After they get back to the farm, Applejack takes a moment to stretch out her legs before running a quick lap around the barn, and then she trots back up to Flick. "Well... Ah got more outta that trip than Ah expected, though it did get a might awkward at times."
He rubs a foreleg, blushing softly. "Yea, sorry about that. Any way I can make it up to you?"
She raises her hooves quickly. "Ya'll have been making enough up to me today." She smiles good-naturedly. "Besides, Ah need to get back to work. Didn't ya say something about wanting to work here, too?"
He brightens up. "Yes, and that's how I'll do it!" He rushes over to a tree, looking up at it with a smirk. "Surely it can't be that hard?"
He turns and kicks the trunk without another thought, his body tensing as soon as it strikes. The vibration makes its way to his head and an eye twitches before he collapses on his side, gripping his paw with his claws, roaring in pain.
Applejack winces, coming over and patting his back. "Easy there... Ah don't think we ever had someone without hooves try it."
"...next time, lead with that..." He groans, rolling onto his back. "...be honest, it's broken, isn't it?"
She gives it a once over, shaking her head. "Nah, I don't think so. Probably gonna be a bit tender."
He lets out an explosive sigh of relief, collapsing onto the dirt. "Thank goodness... I don't want to tell ponies I broke my leg... doing stuff with you." He carefully gets up, chuckling at his own words. "Maybe if I tried it with some sort of boot on?"
"Hmm... that might work..." She looks thoughtful. "We might be able to rig something up out here, for today at least."
"Rig up how?" He gestures to her, an eyebrow raised. "Can't I just borrow one of your horseshoes?"
"Think ya hold one of those on yer paws while bucking?" She looks curiously at him.
"...oh, right, ponies use nails..." He grimaces at the thought, turning to look at the tree. "How does that not hurt you?"
"Ya gotta know where to aim on the hoof." She points to her own. "Like... fer you, it would be at the thick part of yer claws where ya can't feel stuff."
"...I actually meant the nails from the horseshoe, not hitting the tree." He gives her a lopsided grin.
"That's what Ah meant." She lightly bumps him.
He blushes a bit, then awkwardly clears his throat. "...huh... so... what do I aim for, in regards to the tree? And with what?"
"Yah want to aim for the heart." She pats the nearest one. "Use yer weight to spread the impact up and to the branches, shaking em enough so that they give up the fruit."
"...you sure you aren't using magic for some of that, Miss Applejack?" He gives her a skeptical look, limping over beside her.
"Eh, maybe." She shrugs. "It's kind of an unconscious thing with earth ponies."
He tilts his head to the side, humming quietly as he closes his eyes. His wings slowly extend to their full length before he flaps once in its direction, making the branches sway before the apples in the quarter of the tree closest to them fall in the basket.
He sits there a moment, unmoving as a statue, wing draped over her back before he gathers the courage to speak up. "...did it work?"
"...yes, actually." She slowly smiles wider. "Heh, Ah'll be. Never quite seen that way of harvesting, but it sure worked!"
He peaks open an eye, then sighs in relief. "Good. And it wasn't too tiring, either." He looks to her, smirking cheekily. "Can I get something for a job well done?"
"Sure. I know just the thing." Trotting over to the basket, she flicks her tail and sends an apple soaring into his claw. "Nothing takes quite so sweet as the literal fruit of yer labor."
He looks at the red treat before sighing softly. "...I'll admit, I was hoping for a taste of something else... like an orange apple. I dunno." He takes a bite and hums quietly, but with less enthusiasm than before.
"Yeah well, you ever make a good mix of those and you can have the first one." She chuckles, bucking the tree he started to finish it off.
"...I feel like you're purposely taking what I say in a different way than I mean it." He follows her to the next tree, frowning wryly.
"Maybe. Guess you'll find out over time." She turns her head just enough to wink at him.
"...maybe?" He chuckles, quickening his steps so he can walk beside her. "Maybe I'll get a chance to take you out." He taps his chin. "Or maybe somepony else. I'm not sure, yet."
"Nothin’ wrong with just bein' friends." She responds simply as she goes to another tree.
"Says you..." He grumbles quietly as he watches her.
"What was that?" She calls to him as she turns towards him to also line up with the tree, bucking it so that all the apples fall into baskets.
He shrugs, walking past her, the tip of a wing trailing along her side as he prepares to flap again. "Nothing."
She snorts. "If you say so. Now... let's see how well you can do with that trick of yours after some practice."
"Sure thing, boss." He salutes her with a grin and happily gets to work.
"Remind me again why I'm the one pulling the wagon?"
"Because Ah'm trying to work on bein' less stubborn about doin' everything mahself." She answers simply.
He stares at her, eyes narrowed suspiciously. "...is there some kind of story behind that?"
"Not really, it's just something mah family has said Ah can be stubborn about. Ah don't see it." She shrugs.
"...huh... okay, then..." He slowly nods as they approach the barn by the house.
She continues. "Plus, I like to give folks a little hard time on their first day just to break ‘em in, see what they can handle."
He pauses, looking at her in confusion. "...and how well does that work for you?"
She shrugs. "Eh... some folks just ain't cut out for hard farm work. Better to find that out early."
There's silence a moment before a smirk tugs at the corner of his beak. "...in other words, the tough treatment scared everyone else off."
She coughs a bit. "You seem to be handling it fine."
"I'm tougher than most." He chuckles, fluffing up the feathers on his chest. "Perks of being a griffon."
"Heh, don't need to convince me, ya did good work." She directs him over to where the cart goes and detaches him from it once he gets there.
"Thanks." He chuckles, placing a claw on her back. "You worked hard, too. Would you like another massage?"
She laughs. "Nice as that was, I have a few more things Ah'd like to do today. Plus, I dunno about you, but I could use some food."
He thinks for a bit. "Yea, food sounds nice. Maybe I can rub your shoulders, at least? Help you feel a little better."
"Well..." she looks thoughtful. "Alright, but just a quick one."
He beams, bumping her side with a wing. "Race you inside?"
The farm mare grimaces a bit. "We can't just do it in the barn?"
"Why?" He smiles playfully, moving in front of her. "Worried your granny might see you melt into a pile of bliss?"
"Among other ponies..." she mutters.
He just shrugs. "Who cares? You look adorable when you're like that."
Her cheeks get a bit of pink. "Still... Ah'd rather this quick thing be private."
"Sure, I understand." He shifts behind her, claws trailing up her foreleg as he gets himself ready.
She shivers a bit. "Just a shoulder rub, right?"
"Yep." He grips one shoulder as the other claw gently presses down on her haunches. "Please sit down for me?"
She does so, taking off her hat and setting it to the side.
He scoops it up and puts it on his own head, chuckling as he starts to run his claws over her shoulders. "Let me know if I do it too hard, alright? I'm still learning."
"Yer fine..." She lets out a soft sigh.
He smiles and nuzzles her cheek briefly. "Good." With that, he gets to work, not letting her have a chance to respond as his blunt talons knead the tension out of her shoulders.
"Mmm... nice..." Those two words are all she can manage.
Eyes narrowing, he nuzzles her cheek once more, continuing his shoulder massage as he does so.
The door suddenly opens, revealing a large red stallion and startling the griffon into embracing Applejack and flaring his wings. His eyes widen a bit before he turns to call over his shoulder. "Found 'er."
Applejack's muscles try to tense to react, but the massage manages to tone her down to a simple sigh. "Yep. Saw this coming."
Flick pulls away, sheepishly smiling. "Hey, there. Any chance you're Applejack's friend?"
He stares flatly at him, standing tall. "Ah'm her brother."
The griffon groans, resting his head on the farmer's as he mutters to himself. "...great... and I'm pretty much up against her..." He looks to her, pleading. "Could you help me explain this?"
"Yer not exactly helping..." She snorts, looking to her brother. "Mac, this is Flick. He's a griffon who came here looking for work, and also practice for his other job at the spa."
He simply raises an eyebrow at her, then glances at the griffon.
Flick pulls away from her, blushing brightly. "To be fair, you kinda startled me..."
"That and he's touchy." She explains. "Nothin' bad, though."
"...right." He moves to the side as the elderly mare from earlier appears beside him.
"Ah, so there you two got to." She cackles a bit. "Ah was starting to wonder."
Flick gives her a sheepish smile, waving to her from his seat a yard from his new boss.
"Well, seems like ya survived yer first day. Not many do."
"I think my natural talents might have helped." He leans over to whisper in Applejack's ear. "Not to mention a cute boss I want to please."
She tries to maintain a poker face as her granny just laughs. "Well, come on in, you two. We can have a nice meal to celebrate."
"Sounds great." He walks to the door, tail subtly trailing along the farmer's side.
Granny just smiles as she watches Applejack take her hat back. "Looks like you'll be keeping her on her hooves. Keep mixing it up, sonny."
"I'll try." He shrugs a bit, smiling softly. "It's worth it to see her adorable blush." He tenses as Big Mac stares at him. "I'll just, uh, hurry ahead. See ya!" With that, he dashes out of the barn, heading for the house.
As he leaves, the elder mare smiles at her grandson. "And you keep him on his paws."
"Eeyup." He turns to look at his sister, his expression as flat as before.
"What?" She asks a bit defensively.
He simply raises an eyebrow.
She snorts as if reading his mind. "Nothing happened. He's just new in town and he just acts a bit different. It's like an accent."
He quietly scoffs. “It’s nothin’ that’s makin’ ya blush, then?”
She narrows her eyes at him. "Lets see you keep a straight face when yer gettin' a massage."
“Ya know Ah could.” He points a hoof over his shoulder. “Next time, one a’ us is gonna be there, t’ make sure he don’t take it too far.”
“Take what too far?” A pink bow pops up above his hindquarters, twitching in excitement as its owner speaks. “Applejack, why’s yer face redder’n an apple?”
She rolls her eyes. "Ah can take care of myself." Her eyes switch to the filly that steps around their brother to see better.. "And its cause of stuff we're talkin' about... which don't concern you." She adds the last part as she sees her open her mouth.
She pouts, then her eyes glint in mischief. “Ah can always ask that bird pony what it’s about!” She turns to hightail it out of there.
"He's a griffon!" Applejack quickly corrects before the filly is naught but a dust cloud. "Hoo boy..."
There’s silence as Big Mac just continues to stare at her, then a loud shout that causes the walls to shake the boards of the walls.
“SHE’S YER WHAT!?”
Applejack just sighs. "Ah suddenly regret putting them in the same room."
The filly rushes back into the barn, eyes wide and grinning brightly. “What did ya do t’ make ‘im indebted to ya, Applejack?”
She blinks. "Ah didn't think Ah did anything..."
“That’s not what he said!” She points at the house. “He said you’re his mistress, so he has t’ do everythin’ ya say! And the stories all say ya had to’ve saved him or somethin’!”
"Ah... Ah don't..." Reaching up, she grabs her hat. "I don't even know anymore. Just think of him as someone you'll probably see on the farm a lot."
“...is he yer special somepony?”
"No." She answers quickly. "He's working here."
Apple Bloom narrows her eyes at her, then shrugs. “Okay, then. Maybe he can teach me other stuff.” She walks back toward the house.
“...Ah hear disappointment there, Applejack.”
"Ya'll heard nothin' but yer own head makin' stuff up." She huffs.
Big Mac just shrugs and looks to Granny for her input.
She shakes her head, having found her rocking chair. "Don't look at me, Ah'm enjoyin' the show!"
He stares at her incredulously. “So you’re alright with them bein’ together?”
"They said they ain't and even if they end up like that, ain't nothin' wrong with that'. Every Apple can have a bit of a wild phase." She cackles as AJ tries not to listen. "Sides, where do ya think hippogriffs come from?"
“...Ah forgot hippogriffs were a thing.” He gives a sheepish grin before walking back to the house.
Applejack grumbles as she too passes her grandma. "No way Ah'm layin' an egg..."
The old mare just laughs, loving the chaos this new boy created.
Flick meets the farmer at the door, confused. “Hey, so... does your sister not understand joking? She says I’m working for free, and Big Mac said that I need to wear a collar...”
She just face hoofs. "Well, that's mah family."
“Ah...” He fidgets awkwardly, glancing over his shoulder. “...does that mean no collar?”
She pulls her hat down over her face. "You do you."
He smiles, pulling it back up so he can see her face. “Do you want to see me with one, my lady?”
She blushes. "I ain't... look just... hush you." She snorts, shaking herself. "It's almost grub time."
“Fair enough.” He puts her hat on his head, grinning cheekily. “I’ll tease you more afterwards. Or maybe during.” He hums a jaunty tune as he disappears inside once more.
"...this may not be worth it." She shakes her head slowly, ending up chuckling to herself.