Flapjack flipped the pancake on the stove with the spatula checking it over for burn marks. Seeing that there was none he put it on a paper plate next to the hay bacon.
After drizzling a good helping of maple syrup on the steaming pancakes, he cut a small slice of butter he gently put it on top of the layers of syrup. It sat there glistening in the morning sun.
Judging it with a critical eye, Flapjack nodded then reached over and with a flourish of his yellow hoof to hit the little bell on his wooden stall. "Order up!" he yelled.
A teal unicorn got up from the bench where she was waiting and trotted over.
"Here you go Tea Leaf" Flapjack said as he gave her the plate and a packet of plastic silverware.
A smile comes to her muzzle as she takes in the smell of warm pancakes and crunchy hay bacon.
"How much do I owe you Jack" she says happily pulling her bit bag out of her saddle bag.
"Five bits ma'am", he said politely.
After taking five coins out of her bag, she levitated them onto the counter, then took the plate. Tea Leaf turned back to the bench taking a moment to find a good spot, then dug in to her meal with gusto.
Flapjack yawned as he leaned on the stall and looked over at the unicorn. Though the morning sun was barely peeking over the hill, Ponyville was still a village of farmers so some early birds weren't too surprising. Tea Leaf on the other hoof was not much of a early bird as he was used seeing her around ten-ish.
'It's probably a good sign', he mused slouching further on the comfortable stall table. A moment of watching the few other ponies setting up their stalls put his mind at ease.
"Mornin Jack" He turns to the voice and sees a orange mare wearing a Stetson sleepily pull her cart up to a nearby stall.
"Good morning Applejack" he said with good mood clear in his voice.
As she was taking a moment to unlatch herself from her cart, Jack spoke up, "the usual?"
"If you could add three pancakes and a hash of hay bacon on that Sugarcube" she responded as she took the yoke off and slowly trotted closer to his stall drawn by the smell of freshly cooked breakfast.
Taking the kettle off the tiny stove it was on. Jack poured the hot water into a coffee press where the grounds were already waiting. Giving it a minute or two to steep. He then pressed the plunge to the bottom. Jack got a paper cup out and poured it in.
"Here you go Applejack" he said as he handed her the usual cup of coffee. He watches her with concern for a moment, before starting on the bacon. Not too long after a sizzling noise can be heard from the stall.
Applejack takes the coffee and sips at it, her foggy green eyes clearing up, "much appreciated Sugarcube"
"Doesn't Granny Smith usually make your breakfast?" Jack ask as he puts the strips of succulent hay bacon on a plate.
"Normally she does, but we had a hootenanny last night to celebrate the great harvest season we had this year. Problem was that it went on a bit too long, so she was too tuckered out to cook this morning" Applejack groans as she watches him mix the batter for the pancakes.
"Plus someone gotta sell these apples" she says.
He only hums as he puts three circles of batter on the pan.
A comfortable silence fills the air, occasionally disturbed by the sound of pancakes being flipped ever now and again. Jack started to whistle a jaunty tune when he realized the pancakes were about done. He scoops them up one by one with his spatula and puts them onto the waiting plate. He then takes some apple syrup out from under the stall and drizzles it on them, then pushes the plate and silverware to Applejack.
"So Jack what's put you into such a good mood this morning" she asks before taking a bite out of the delicious apple covered pancakes.
As he started to wipe down his cast iron skillet he pauses for a moment before nodding toward the bench with the teal mare, "you see that unicorn over there" he whispers with a excited grin.
Applejack turns her head to see a teal mare finish her breakfast. The unicorn then proceeds to throw away the plate and silver ware in one of Jack's trash cans. Clearly busy, she trots further into the slowly awakening market and out of view.
A smile begins to grow on Applejack's face.
"Her name is Tea Leaf and she usually shows up around ten, but here she is early as bird" Flapjack said with a satisfied smile.
"I think it means that I might have a pretty new face around here in the morning before the rush starts." He continues happily.
Taking his freshly cleaned skillet he set it down on the stove and only to look up and see Applejack giving him a knowing grin.
"Well partner I didn't know you were seeing somepony?" Applejack ribbed as she polished off her breakfast.
A brief look of confusion was on his face as Flapjack went over what he had said before it hit him.
"T-that was not what I meant and you know it" he stammered and all the suddenly found something wrong with his skillet.
Applejack gave a chuckle and said "I'm just yanking your chain Sugarcube, I know what ya meant" She deposited the plate and silverware in the trash can before asking. "How much for the breakfast Jack?"
Jack shook his head to get rid of the embarrassment and quickly totaled the cost of her combo of a coffee, pancakes, and a hash of bacon.
"That'll be 7 bits ma'am" He said politely a small smile on his face
Applejack paid him and said "Y'all have a good day now Sugarcube"
Having said her piece she trotted over to nearby stall and begun to set up. She placed rows of apples and apple based goods on the stall quickly overwhelming it with a pleasant smell.
Flapjack turned and started greeting another customer with a smile on his face. It was a good day today, hopefully he won't see anymore of those Cat Dolphins.