Big Macintosh was awake at dawn the next morning, as always, but Granny Smith and Chalk were already gossiping in the kitchen when he came out for breakfast. He caught the scent of hot porridge in the pot and corn fritters on the griddle, and raised his muzzle interestedly. "Mighty fine breakfast you're puttin' on, Granny. Special occasion?"
Granny Smith gestured to the dinner table, and Big Macintosh and Chalk took their seats. "Special occasion, grandson? Maybe ya'll didn't notice, but we've got a guest! Chalk here need fattenin' up, she's just a sack of bones!"
Big Macintosh looked at the white earth pony sitting opposite him, whom he had seen uprooting large trees by herself the previous day. "You look fine to me, Miss Chalk, if'n you don't mind my sayin'." Now that he looked more closely, though, her coat looked loose on her body, as if she used to have a lot more fat over her muscles than she did now. She looked as though she hadn't eaten properly for some time.
"You said you only got into Ponyville yesterday, Miss Chalk," continued Big Macintosh as Granny Smith brought three bowls of hot porridge to the table. "Have you been travelling for long?"
Chalk nodded as she lowered her muzzle to the bowl of porridge, devouring it eagerly. She licked her lips clean before answering the stallion. "About three months, Mister Macintosh. I made some bits at the carrot farms near Fillydelphia, but there wasn't enough work there for me to stay long. I imagine I'll stay in Ponyville for as long as there's work, and then move south again. I've had enough of rock farming for quite a while, I think."
Big Macintosh raised his head from his bowl at that last statement. "But ain't rock farming your special talent?" he asked, nodding towards Chalk's flank. Against the dusty white of her coat, there sat an image of a light grey boulder, split into two jagged halves.
Chalk smiled ruefully. "So it is. Perhaps I should say that I've had enough of rock farmers, then."
"Is that why you left... Hoofington, then, miss?" Big Macintosh asked, but was interrupted by Granny Smith placing a tray of corn fritters on the table.
"You leave off with your questions now, grandson, and let the young mare eat. I figure you've both got a long day of work ahead of y'all, so you'd best eat up while you can."
Big Macintosh nodded and turned his attention back to breakfast. He had to admit, it was nice to have some company over breakfast. He and Applejack really only ever talked about the day's work. And Chalk did have quite a pleasant voice, and a way of speaking that was at once cultured and down-to-earth. Perhaps having her live in the house was a fine idea after all.
After breakfast, Granny Smith set about her household tasks, while Big Macintosh and Chalk walked down to the blighted fields for another day of tree extraction. The previous day's storm had blown itself out overnight, leaving the trees and the grass shining in the morning sunlight. "This really is very beautiful country," murmured Chalk as they walked together. "My old home has its own beauty, but it's very... stark compared to all this greenery. And Ponyville itself is gorgeous. If I hadn't been on the road for so long, I would have stopped at the Carousel Boutique. It's unusual for such a small town to have its own fashion boutique."
Big Macintosh blinked. "Ponyville has a fashion boutique now?" he rumbled, raising his head to look in the direction of the town.
Chalk turned to Big Macintosh and smiled, her bright red mane rippling in the breeze. "Why, yes! I'm hoping to spend a couple of days seeing the sights of Ponyville after the work here is done. Perhaps you'd accompany me? Having a familiar face around would be most appreciated."
The red stallion looked taken aback, staring at his hooves as he walked. "Me? Well, I... I suppose I could. I don't reckon I could show you much, is all. I mostly just help Applejack carry things to and from the market, and pick up supplies from the store."
"Well, you have a beautiful town, Mister Macintosh," said Chalk with a grin, picking up her step. "You should experience more of it."
The morning of tree clearing proceeded as the previous ones had. The ponies with the greatest raw strength pulled the trees out of the ground, roots and all, and the ponies with greater stamina hauled the trees across the ground to the pile where they were to be burned. It grated at Big Macintosh to let so much wood burn without being used as furniture or even cooking fuel, but if they didn't burn every stick of every infected tree, there was the chance that the blight could spread and destroy next year's crop as well.
Just after midday, Big Macintosh was straining at a tree which simply refused to come out of the ground, no matter how hard he pulled. He sweated and grunted as he dug his hooves into the soil, and was finally rewarded, not with the sound of roots popping out of the ground, but of the roots actually snapping. He hastily stepped back, not wanting to break the tree off and leave its roots stuck in the ground, which would mean an afternoon of back-breaking labour with shovel and crowbar to extract. He stepped up to the tree and pawed at the dirt around its roots with a front hoof, inspecting the problem.
As he investigated, a few of the other workers crowded around, to see what kind of tree could be giving the sturdy Big Macintosh trouble. "Well, there's yer trouble," Digger pointed out after he and Big Macintosh had cleared away the dirt around the roots. "That tree's gone and wrapped itself around that boulder there." Indeed, the tree's roots were tangled around a large grey rock embedded in the ground, and some roots had even grown into cracks in the rock.
Big Macintosh sighed heavily. "It'll take all day to dig that out. Well, somepony better go get the shovels. Digger, you and I can..."
"Perhaps I could help?" offered Chalk as she stepped up to the tree, her light voice cutting through the rumblings of the gathered stallions. "You say there's a rock giving you difficulties?"
Big Macintosh nodded, stepping aside to show the problem to Chalk. "It's too big to get out of the ground easily. Maybe y'all know a good way to get it out of there without too much..."
As Big Macintosh was speaking, Chalk stepped up to the rock and reared up high on her hind legs, whinnying softly. Then, with a loud snort, she brought her forelegs down on the boulder, with such force that Big Macintosh expected to hear her fetlocks snapping from the impact. Instead, a pair of cracks ran through the rock from her hooves, and the boulder fell apart into several smaller pieces.
"... hassle," finished Big Macintosh, his jaw hanging open. "How the hay did you do that? Uh, pardon mah language, miss."
Chalk climbed out of the hole and stamped her hooves, shaking loose a piece of rock stuck in one. She smiled at Big Macintosh's disbelieving expression. "Just an old rock farming trick. It runs in the family. Shall we?" she inquired, nodding her head towards the tree.
Big Macintosh shook himself and stretched out his ropes again, easily pulling the tree from the ground with its roots intact. He breathed a sigh of relief as the trunk crashed to the ground. "Well, however you did it, I'm much obliged to you, Miss Chalk. You done saved us a whole day's work. It's much appreciated."
Chalk looked taken aback, then smiled at Big Macintosh. "Thank you, Mister Macintosh. It's very nice to feel appreciated again."
The next two weeks passed as anypony would expect. The work of clearing the fields was long and back-breaking, but Granny Smith's cooking took the edge off everypony's exhaustion. Evenings at the farmhouse passed more pleasantly now that Big Macintosh had somepony to talk to over dinner. They spoke of work, Ponyville, the Apple family. Soon, Chalk felt as though she knew Applejack without ever having met her, and was trading stories of life on the farm with tales from her own rock farming work. She had very little else to say about her family or her hometown, but Big Macintosh decided not to pry.
Finally, the last tree was extracted, and the final bonfire was built to burn away the last of the blight. The workers gathered around the fire, watching sparks crackle up into the evening sky and trading jokes and congratulations with each other. Chalk sat down on her haunches next to Big Macintosh, giving the huge stallion a smile. "This is good work we've done here, Mister Macintosh. Thank you for letting me be a part of it."
"Well, shoot," replied Big Macintosh, giving the mare a nod. "You've been right helpful all this time. Would have taken another two days without you around, I reckon." He accepted a pair of skewers full of marshmallows from Pinkie Pie and passed one to Chalk, then neighed in surprise. "Miss Pinkie Pie, when did you get here?"
"Just now!" exclaimed the young pink mare, grinning and passing bottles of ginger ale to the gathered workers. "I could tell you were having a bonfire party down here, so I figured, what's a bonfire party without marshmallows and ginger ale and apple fritters and apple pie and baked apples on a stick? So I helped Granny Smith in the kitchen all day today, and here she comes now with the food!"
Soon the gathering of farmers and labourers had turned into an impromptu party, all revelling in the satisfaction of a job well done. The locals were talking about their plans for the money they'd earned and what they were going to do when they got back to their own farms, while the out-of-towners discussed where they planned to travel next. Pinkie Pie did her rounds of the revellers, spreading laughter, good cheer and good food. When she came to sit with Chalk and Big Macintosh, she gasped and jumped three feet into the air.
"You! Big white mare! I don't know you! Actually, you look kind of familiar, but I can't figure out where from. You mustn't be from around here at all! And that means you don't know anypony in Ponyville! Except for Big Macintosh, of course, and all the other ponies here. You should come to my party tomorrow! It's to celebrate Sugarcube Corner's new kitchen refurbishments, but really it's just about getting ponies together to have fun! You should come and meet everypony else! And you should come too, Big Macintosh, since you hardly know anypony either even though you've lived here all your life!"
Big Macintosh chewed his lip uncomfortably at having his reclusive lifestyle highlighted so bluntly. "Well, now, I dunno," he rumbled. "I've still got a lot of work to do here, and..."
"We'd love to come, Miss Pinkie!" interrupted Chalk, extending her front hoof to Pinkie Pie and shaking hers eagerly. "I've been looking forward to getting to see Ponyville and meet its lovely residents ever since I arrived."
"Ooh, you're going to come together! That's even better!" giggled Pinkie Pie, bouncing eagerly. "I'll see you both there!" She trotted away again, singing to herself, while Big Macintosh looked bewildered. "What just happened?" he asked Chalk.
The white mare smiled and nudged Big Macintosh's shoulder with her muzzle. "We're going to Miss Pinkie's party tomorrow afternoon. After you show me around Ponyville tomorrow morning. Don't look at me, it was your grandmother's idea. She said you needed to meet more ponies."
Big Macintosh narrowed his eyes and looked across the bonfire at Granny Smith, who grinned back at him innocently. "She did, did she? Well, I guess I'd better, then. Not that I mind, o'course."
The two earth ponies set out for Ponyville at mid-morning, after taking care of the bare minimum of chores that couldn't wait until the next day. Big Macintosh felt an odd sense of lightness as he stepped away from the farm. Now that he thought about it, the last time he had actually left the farm for recreation rather than work had been before Ma and Pa died. Back then, while he had still worked hard, there had always been time for him and Applejack to go to school, and then to spend some time being social with the other young adults of Ponyville. After their parents' deaths, though, Applejack had taken over the management of Sweet Apple Acres, while Big Macintosh had shouldered the bulk of the farm's heavy labour. Thinking about their parents was still too painful, and the solution, as he saw it, was to work harder. He knew his father would have approved.
Today was a day for leisure, though, and Granny Smith had instructed him to relax and enjoy himself. He wasn't quite sure how he was going to manage this task, but Chalk seemed to think it would be quite straightforward. With the large white mare trotting along beside him, he could imagine himself actually enjoying his day off.
They began with a tour of the streets, taking in the colourful wooden buildings of the town, with their delicately carved gables and fences. Chalk chattered on about the architecture and landscape of her home, which seemed to consist of stone buildings and stony moors. At midday they stopped in one of Ponyville's many parks and lay down on the grassy bank of the river, dining on cold apple turnovers Granny Smith had baked for them. As they ate, they watched a family of ducks float downriver, along with a small yellow pegasus mare.
Big Macintosh and Chalk turned their heads to watch the pegasus float past with her waterfowl charges. Every so often, one of the ducklings would founder and flail around in the water, and the pegasus would reach a hoof under the young bird and help it settle in the water once more. The two earth ponies simply sat and watched the rather bizarre procession pass by. "Is this the sort of thing that happens often in Ponyville?" asked Chalk.
"Hmm?" replied Big Macintosh, turning his attention back to his companion. "Oh, that's Miss Fluttershy. She's real good with animals. She comes around to the farm sometimes to help us with the dogs and the pigs. Wait, where are you going?" he asked, as Chalk jumped up and trotted downstream towards the group.
"Hello? Miss Fluttershy?" called Chalk as she caught up to the young pegasus. "I was wondering if..."
Fluttershy squeaked and ducked her head under the water, her pink mane floating on the surface. Big Macintosh trotted up behind Chalk, looking concerned. "Miss Fluttershy's a mite shy around new folk," he explained, peering down at the ducks who were gathering around the pegasus. "I'll calm her down. It's alright, she's like this with everypony." Chalk lowered her head in chagrin, and walked alongside Big Macintosh as they waited for Fluttershy to surface.
A few moments later, Fluttershy's eyes and nose broke the surface of the water, and she took a deep breath, looking around. On seeing Big Macintosh, she drew the rest of her head up and floated to the shore. "You go on ahead, dears," she whispered to the ducklings. "Do what mamma duck says, and I'll be along to help you with your swimming later."
The ducklings quacked softly and paddled off to their waiting mother, and Fluttershy grasped Big Macintosh's outstretched hoof and dragged herself ashore, beating her wings to maintain her balance. Her pink mane clung limply to her neck as she stamped her hooves to shake water out of her coat. "Thank you, Big Macintosh. I'm so sorry I was startled by your friend – I hope I didn't make her feel bad."
"It's... quite all right, Fluttershy," the big stallion mumbled, looking at the ground. "This is Miss Chalk. She... um..." He trailed off, looking nervously from Fluttershy to Chalk.
"It's lovely to meet you, Miss Fluttershy!" beamed the white mare, bowing her head in greeting. "Big Macintosh tells me that you help him with the dogs at Sweet Apple Acres."
"Oh, yes!" replied Fluttershy, her body language becoming more relaxed. "Big Macintosh's dog Tracy had a litter of puppies just last spring, and I helped to find homes for most of them. Is little Winona doing well?"
Big Macintosh chuckled, the conversation about farm animals helping to overcome his own shyness. "Eeyup. She's doin' just fine, but she misses Applejack. She's taken quite a shine to Miss Chalk, though. Applejack says she's going to teach her to herd critters just like her ma when she's older."
Chalk smiled excitedly at the mention of Winona. "She's a lovely puppy. She reminds me of the sheepdogs back at home. I used to love watching the herdsponies round up the sheep when shearing time came around."
Fluttershy gave a tiny squeal of excitement, flapping her wings as she turned to face Chalk. "Oh, you have sheep? I love sheep! There aren't many near Ponyville, though – it's too warm for them, with their big fuzzy coats. I wish I could travel and meet more cute animals, but I couldn't leave my animal friends here for too long."
The three ponies talked about dogs, sheep and other animals over lunch, all of them relaxing and enjoying each other's conversation and company. As mid-afternoon approached, Chalk stood up and looked towards Sugarcube Corner. "Are you coming to Miss Pinkie's party, Fluttershy? I'm told they are the social highlight of Ponyville."
"Oh, of course! I wouldn't miss it for all of Equestria! I'll see you there later, though – I should catch up with the ducklings before they miss me. It was really nice meeting you, Chalk!" With that, she ran along the bank and took to the air, gliding above the river in search of the duck family.
Big Macintosh waved to Fluttershy, then turned back to Chalk, to see her grinning at him smugly. "What?" he asked, a smile growing on his own face. "What are ya'll grinning at?"
Chalk chuckled, nudging Big Macintosh's shoulder with her head. "You, of course. I told you it would be worth spending a day being social in Ponyville, and you can't say you didn't enjoy that talk with Fluttershy. She's an adorable filly, isn't she?"
The red stallion nodded. "Eeyup. Applejack's right fond of her, too, and she's mighty helpful with all the animals on the farm. And you're right, it's been good to get out and spend time with other ponies again. Speakin' of which, we'd best be gettin' to Miss Pinkie's party."
"Hello! Hi there! Glad you could make it! Welcome to Sugarcube Corner!"
The party was just hitting its stride when Big Macintosh and Chalk arrived at Sugarcube Corner. The interior of the shop was decked out with balloons and streamers, and happy ponies were chattering in small groups or prancing across the floor in time with the music from the phonograph in one corner. Pinkie Pie was standing near the door, alternating bites of a large frosted cake with greeting her guests.
"It's lovely to be here, Miss Pinkie. I've heard so much about your parties." She looked around at the crowded shop. "You really do know everypony in Ponyville, don't you?"
"I sure do! That's how I know when there's somepony new in town, like you! Although I'm sure I've seen you before somewhere. Come on, let me introduce you to everypony!"
Chalk allowed Pinkie Pie to lead her all around the party, and dragged Big Macintosh in her wake. At first, the huge stallion kept to the edge of conversations, speaking enough to be polite but letting Chalk do most of the talking. As the afternoon went on, though, he found himself drawn into more and more discussions. He hadn't realised how many friends his little sister had, yet everypony seemed to want to know how Applejack was and where she had gone.
"You sister is quite the figure around Ponyville, Mister Macintosh," commented Chalk when they had a moment to themselves. "I hope I get the chance to meet her before I leave Ponyville."
"I hope so too," Big Macintosh replied. "I think she's gonna be in Manehattan for a while yet, though." He looked around the party, realising that he was actually enjoying himself. "Not that I mind if'n you stick around for a mite longer."
Chalk smiled sweetly and butted her head against Big Macintosh's. "That's very kind of you. I really would like to stay longer, if there's still work for me. I... what are you looking at?"
Big Macintosh's gaze had drifted away from Chalk and to Pinkie Pie, who was trotting along the dance floor in a strange shuffling gait, thrusting her head forward and striking at an imaginary target with her front hooves. Everypony had paused in their conversations to watch the pink filly in her dance, which was unusual even for Pinkie Pie.
Chalk, however, laughed and leapt into the dance alongside Pinkie Pie, her huge stature dwarfing the smaller earth pony. Pinkie grinned and danced with her, laughing. "This is great!" she exclaimed. "I didn't think anypony else knew this dance!"
They shuffled along the dance floor together until the end of the song, then caught their breath as ponies gathered around them to congratulate them on their performance. Chalk was just stepping away to visit the punch bowl when Pinkie called out to her.
"Hey, I know who you are now!"
Chalk's mane and tail stood on end sharply, and she slowly turned around, her eyes wide with trepidation. Pinkie was grinning at her madly, oblivious to her fear.
"I made up that dance when I was a tiny filly, and I taught it to everypony near the Pie family rock farm! You're Mrs Cliff! I sang at your wedding!"
Chalk tilted her head to look at Pinkie Pie, her hooves trembling nervously. "Little Pinkamena Pie? I didn't recognise you all grown up!" The white mare took a step towards Pinkie, grinned, and then galloped out the front door of Sugarcube Corner.