Chapter 3: Friends
It had been a few days since Rob had started working at Sweet Apple Acres. To everypony's surprise, he was one of the hardest workers that they have had on the farm in a long time that wasn't a family member. He even became a work model for all some of the other ponies, such as Caramel. When the blue maned stallion wasn't working on the farm, he was doing odd jobs around Ponyville, lending a hoof anywhere it was needed. This included help fixing a few desks at the schoolhouse, help in lengthy process of repairing the city hall after a pegasus pony accidently created lightning, and even in small jobs like adding a swing to the Cutie Mark Crusader's tree fort.
Word got around about Rob being the new pony in town, which led to Pinkie bring the all of her friends to Sugarcube Corner one afternoon after his work was done. Seeing him at one of the tables, Pinkie bounced energetically over to the deep blue stallion, "Hiya, Robbie!"
Rob recognized the voice instantly, "Oh, hey there Pinkie Pie!" He turned and greeted the pink mare. He noticed behind him were a few other ponies that he had seen around town.
"Guess what? I brought the rest of my friends here! Seeing how you are becoming quite the talk of the town of being such a helpful pony and all, I thought that I should totally introduce my friends to my newest friend!" Pinkie was having trouble trying not to be too excited about her plan.
"Oh, alright then. That sounds like a fun idea," Rob said as he took a drink of his water.
"Who should go first? Oh, I know!" Pinkie quickly moved around and pushed a yellow pegasus mare with a pink mane up from the back to the front. She seemed reluctant, but the pink pony didn't care.
"Um….hello. I'm….uh….Fluttershy," the pegasus barely managed to get out before she let out an 'eep' and scurried back behind her fellow pegasus.
A white unicorn with a very fashionable purple mane came forward, "Don't mind her, dear, Fluttershy is very bashful and timid," raising a hoof, she continued, "I'm Rarity. Charmed, I'm sure. I've heard quite a lot about you."
Rob smiled, "Good things, I hope."
"But, of course, dahling! You are quite the stallion, from what I hear." Rarity smiled back with a small laugh.
The light blue pegasus pushed Rarity aside, "That's enough flirting out of you, Rarity!" she then turned her head quickly to Rob, her rainbow colored mane whipped at movement, "I'm Rainbow Dash, the awesome one. Just remember that!"
"I'll be sure to do that," Rob laughed at her statement.
Dash didn't seem to find it as amusing as she tilted her head to the side, puzzled of why it was funny.
The last unidentified mare came forward and introduced herself, "And I'm Twilight Sparkle. It's nice to see another face around Ponyville! And it's also nice to not be the newbie anymore!" she gave a soft chuckle.
Rob smiled toward Twilight, "Well, thanks for that welcome, from the old newbie to the next, huh?"
Pinkie then bounced from seemingly out of nowhere, "Excellent! Now you know my friends!"
"Wait," Rainbow Dash said, "what about AJ here?"
Applejack, who seemed to almost purposefully hide behind her friends, popped her head up from the back, "Oh….uh….R-Rob an' ah have um….met already…." Her voice seemed to be unlike herself. It was as if she was withdrawn.
"That doesn't mean you can't meet him again!" Pinkie complained as she used her head to push Applejack forward.
"Hey now, Pinkie Pie! There is no need for that!" Applejack protested. She managed to get away from Pinkie's shoving, but in the aftermath, did reintroduce herself to Rob, "Eh heh, howdy Rob. We'll, ya already know that ah'm Applejack," the orange pony raised a hoof up and rubbed the back of her neck due to the awkwardness of the moment for her, "an' ah also would like ta thank ya fer all the hard work ya have been doin' at the farm."
"It's not a problem, just always happy to help!" Rob replied with a grin.
Applejack smiled back with her cheeks showing a pink touch.
"See? Was that so hard? Oh! I got a story I have to tell you all!" Pinkie Pie proclaimed. All of the ponies gathered around the table to listen to the pink pony's story as the afternoon faded into night.