Scrrrrrrrk!
Orange hooves slid a container out of the back of a wagon.
Thump!
After dropping the last basket of apples behind Barnyarn Bagains, Applejack looked up with a bright smile. Her mane was neatly brushed into a thick ponytail and her freckles shone from a full night's sleep and an early morning shower.
"Thank ya kindly for keepin' the back door open for me," the teenager said, slapping the back latch of the wagon shut. "Better deliver early than later, ya reckon?"
"Thanks a lot Miss Applejack," the employee said, marking down a sheet of paper on his clipboard.
"Please..." Applejack waved a hoof, chuckling. "Just 'Applejack' will do. Or 'AJ,' if yer feelin' extra casual-like."
"Heh..." The clerk smirked. "Sure thing. I'll tell the boss that you made the last delivery a day early—" At the sound of clamoring hoofsteps, he and his associate looked over their shoulders at a haphazardly parked stagecoach. "Oh! Speak of the devil!"
Panting, Filthy Rich galloped to a stop before AJ. "Applejack!" He swiped the sweat off his brow and straightened his tie. "Oh, I'm so glad I found ya, darlin'! I heard about what happened!"
"I know! Isn't it fantastic?" Applejack smiled wide. "A whole bunch of the local ponyfolk showed up and helped me finish buckin' the apple trees on time! Even Mr. and Mrs. Cake arrived with refreshments—"
"No, I mean all of the heavy labor that you put yerself through!" Filthy Rich grimaced. "Strugglin' on yer lonesome to get all of the apples harvested in time!" The stallion pointed at her bandaged fetlock. "I can tell it took its toll on yer poor lil' soul."
"Eheh..." Applejack fidgeted, dragging her hoof back and leaning against the cart. "I'm fine, Mr. Rich. Honestly, I am."
"Applejack, darlin', please." Filthy Rich smiled sympathetically at her. "You must forgive me! I was off at a business meeting for most of the week. I wish you had sent a letter or somethin' to catch my attention! If I had known that you were goin' through so much hardship, I would have easily postponed the delivery date by a week! Even longer!"
"Mr. Rich. It's all okay!" Applejack stifled a giggle. "Everythang worked out in the end. And... if you must know..." She sighed gently, her lips remaining curved. "I think all that 'heavy labor' was just the sort of thang I needed in order to... straighten myself out."
Filthy's eyes wandered to her mane, then back to her pleasant face. He breathed easier, a warm smile spreading across his aged features. "Yes... I reckon you could have used a good stretch of the legs... f-for spirit."
Applejack simply nodded.
"Y'know, Applejack..." Filthy Rich trotted closer and rested a hoof on her shoulder. "When... when my Pa passed away... I was devastated for months. Unlike you, I had very few ponies to depend on. It was no fault but my own, of course. And while I wallowed in despair... I-I let slip a good portion of the family fortune... a fortune that my own Pa spent so much of his life to build up! I earned a whole lotta that back and then some, of course, but I've never been able to live down... t-to live down those kinds of mistakes."
"What matters, Mr. Rich, is that you found yer balance in the end." Applejack winked. "Barnyarn Bargains is as big as it's ever been! I'm sure yer Pa would be proud."
"Well, that's awful kind of ya to say, darlin'," Filthy Rich said. He leaned back to brush a hoof through his own mane. "But... the proudest my father's ever been was when he was workin' with yer Pa... and with his Pa and Granny Smith."
Applejack took a deep breath. "And I hope we can keep workin' together like nothin's changed... because Sweet Apple Acres is here to stay."
"And that brings much joy to my heart." Filthy Rich stared at her. "Ponyville's got a good future so long as there are such strong, dependable earth ponies in it."
"Well, I'm only as strong as my family is, Mr. Rich."
"Indeed." Mr. Rich sighed, smiling. "You've got yerself a wonderful future just waitin' for ya, Applejack. Someday... yer gonna meet a loyal stallion who'll treat you proper and then the two of you will make that family even stronger than ever."
Applejack opened her mouth, but had nothing to say. She stared at him for a few seconds, blinking. Finally, she put on a breathy smile. "Sure thang, Mr. Rich!" The young mare nodded. "You bet!"
"I'm gonna tally these apples myself!" Filthy Rich said, yanking the clipboard from a surprised clerk and waving excitedly at the teenager. "A million thanks, darlin'! Barnyard Bargain owes you!"
"Hey..." Applejack shrugged, trotting off and hitching herself back up to the cart. "We're partners, ain't we?"
"Darn tootin'! And you tell Granny Smith that my door is always open if she wants to come on over and chat about old times! All y'all ain't out of friends so long as Ponyville stands on Celestia's earth! Y'hear?!"
"Heheheh... I hear ya, Mr. Rich!" Applejack tightened her muscles, drew the cart, and marched towards the west end of town with a strong smile. "I hear ya..."