//------------------------------// // Red Apples, part 1 // Story: Sunflower - Side Projects // by Hoopy McGee //------------------------------// Timeline note: This story takes place during Project: Sunflower, starting with chapter 6 Macintosh yawned hugely as he levered himself out of his bed, the old springs squeaking a symphony as he got up in order to move to the window. Like every other morning, the first thing he did was to check on the weather, and today was no different. He moved, a little stiffly, to the window and drew open the shades to look outside, taking a moment to drink in the sight of his farm, his home. His Sweet Apple Acres. The sun wasn't even up yet, he noted. There was just a rosy hint of dawn on the eastern hills, glowing softly through the trees of the orchard. A few early birds sang and twittered into the crisp morning air, and the clear sky promised good weather later on in the day. The rooster in the yard was just wasting his breath. The farm was already up and about well before he crowed. If the Apples weren't exactly bustling this early, then they were at least busy. Everypony on Sweet Apple Acres was up well before the sun rose each day, and today was no exception. He sniffed, and the smell of eggs frying downstairs got Macintosh's stomach rumbling as he finished up his morning routine. A quick brush of his ragged mane, a brief scrub of his teeth, and a face wash to get the morning grit out of his eyes, and he was ready to go. His stomach rumbled again. Almost ready to go. Breakfast, first. He made his way to his door, nodding briefly at Smarty Pants, who was propped up on top of his dresser, then went downstairs to see what was cooking in the kitchen. "Mornin', big brother!" Apple Bloom said cheerily, a tiny little apron tied around her as she ran to and fro, helping with the cooking. Granny Smith, facing away from him, simply waved a spatula in his general direction in greeting. Bloom stopped long enough to look him over with a critical eye. "You wash your hooves afore comin' down?" "Eeyup. And it's 'before', Bloom. Not 'afore'." "Right. That's what I said, 'before'." Apple Bloom trotted over with some plates balanced on her head, deftly shuffling them onto place on the old wooden table. Four plates, four places. Only three ponies downstairs so far, though. Mac judged by the noise upstairs that AJ was still in the bathroom, though why that mare insisted on taking a shower in the morning before work was a mystery to the big red stallion. It wasn't like she'd be able to stay clean after a hard day of work on the farm. It was smarter to just shower in the evening. Applejack, though, insisted on taking two showers a day, a quick one when waking up, and a longer one after the day's work was done. "What's for breakfast?" Mac asked as his littlest sister got the orange juice out of the fridge. "Hold yer horseshoes," Granny replied tersely. "It's a' comin'." "It's scrambled eggs, with cheese and hash-browns," Apple Bloom replied. "And here's some fruit!" The filly placed the traditional bowl of apples on the center of the table, along with some grapes, a couple of oranges and, surprisingly, a single bruised banana. Mac crunched into an apple while staring hungrily at the skillet in Granny's hooves. His stomach rumbled again, loud enough to set little Bloom off into a fit of giggles. "Tell yer stomach to shut up, too," Granny said amicably. She nabbed the handle of the skillet in her false teeth, turned and scooped a portion of fried deliciousness out onto each plate, a larger one for Mac and a smaller one for Apple Bloom. "Thanks, Gran," Mac said, eying the heap of hash appreciatively. A little salt and pepper made it a meal fit for a king, or at least for a stallion facing a long day of hard work. He nabbed a fork and dug in. He was already done by the time Applejack finally came down, mane still slightly damp from the shower. "Mornin', sis," he said from the sink, where he was washing his plate, as well as the pans that Granny had used to cook with. "Mornin', Big Mac," AJ replied, sitting down. "Now, this here looks like a proper breakfast. Thanks, Granny, Apple Bloom." The elderly green mare nodded, nibbling at her own food. She'd taken the smallest portion of all four of the Apple family, insisting that she wasn't as hungry as the 'young 'uns'. "I'm headin' to the east field today," Mac said. "Gonna check on the apples over there, an' try an' get that stump up." "Sounds good. Where's Apple Bloom?" "Chores," Mac replied. The filly had eaten almost as fast as Mac had, after which she'd immediately run out the door in order to take care of her early-morning chore list. The little filly must have plans that afternoon, if she was in such a hurry to get her work done. "Right. Figure I'll finish up my own work 'round the farm, then head to the south field for an inventory. That sound about right to you?" "Sounds good, AJ," Mac said, backing away from the sink and the now-clean dishes. AJ could take care of Granny's and her own plates. Time for him to get started. He walked to the door, grabbed his collar off of the wall hook where it usually hung when not worn, and slipped it on. The familiar weight settled over his withers, and as he walked out the door, he said, "Take care. See y'all for lunch." Applejack merely waved, her mouth full of breakfast. Mac headed out into the morning air, giving a quick nod to his youngest sister, who was busily feeding the chickens. After a quick stop in the tool shed to grab a shovel, axe and a length of rope, the red stallion left the farm behind, heading to the east field at a quick trot. ~~*~~ "Come on, you blasted... stubborn..!" Mac grunted, pulling for all he was worth. His massive hooves dug furrows in the earth as he strained, the rope doubled up and tied to his collar, the far end tied round the stump of a tree that had been blasted by lightning the week before. It had been an older tree, thick and tough, having seen many a year at the farm. It had been an old tree before Mac had even been born. And there was no way that stump was giving up its space without one heck of a fight. He'd spent most of the morning at this task, digging around the stump and using the axe to cut the thick roots. The stump had to come up, so a new tree could be planted. Still, he must have missed a root or two. The stump stayed stubbornly in the ground, only leaning slightly as the stallion pulled against it. Mac took a brief break, sweat pouring down his face and flanks as he caught his breath. He closed his eyes, breathing in the sweet smell of apples, and just stood there for a few minutes, letting the sounds of Sweet Apple Acres pass over him like a song. The gentle sigh of the wind as it moved the branches of the trees and rustled the leaves, the calling of critters in the bushes and branches, the gentle hum of insects. His hooves in the dirt, he could feel the entirety of the orchard under him and around him. Through him, too, as he was as much a part of it as it was a part of him. This was his land, his home. And there was no way he'd let a stump push him around. Break over, Mac opened his eyes, grabbed the shovel and started digging again. Some quick work with the axe, and several more thick roots parted. Once again, he tied himself up to the stump and heaved. It still resisted, stubbornly holding onto its home soil, but with a loud 'snap!' it finally came free. He stumbled forward at the unexpected cessation of resistance, then pulled himself upright to glance back at the stump that had caused him so much trouble. It seemed bigger when it was in the ground, he mused. Just then, he heard the jangle of the lunch bell echoing between the trees. Surprised, he glanced up at the sun. He'd been at this a lot longer than he'd realized. Stomach rumbling again, he gathered up his tools and trotted back to the farmhouse. It didn't take long for him to get there. The lightning-blasted stump had only been a short way away from the house, which was good, because his stomach was now definitely shouting for his attention. He walked past the last few trees and whistled appreciatively at the spread on the picnic table before him. Granny and Bloom had outdone themselves, that was for sure. "Nice work," he told Apple Bloom as he trotted past the table to the tool shed, placing the axe, shovel and rope carefully inside. Next stop was the tan canvas garden hose coiled up against the side of the house. A quick turn of the handle had bracingly cold water spilling out of the hose, which Mac used to wash the mud from his hooves, and to clear the dust and sweat from his face before returning to the table. "You seen AJ, yet?" Apple Bloom asked after setting down a sweating pitcher of lemonade, the ice inside clanking and swirling. "Nope," Mac replied as he sat himself down on the haypile in front of the table, right across from Granny Smith. His ear twitched, and he smiled. "But I reckon' I hear her runnin' up now." He frowned, turning towards the sound of hoofbeats running through the orchard. "And it sounds like she ain't alone." "Probably racing with Rainbow Dash again," Bloom replied with an eye-roll. He was about to reply when he was startled by a wild and enthusiastic whoop coming from behind. He turned, seeing the instantly-recognizable orange of his sister's coat, and also Rainbow Dash's prismatic mane, but he didn't have a chance to place the third mare with them before the three of them thundered past the table, eliciting a protest from Apple Bloom and a startled shriek from Granny Smith, who'd been dozing in the noontime sun. A second later, the dust rolled over them, and the three mares slowed to a stop a good thirty feet away from the table. They'd obviously run themselves pretty ragged, as all three of them just stood there, panting for breath. Big Macintosh was impressed by the unidentified mare; it wasn't just any mare that could keep up with those two. He squinted, trying to make out who it was through the rapidly-settling dust cloud, but the mare didn't seem familiar. Then she turned around, and Big Macintosh's entire world ground to a sudden halt. The stranger's face looked small beneath the auburn curls of her mane, which was wild and windswept from her run. Her eyes sparkled in her face, and her coat was a light brown, like coffee with plenty of cream. She smiled and said something to Dash, who shrugged in reply and looked unsatisfied. A stranger. A strange mare. He didn't have any idea who she was. Macintosh Apple was suddenly very aware of every bit of dirt and streak of mud still adorning his flanks. He was also aware of his coat, stiffened with dried sweat, and his mane, sticking up awkwardly after washing his face a few minutes ago. He resisted the urge to try and smooth it out with a hoof. He'd probably just make it look even more stupid. His sister was one thing. Rainbow Dash, too, barely counted, as far as appearances went. She was over often enough, and Mac knew her well enough that she was almost a sister, too. He didn't mind looking a little rough around those two. But this strange mare... this was the first time he'd met her, and he was fresh off the field, streaked with mud and sweat. Oh, and he probably smelled bad, too. The tan hose on the side of the house tempted him, and he eyed it anxiously. He wondered briefly how weird it would seem if he just got up from the table and hosed himself down, washing off the rest of the mud and sweat. He imagined the look on the strange mare's face as he came back to the table sopping wet. Nope. It was too late, now, anyway. The mare was too close. In fact, she almost bumped into the table, a preoccupied frown displayed rather fetchingly on her face indicating that her attention was miles away while she was walking. Almost immediately, Granny Smith started in on a tirade against the three mares, all of whom looked a little startled. Mac quailed slightly as his granny turned to the newcomer, poked her in the chest with a hoof and said, "And you Ah don't know at all, but Ah'd guess yer just as big a block-headed lump as these two idjits here!" "Yeah! Granny an' I worked real hard making this food!" little Bloom piped up. Macintosh sat there on his hay pile, silently asking the earth if it would be kind enough to open up and swallow him whole. Applejack apologized for the three of them, and the new mare blushed, looking ashamed. He returned to studying the wood grain on the table. It was applewood, and he remembered how his pa had carved it out of an old, dead tree. Mac himself had helped sand it when he was just a little colt. The buzz of conversation faded as he studied the woodwork, until he heard his name. Glancing up, he saw the new mare looking straight at him, and his heart froze. She was pretty, too, he noticed. Her cheeks were flushed, though if that was due to her earlier running or if she was blushing, he couldn't tell. She had a small smile on her delicate muzzle as she looked at him with deep green eyes that he could just fall into and suddenly Macintosh became aware of the fact that they had asked him something, and this whole time he'd been sitting there like a lump, staring at the new mare. "Eeyup," he said. The old standby seemed to work, he noted with relief. His relief was short-lived, though, as Rainbow Dash leaned over and whispered very loudly into the new mare's ear. "He's also single, you know." The mare's eyes widened and her face reddened. Mac felt his face heat up and quickly returned to stare at the table as the new mare spluttered back a reply. That Rainbow Dash... he could have kicked her. Or kissed her. He wasn't sure which, right now. He wanted to hide, but the table wasn't high enough for him to get under. Rainbow teased the other mare a little more while Mac fiddled with his hooves under the table. This lunch was going to be torture. Then the mare sat down next to him, and it took all of Mac's willpower not to jump like a filly startled by a snake. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her glance at him, and then study the table as well. Please don't let me smell bad, Mac prayed, please, please, please don't let me stink none! Lunch started, and Macintosh found himself torn. A large part of him simply wanted to get this lunch over with, get back out into the fields, get away from the discomfort. Another part of him really, really wanted to drag this out, to have an excuse to sit next to the pretty mare with the sunflower cutie mark. He'd been right, the meal was torture. Exquisite, horrific torture. He tried wracking his brain to come up with something clever or cool to say, and ended up falling short. Nothing seemed able to come out. He focused on his lunch, stealing glances at the mare next to him from time to time. Her face wore an expression of intense concentration as she ate. Macintosh blinked, noticing that the mare was a little clumsy with her food, occasionally dropping something on the table and having to pick it back up again. But she seemed really appreciative of the meal itself, telling his family how good it was every time she tried something new. Apple Bloom was peppering the poor girl with questions. It was then that Mac picked up her name, which had probably been said while he was studying the grain of the table. Sunflower. Her name was Sunflower. Made sense, with her cutie mark, but it was a pretty name. A pretty name for a pretty mare. He reached for a slice of bread and snatched his hoof back as he accidentally bumped Sunflower's hoof. She smiled apologetically at him and took the slice, and then he grabbed a different one of his own. He was buttering it up when he heard Bloom ask a question that stopped him dead. "Do ya have a special somepony?" she asked, eyes gleaming. Sunflower seemed taken aback by that. "Uh. Um. No. Sorry, I don't," she said hesitantly. She glanced over at Big Mac, blushed a deep red, and stared at the table. Mac felt his heart thrill in his chest. What had that glance meant, so soon after she'd said she didn't have a special somepony? Could she possibly be interested? She couldn't actually be... could she? The meal started winding down, and the chatter increased around the table. Mac heard Sunflower ask about work, and his heart leapt just in time to get shot down by his own sister. "Ah, shoot, hon," AJ said. "If'n you'd got here a few weeks from now, we coulda used an extra hoof or two for applebuckin'. But right now is the slow time fer the farm, and we ain't lookin' to hire any extra help." We can find somethin', AJ! he thought furiously, but his sister didn't pick up on his thoughts, and they just kept on talking. He listened as Sunflower assured his sister that she hadn't expected the Apple family to just give her a job. Rainbow Dash then mentioned the help wanted ads around Ponyville, and Mac nodded to himself. He sometimes would look at the postings, himself, to earn a few extra spending bits when it was slow around the farm. Granny Smith stood up unexpectedly and announced her intentions to take a nap, then walked back to the farmhouse. Apple Bloom, in turn, announced that she was going to go off and so some cutie mark crusading with her friends before racing off. Big Mac stood up. Think of somethin' smart to say! he thought furiously. Think of somethin' cool, so she'll know you ain't just some dumb hick! He cleared his throat... "Eeyup." Nice work. Embarrassed to his hooves, he turned and walked away from the table. Just before he hit the trees, he heard Sunflower say, "He doesn't talk much, does he?" "Nah," Applejack replied. "He's just shy. Once he relaxes 'round ya, ya can't get him ta shut up less'n ya stick a caramel apple in his mouth." He had just entered the trees when he heard Rainbow Dash say in a sing-song voice, "I think he likes youuu!" Simultaneously blessing and cursing the colorful pegasus, Mac broke into a run. ~~*~~ The sun was setting when Big Macintosh finally made his way back to the farm. The breeze had picked up, cooling him off as he walked through the orchards, and finally up to the farmhouse. The old wooden door creaked as he pushed it open with a hoof, and the smell from the kitchen indicated that Granny was cooking something tasty. Mac struggled out of his collar and hung it back up, eager to get himself washed up. "Well, hey there, lover boy," AJ drawled from the drawing room as Mac made his way to the stairs. Apple Bloom, sitting across from her big sister, giggled. Macintosh stopped at the foot of the stairs and sighed, knowing what was coming. "I ain't never seen you quite so flustered as you were today." "Yeah! You're sweet on Sunflower!" Apple Bloom cheered. From past experience, Macintosh knew that there was only one way to head off the relentless teasing that was sure to follow. "Eeyup, she's an awful pretty mare," he said. "But I don't reckon a mare like that would have much to do with the likes of me." Applejack was frowning at him now, and Bloom just looked confused. "What do you mean?" AJ shot back, eyes narrowing. Mac had to hide his grin. "You think you ain't good enough for her?" "Welp, I was fresh back from pullin' a stump when she met me," Mac admitted. "I don't reckon I looked all that nice, or smelled that nice. I can't imagine she would be too interested." His self-depreciation had robbed his sisters of an easy target. He allowed himself a brief smile, then continued. "Besides, I already got a mare I got my eye on," he continued, and AJ blinked in surprise. "If y'all will excuse me, I'd greatly appreciate bein' able to take a shower before dinner." "Who is it?" Apple Bloom's eyes were wide and bright as she bounced up and ran over to him. "Who've you got your eye on?" "It's a secret," Mac replied with a smile. "Oh, come on!" "Nnope. Sorry, kiddo." Apple Bloom scowled with bad grace and stomped back to sit with her sister where, if he was any judge, the next topic of conversation would be 'Who is Big Mac sweet on?' He continued clomping his way up the stairs, making his way to the Apple's shared bathroom. He was long overdue for a shower, and he hummed happily as the hot water soothed his tired muscles while also rinsing the dirt and sweat off of him. He eventually returned to his room, mane sticking up crazily and a damp towel around his shoulders. As he walked into his room, he looked up and saw Smarty Pants, sitting up on the dresser, one eye dangling by a thread. Frowning, he contemplated the doll, then sighed. He'd always known it would never work out with Twilight. She was too smart, too cultured. Too clean, though he knew she wasn't afraid of getting her hooves dirty when it was needed. Not used to farm work at all, though she did help out from time to time. And, though she would smile at him, it wasn't the smile of someone looking for a special somepony, but the smile of someone looking at a friend. He shook his head. Maybe it was time he changed his sights. Twilight, with her Canterlot education and her powerful magic, was strange and exotic to him, which was part of why he was so fascinated by her. Maybe he should look towards a more normal mare, an earth pony mare. Unbidden, the memory of Sunflower's blush came back into his mind's eye, triggering a blush of his own. Shaking his head again, he sternly reminded himself not to get his hopes up. ~~*~~ There was a knock at the door, and Twilight Sparkle put aside her book to go and open it. Framed in the doorway was a grey mare with a bright blond mane and a big smile. "Oh, hi Ditzy," she said, smiling in return at the delivery mare. "Package for me?" "Yup!" the pegasus reached into a saddlebag and pulled out a box carefully wrapped in plain brown paper and tied off with twine. "Not sure who sent it, though. No return address!" "Huh, I wonder what it is?" Twilight quickly signed for the package, thanked the mailmare and wished her a good day, then brought the package back to her table. Frowning, she shook it with her magic, but nothing rattled or shifted at all inside the box. She tugged at the twine, wondering what could possibly be inside. Soon enough, the box opened, revealing something wholly surprising. "Smarty Pants!" Twilight cried, overjoyed, removing the doll from its box and hugging it. "Where have you been?" ~~*~~ "I could do it for ya, if you want," Mac said, trying to sound casual. And, he knew, probably failing. AJ looked at him, slightly confused. "Well, I don't figure it matters who delivers these apples to Sugarcube Corner," she said. "I was just gonna do it so that I could see Pinkie Pie." "Well, I was figurin' on maybe doin' a little shoppin' in town," he replied, trying to keep his face still. Applejack just shrugged. "Sure, I guess. Have fun." Mac harnessed himself up to the cart laden with apples. Sugarcube Corner had a standing order of three barrels of baking apples to be delivered three times a week, for all the apple pies, muffins and so on that they would make there. It didn't take him long to bring the wagon into town. Mac brought the apples around the to the back of the bakery, receiving direction and encouragement from a happily bouncing Pinkie Pie. When the last barrel was set down, he retrieved the empties from last week's deliveries and put them on the cart. "Pinkie, d'ya mind if I leave the cart here for a while?" Macintosh asked as he dropped the last empty barrel into place on the wagon. "No problemo, Big Macaroonie!" Pinkie said with a grin. "If you're looking for Sunflower, I think she's having lunch at the cafe right now." "Er... Wh... I'm not..." Macintosh spluttered, but Pinkie had already given him a wink and hopped back inside the shop before he was able to form so much as a coherent sentence. "Drat." Still, he knew where she was. It had been three days since the ill-fated lunch, and he was hoping to make a better impression on the mare now. Even though he'd pulled the wagon into town, it had been an easy job, and his coat was clean, well brushed, and relatively sweat and dirt free. He'd even suffered through a shower that morning. "Hi, Sunflower," he thought, walking along. Nah, too boring. How about, "How are you doing, Miss Sunflower?" Hmm. Too formal. "It sure is mighty fine weather, don't you think, Miss Sunflower?" Hmm... Too boring. He was still practicing opening lines in his head as he neared the cafe. In fact, he almost bumped into a table on the patio before he realized he was there. "Pardon," he told the startled couple at the table, taking a few steps back. He looked around, and his heart sank. Sunflower was nowhere to be seen. Either Pinkie had been wrong, or Sunflower had already left. He heaved a sigh and turned to leave, almost tripping over the mare he'd been looking for. "Oh, hi Macintosh," Sunflower said brightly as she stepped out of his path, the hint of a rosy blush on her cheeks. "Er..." Mac tried frantically to remember the lines he'd practiced, but his brain came up blank. "Hi." "Were you about to eat lunch?" the mare asked him, tilting her head slightly to the side and smiling prettily. Mac blinked slowly. Maybe she hadn't actually eaten yet! Maybe... they could have lunch together! "Eeyup," he said, nodding. "It's a really good place," Sunflower said. "Applejack suggested it to me. I love their sandwiches!" "Eeyup. They're... tasty," he managed to say. An awkward silence unfolded for a few seconds, and Mac shuffled a hoof on the ground. "Well, I have to get back to work," she said, and Macintosh's hopes crashed down. "Enjoy your lunch, and I'll see you later, okay?" "Um. Okay," he said, offering a ghost of a smile. Sunflower flashed another pretty smile at him and Mac watched her go. Then, though he wasn't hungry at all, he turned and went inside the cafe and ordered himself a sandwich. Sunflower was right. They were really good. ~~*~~ "Hey, are you going to take my bits, or what?" Mac blinked in surprise and looked back at the frowning face of the mare in front of him. "Oh, uh... Sorry," he mumbled, fumbling for the money. He ended up dropping one of the bits in the mud at his feet and bent down to pick it up with his mouth, banging his head sharply on the underside of the sale stall. "Ouch." "You all right?" Berry Punch asked him, voice tinged with concern. "Eeyup, just a bump on the head," Macintosh flashed a false grin in reply. The mare stared at him for a moment longer, then shrugged and took her bag of apples. Now that his customer was out of the way, he returned his gaze to the sight that had unsettled him so just a moment ago. Sunflower, smiling and looking happily up at the stallion next to her, was walking down the street. The stallion in question was one of the ponies that Mac recalled seeing around, but he couldn't place the name. He was a handsome enough fella, Macintosh grudgingly admitted, groomed grey coat, a green four-leafed clover mark on his hip, and a black mane styled in that spiky buzzsaw that seemed so popular these days. Mac was larger than him by a fair shot, but the strange stallion still stood quite a bit taller than Sunflower, who was looking up at him and laughing at something he'd said. Mac felt a little cold, oddly enough. And maybe a little sick, as he watched the couple walk towards him, apparently not seeing him until Sunflower stopped suddenly and gasped in surprise. "Oh... " Her voice was hesitant and unsure, and Macintosh felt his heart twist a little. "Hi Macintosh. I was expecting to see Applejack, I thought she usually sold the apples in town?" "Eeyup," was all he managed for a few seconds, then he shook himself slightly. "AJ asked if I could take over for today." He said it simply, keeping his face calm. He had no claim over the mare, he knew. Once again, he'd moved too slowly. The story of his life, really. "Oh, I see," Sunflower said, blushing slightly and looking down at her hooves for a moment. Then her head popped back up, and Macintosh was lost for a moment in the merry green twinkle of her eyes. "I should introduce you!" She was smiling now, and introduced her companion. "Lucky, this is Macintosh Apple, the big brother of my friend Applejack. Macintosh, this is Lucky. He's my co-worker at Fet-Ex." He blinked in surprise, then warily looked at the other stallion. Co-worker? That was a fair bit different than what he'd been thinking a moment before. He was mildly surprised to see the other stallion, Lucky, looking back at him just as warily. "I think we may have already met," Lucky said carefully. "But, just in case we didn't, it's nice to meet you, Macintosh." The sick, twisted feeling in his guts and the coldness went away at the same time, replaced by a feeling of urgency, tenseness. It's a race, now, Mac realized to his surprise. And, even more surprising, he found himself determined to win. "Likewise," he replied to the other stallion, nodding his head. Smiling happily, and oblivious to the unspoken conversation between the two males, Sunflower bought a small bag of apples, immediately passing one over to Lucky to try out. The stallion looked startled, but took it, biting into it and chewing slowly, obviously savoring the taste. "See? See?" Sunflower said, bouncing slightly on her hooves. "They're the best, aren't they?" "Yeah, it's really good," Lucky said with a smile. Macintosh smiled as well, knowing full well that there wasn't a pony in Ponyville who wasn't already familiar with Sweet Apple Acres produce, even if they couldn't pick the family members out by sight. Lucky was trying to impress her by feigning ignorance and letting her 'show' him something he already knew about. "None finer in all of Equestria," he proudly proclaimed. Lucky looked at him with uncertainty in his eye, and Mac knew then that the other stallion didn't have much of a hold on Sunflower, if any at all. If the smile on Mac's face were any more alive, it would jump off his face and strut around the market all on its own. "Well, we'd better get to the cafe," Lucky said, a little on the loud and tinny side. "Oh, yeah." Sunflower looked up at the clock on town hall. "We don't have a lot of time left. 'Bye, Macintosh!" She'd said that with as sweet and genuine a smile as any mare had ever given him. "So long, Miss Sunflower," Mac replied in a somber voice that belied the soaring of his heart.