"I've seen tons of Gravel Jocks in my day, but you take the cake!" Limestone watched her newest employee smash slabs with ease while sitting atop a pile of misshapen rocks.
"Well, I appreciate the opportunity." Troubleshoes lifted his hoof to crack it against a stone slab as it crumbled away with ease.
"Are you always so polite!?" Limestone scrunched her muzzle before leaping down to his side.
"Well just because you're having a bad day, you shouldn't bring down others." Troubleshoes lowered his head with a calm collected nod.
"But you're massive!" Limestone spoke in a rude tone.
"So I've been told." He replied in a never-changing southern drawl.
"You know you could just demand whatever you wanted right? Nopony in their right mind would refuse!" Limestone giggled in a devious little voice.
"Why?" Troubleshoes shrugged.
"Because it's survival of the fittest! YOU'RE THE FITTEST!!" Limestone lifted on her hind hooves while poking the stallion on his strong broad chest.
"Just because you can take something, doesn't mean you should." Troubleshoes returned his attention to the slabs in waiting.
The clouds hung high in the heavens finally ready to lash out. With a loud crack of thunder, the rain began to pour wildly and drench the dry landscape in fresh moisture. Troubleshoes let himself frown with disappointment, he wasn't even halfway done with his new labors and already the day was ruined.
Limestone scrunched her muzzle in a huff rushing to the back porch of her home at full gallop. "Are you coming inside or not!?" She grumbled through clenched teeth annoyed.
"Didn't think it was my place to intrude." Troubleshoes felt his whole body drenched in fresh rain, his vision blurred by the building mist over the landscape.
The grey mare slapped her forehead not quite amused before stomping a hoof on the old wooden porch. " Just come inside you oversized marshmallow!" Her voice though stern still carried an air of concern.
Without much of an argument, he calmly made his way to the porch completely wet, yet he still remembered to lower his hat from his head as a show of respect. Limestone letting a tiny squeak escape her lips in surprise.
"Are you ok ma'am?" Troubleshoes placed the hat back onto his head.
"Yeah, I'm just used to ponies taking a mile after I give an inch." She pushed the backdoor open hiding away a faint smile.
She thought this stallion was unique, to say the least. He had an air of tranquility that followed his every step and brought with it a quiet peace. She didn't think he was much to brag about, but she sort of liked him.
Which didn't mean a damn thing!
With both parents away on business trying to secure a Gravel Contract from Canterlot. Marble and Limestone were left to their own devices during the extra-long fortnight. The kitchen a dimly lit affair out of a rustic scene from the past. Two withered candles perched center on a withered wooden table, photos from various celebrations and milestones hung across the dusty walls.
Three empty stone bowls were placed beside the ponies within the room. One petite, one regular, and one extra-large. Troubleshoes couldn't help notice he was in the center of both mares, Limestone to his right and Marble to his left.
If he were to be further observant to the matters at hoof, he noticed that two separate large pots of stew had been created for dinner. It must just be a good night for stew, why else go through such trouble of culinary creation?
"The first Stone Stew is made of bland tasteless Marble." Limestone held back a gag of distaste as the words fell from her lips.
"Mmm." Marble seemed quick to flash a glare across the table to her sister.
"Now the second is my secret Limestone Stew, absolutely will fill your gullet!" The sneaky grey mare began to pour her stew into Troubleshoes' bowl.
"Mm-hmm!" Marble rolled her eyes before yanking his bowl away.
"I cook all the time!" Limestone shifted her eyes side to side hastily.
"Mm-hmm." Marble huffed, pouring her stew into the stallion's bowl happily.
"It doesn't make you constipated!? She's just lying!" Limestone snarled as her hoof smashed atop the table in anger.
Troubleshoes didn't want such a fuss made over his intrusion. While the mare's continued to bicker about the various illnesses that their Stew's wrought upon the delicate pony anatomy, he simply left the table to grab himself a second bowl out of the kitchen.
"I could just have seconds." He returned to his seat calmly, the bowl clenched between his teeth, setting it down with a soft clink.
Limestone protectively snatched the new bowl off the table. She wasted no time using her oversized ladle to scoop in huge chunks of potatoes, broth, and stone into the bowl.
Marble had a far more petite ladle for the job. Her soup was filled with Hearty broth, carrots, lettuce, and fresh beets. Stones floated amongst the stew in a dance of elegance, both carried a distinct scent all their own.
As both bowls were slid in front of the oversized stallion, he took a deep inhale of the feast before him. This might just be the largest meal he'd ever come across and something told him, it wasn't quite over just yet.
"Good thing I missed out on a few meals the last few days." He joked as he leaned inward to sip out of the sweetly scented bowl of Ms. Marble which overflowed with a delicious taste like no other.
"Quite wonderful ma'am. " Troubleshoes shifted to the bowl which was close to being overflowed, with a deep drink from the thick and dark liquid, he forced himself to swallow in one go.
"Bold." He spoke with a weakened smile pretty sure the second stew was indeed simply stones.
He could feel rocks punch their way through his gullet, settling in with a heavy thud that instantly made him feel full. The glowing eyes of both mares upon him to finish, he knew this was going to be a long evening.