. The Doctor ran and screamed his rage and feeling at villains and needed to be stopped. Donna stored it away in her heart, pulling it out in the night as she sobbed into her pillow, grieving the loss of people who hadn't even been real.

Her expression is somber as she contacts Harvey. She doesn't really know Flare and they've only just had an argument about the Pale Pony a few weeks earlier. The mare isn't sure if she'll get a response, but he should know there are people who aren't going to kick him in the gut in his darkest hour.]

Missed you at the Decanter last night, Mr. Finevoice. Been missing you for a couple of nights now. Reckon I know what that's all about now, what with the hullabaloo. I know we aren't friends, but... sorry. I wanted to say how sorry I am. Losing your kid- [Her voice cracks and she has to swallow down her emotion.]

If there's anything I can do for you... and Flare. Let me know. I can do cooking, tidy up around the house for you, see to the washing up. Anything you need to make it easier. I'm so sorry.

Comments

[millionbitpipes]

[Snort]

Yeah, okay, here's one. If the Pale Pony jumps ya, don't shoot her in the face. It ain't gonna help, and you'll just look like an idiot. [He's pretty sure that would just be common sense.]

[thedoctorsmate]

Most people with guns look like idiots. [Sorry, Harvey. Donna isn't a fan of firearms. It comes from running with the Doctor.] I'll keep that in mind, though.

Also something to keep in mind. When should I drag you out of your house? I know you're probably going to want to hide in there forever, and that's all right for now, but there gets to be a point... two, three months out that that's not all right anymore.

[millionbitpipes]

Thanks. [Well, ain't like he can use one anymore.]

And you don't gotta drag me outta the house.

[thedoctorsmate]

[She's pretty sure someone will need to. Harvey seems like the kind of guy to just wallow. Donna has the tact not to say that, though.]

All right. Do you need me to do anything for you right now, though? I could bake a pie, get a tub of ice cream from the market. Have you seen all of the Equestrian Games events? Spike recorded them. We could have a watch. The relay race was fun.

[millionbitpipes]

I was there, but I didn't go to all the events. Had stuff goin' on.

[Avoiding the actual question. He can't ask her to do anything for him.]

We can wrap up and fade to black, or have Donna turn up and bother him!

[thedoctorsmate]

[He doesn't have to. He's going to get mothered at whether he wants to ask for it or not.]

I'll be over in about an hour, Mr. Finevoice.

[She rolls up her scroll and heads over to the commune's kitchen to sort out the supplies she'll need for a pie.]

[millionbitpipes]

I said you don't gotta -

[Aaaaaaaaaand she's gone.

Harvey didn't particularly want this to happen. At least, that's what he's telling himself. But there isn't much he can do to stop it now; of course he's still gonna be home in an hour.]

[thedoctorsmate]

[About an hour later, Donna is at Harvey's and Flare's door, knocking hard with her hoof.]

I've got freshly baked peach pie! Don't let it go cold.

[millionbitpipes]

[...she's not going to leave if he just doesn't get the door, is she.

Harvey grumbles to himself for a few moments, but eventually stands and goes to answer.]

Look, that's real nice of you, but I told ya you didn't have to do this. [He finds it hard enough to accept his loved ones taking care of him sometimes; for Donna to go so far out of her way rankles at him.]

[thedoctorsmate]

[When ponies don't answer doors, there are always windows. Donna's persistent once she has a notion in her head. Harvey's going to have to run her off with a chainsaw.]

You think I'm doing it just for you? [Donna gives him an unimpressed look, carefully calculated to seem dismissive. Of course it's just for him, but he's being a whiny thing right now.] I wanted pie. You're just an excuse. Hope you like peach, and if you don't, shove a piece down, anyway. I took an hour to make it. [And in she trots without invitation, brushing past Harvey and taking a look around his house, aiming for the kitchen.]

[millionbitpipes]

[Yeah, Harvey is pretty sure there are about a million better excuses for pie. But he just sighs and follows her to the kitchen, which Flare at least has kept serviceably clean.]

Fine. Thanks. [It's somewhat begrudging. Sometimes he has a hard time accepting acts of charity.]

[thedoctorsmate]

[Whether he wants to accept it or not, it's going to be thrust upon him. He might as well enjoy the pie.] You're welcome.

[Donna's voice is prim as she sets the pie she'd been carrying on her haunches on the counter and grabs a knife.]

Well, make yourself useful, you big lump. Get us a pair of plates.

[millionbitpipes]

[Grumble grumble grumble don't order him around he doesn't even know why you're here...he'll get the plates out.]

You want some milk too? [Definitely not asking because he wants milk and pie now. It's for Donna's sake.]

[thedoctorsmate]

That would be lovely! [See? Life's so much easier when you just listen to the bossy pony invading your home. She's quiet as she carefully cuts the pie into eighths and wrangles a piece onto each of the plates Harvey's put out.]

You haven't got whipped cream, too, have you?

[millionbitpipes]

Don't think so...

[But he'll check.] Nope. Some ice cream, but I don't think chocolate'd go as well as vanilla.

[thedoctorsmate]

Think we can do without. [She goes through the drawers until she finds the silverware, and places a fork on each plate.] Right, then, where's the best place in the house for watching sport?

[millionbitpipes]

Living room, I guess.

[And he starts leading the way in there. He'll carry the glasses, you get the plates - it's irritating having to transport things as an earth pony. There's a little coffee table to set things on in front of the couch.]

[thedoctorsmate]

[Once everything is situated on the table, Donna slips out of her saddlebags and pulls out the scroll in one of them. She seats herself on the couch before opening it up and flicking through the old messages.]

D'you want to watch to flying events or the more earthbound ones?

[millionbitpipes]

I saw more of the earthbound ones. Rowin' and stuff.

[Far from the most exciting of sporting events, but Bertie'd been in it.]

[thedoctorsmate]

Flying it is! [She scrolls to the message that has Spike's recording of the Hoop Dash.]

This one's fun. [Donna sets it aside for a moment so that she can grab her plate of pie, the maneuvers so that she can hold up the scroll while eating. Now would be a really convenient time to be a unicorn.] They've got to fly through all of the hoops, then... then, I think they have to do it backwards? And upside down. I didn't really understand it.

[The scroll shows four pegasi and a batpony lined up, goggles over their eyes, waiting for the starting whistle.]

[millionbitpipes]

Ah, who knows with pony sports.

[Harvey takes a bite of the pie, half-watching the event. He doesn't really see what it is they're up to either.]

You can try proppin' it up on the table. Really oughta get a clipboard or somethin' for that...

[thedoctorsmate]

[She does so, though it takes a bit of rearranging of their milk glasses to get it to stay. Donna's keen to watch the maneuvering of the fliers, but she's also aware that letting Harvey stew silently probably won't help.]

D'you like sport, then? Back home, I mean. Americans have got that egg-hand game you call football, right?

[millionbitpipes]

Egg-hand?

[What]

Uh...yeah, we got that. It ain't really my thing, but I'll watch the Super Bowl or somethin' like that. [Mostly the commercials. Sometimes the half-time show if it's actually good.]

[thedoctorsmate]

The ball's shaped like an egg and you use your hands. [It's really very simple, Harvey. You shouldn't be calling it football is what she's trying to say.]

What's the Super Bowl? Like a championship?

[millionbitpipes]

Yeah, it's kinda a big deal. People have parties and stuff.

We mostly just do the party and watch the halftime show.