"Whoowee it's hot today, hey Big Mac how 'bout a lemonade break?" Applejack asked, putting down the big wooden bucket she had been carrying out from the barn and wiping her forehead free from sweat.
"Eeyup." Big Mac said, putting down a bucket himself, taking a longing look towards the house and the lemonade waiting for them both outside.
"Is everything ready for applebuck season?" she asked, as they walked towards the house.
"Eeyup and nope." he said chewing on his old straw.
"Ya know it's easier if ya use more words." she said, with a small frown against her brother as they reached the house.
"Heh jus' teasin' ya, but we might have a slight problem." Big Mac said, shaking his head a bit.
"And that is?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at her brother as both sat down on the porch and begun filling up a glass of lemonade left out on a small table by granny Smith.
"Caramel managed to break a leg last week." Big Mac said, with a barely noticable frown, taking the straw out of his mouth to take a sip out of the lemonade.
"Aw no, what did he do?" Applejack sighed in annoyance.
"'pparently he tried to show-off to his marefriend ....again." Big Mac said, with a shrug.
"Amazing that he never learns." Applejack said taking a drink of the lemonade.
"Mmm probably the fifth time he tries to show-off in front of her, still we got alot more apples to buck, even with Caramel we would be undermanned." Big Mac said looking back over the orchard, before shifting his eyes towards the road to Ponyville.
"Ain't that one of yer friends?" he asked, pointing a hoof as he spotted a familiar yellow pegasus walking towards them.
"Ah think yer right, but who's that walking next to her?" Applejack said, as she looked where he was pointing, seeing a light brown stallion with long messy silvery-white mane covering his left eye, with big packets, bags and quilts slung over his back obscuring his cutiemark, walking next to Fluttershy.
"ah don't think ah have seen him before." Big Mac said, putting a big hoof to his chin in thought.
"Hey Fluttershy!!" Applejack shouted, as she waved a hoof at Fluttershy.
"Oh uhm hi Applejack sorry to disturb you, I-I can see you are busy, maybe I come back later instead." Fluttershy said, as she reached them and saw both of them sitting down on the porch.
"Nonsense Fluttershy we were just taking a break, so who's this friend of yours?" Applejack asked, motioning a hoof towards the stranger who had followed Flutttershy.
"Oh uhm hi-his name is Silvermane." she said looking at the stallion, who eyed both of the apple siblings with a tired eye.
"Well howdy mister Silvermane, happy to make yer acquaintance." Applejack said with a nod, smiling as she extended her hoof towards the stallion.
"Likewise." he said, as he shook her hoof.
"So was it something special or did ya just want to show off yer friend here?" Applejack asked, as she turned back to Fluttershy.
"Oh uhm I was just wondering if you, well if it was possible for him to get a job on the farm, w-we can always go somewhere else if you want." she squeaked out, trying to hind behind her mane, feeling uncomfortable bothering a friend.
"Yer looking for work?" Applejack asked, as she turned towards Silvermane.
"That I am, miss." he said, with a short nod.
"Ever worked on a farm before?"
"Can't say that I have." he answered, shifting his body a bit to make sure the load on his back stayed where it should.
"Mhm are you good at physical work?" Applejack asked looking him over, seeing his muscles not quite as big as Big Mac's but atleast noticable.
"Well I have always been better with physical work than thinking." he said, scratching his chin with his right hoof.
"Hmm, well how 'bout this, come by tomorrow at 07:00 and buck a few trees with Big Mac here and we'll see if we will hire ya or not." she said, smiling towards Silvermane.
"Agreed." Silvermane said with a nod.
"Oh thank you so much Applejack." Fluttershy begun, before getting interrupted by Applejack.
"No worries sugarcube, we need the manpower anyway."
"And Fluttershy can we speak?" Applejack asked, looking back at Silvermane who had walked closer to Big Mac.
"In private?
"I guess." Fluttershy said, raising an eyebrow and looking back at Silvermane.
"Big Mac we're going inside for a sec, why don't ya entertain Silvermane?" Applejack said, as both she and Fluttershy walked inside.
"......................."
"......................."
"So ...... not a very talkative guy are you?" Silvermane asked, as he sat down and took off his load he had been carrying next to him.
"Nope." Big Mac answered.
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"So Fluttershy, who exactly is he?" Applejack asked, as she closed the door behind her.
"W-what do you mean?" Fluttershy said, swallowing nervously.
"No offence Fluttershy, but yer not exactly the kind of pony to just introduce a stranger, especially not a rough looking one like him." Applejack continued as she saw how uncomfortable Fluttershy looked.
"Oh uhm h-he's not as rough as you think, he's actually quite kind and caring." She answered, fiddling with her mane nervously.
"Still doesn't answer my question sugarcube." Applejack said, looking at Fluttershy nervously trying to comb her mane over her left eye.
"Who is he?"