Summer.
In the Ponyville town square, it is very humid, but not unbearably so as its citizens are happily outside visiting the various vendor stands lining up the square. One such stand is an apple stand being run by a well known red stallion named Big Mac, who is standing behind the stand wearing his yoke, chewing on a piece of straw and with a single yellow feather on his ear, normally his sister would be there by his side, but she went off to use the bathroom and get water.
Walking in the town square carrying her saddle bags is a purple mare known as Cherilee, the local school teacher of Ponyville, making her weekly grocery shopping trip. She happily makes her rounds until she sees the apple stand and noticing Big Mac standing byhimself behind it. It has been a while since she last talked to Big Mac, they used to date a while ago, but appearently, a relationship started by a love potion was cursed to never work out. The mare just walks up to the stand.
"Why hello there Mac, business going good?" cheerfully greeted the purple mare.
"Eeyup." answered Big Mac with a smile on his face.
"That's good, so how have things been going? It has been a while since we last talked." explained Cherilee.
"Eeyup, going great." responded Big Mac.
Cheerilee looks up to see Big Mac's face only to notice something strange, a yellow feather on top of his right ear. Being a teacher Cherilee immediatly knows that Big Mac is courting a pegasus, and there is only one yellow pegasus mare that they both know; Fluttershy. For some reason, the purple mare isn't very glad about this.
"I see you and Fluttershy are dating, I never knew that, how long?" asked Cherilee, sad on the inside, but keeping a cheerfull poker face outside.
"We ain't started courtin' yet, but we will once she gits back." stated Big Mac, looking a little saddend from being reminded of Fluttershy's absence. "She's currently off somewhere takin' care of her inner demos, but she'll be back." continued the stallion, Fluttershy has been gone for three months already, with no word on when she'll be back.
"Oh, that's great to hear, but I better get going now, I have a lot of shopping ahead, bye Mac!" said Cherilee as she walks off and waves goodbye. Big Mac just nods and waves back.
Just as Cherilee is out of sight, Applejack finally returns back.
"Thanks fo' watchin' th' stand fo' me, how is business going?" asked Big Mac's sister, not knowing what just happend.
"NO BUCKIN' WAY!" yelled a female voice from behind an office door.
Soarin, a light blue pegasus stallion, who just happens to be walking by knows what this means. Soarin stops in his tracks and opens the door to the office. "Something wrong Commander Spitfire?" asked Soarin peaking his head into his boss' office.
"Oh, you heard that didn't you?" said the yellow pegasus mare behind her desk, slightly embarressed. "Sorry about that, it's just that I received news that the Cherry family will no longer be catering for us until spring." explained the commander.
"Why not?" asked a confused Soarin, taking his seat in front of the desk.
"Appearently, their farm was hit by a parasprite infestation that destroyed almost 90% of their crop and home, and so until the next harvest season, they'll be unable to provide for catering." continued Spitfire, feeling the family's loss.
"That's horrible, but we have a Summer Gala coming up next month, what are going to do about food, surely your not thinking of serving the manure they serve at the mess hall!" stated a worried Soarin, he really does hate the food they serve at the mess hall.
"Well...it seems we have no choice." stated Spitfire.
Soarin then sighs, defeated and begins to think, until he's suddenly hit by an idea. "I GOT IT!" exclaimed the stallion. "I think I know who can cater for us!"
In the locker rooms, Rainbow Dash has just gotten out of her Wonderbolt's training suit and is ready to go back home, but is too busy reading a letter.
Dear Dash,
Things are going great here at the clinic, the doctors say that at my rate of improvement, I should be returning home any month now! Anyways, how is your summer with the Wonderbolt's going? I hope it's going good. Also, tell Twilight that I give my fondness congradulations to her on her recent engagement, I always thought that she and Time Turner made a great couple.
Anyways, I have to go now, it is bedtime and I need to turn out the lights, I miss you!
Your Best Friend Forever,
Fluttershy
"What'cha reading?" said a playfull male voice.
Rainbow Dash, startled, turns around to see Soarin hovering off the floor with a smile on his face.
"Oh, just reading a letter from my friend and getting ready to go home." explained Dash, she's slightly nervous because she has been having a secret crush on Soarin all summer long.
"That's nice, but before you go, I need to ask for a favor." said Soarin, hooves back on the ground.
"What is it?" asked Dash, hoping this favor will end with she and Soarin spending the night together.
"Well you see...the usuall farm we use to cater our events have pulled out, so, we're looking for a new farm to take over until Spring, and seeing as one of your friends is a farmer, I was hoping that you can take me to her farm so I can offer her family a temporary catering contract." explained Soarin.
"Oh," said Dash, not the answer she wanted. "Well, of course I can take you to the farm, anything to help out the Wonderbolts." accepted Dash.
"Good, so what are we waiting for! Let's go!" stated an eager Soarin.
"So, Twilight darling, when are you planning on holding the wedding?" asked Rarity, sipping her tea. Both Twilight and Rarity are in the boutique drinking tea together, alone.
"I told you, we'll get married when we feel we're ready to get married." explained Twilight. "This engagement is more of a promise to get married SOMEDAY is anything." Twilight just takes another sip of her tea. "And besides, me and Time Turner are waiting for Fluttershy to return before we even start thinking of a wedding, he wants to make sure all my friends are here before we start."
"That's to bad, because I just finished making your wedding dress yesterday." explained Rarity.
"WHAT!"
At Sweet Apple Acres, Big Mac is sitting in front of the farmhouse, scanning the skies for any signs of the yellow pegasus he's in love with. Big Mac has been doing this everyday for the last three months already and shows no signs of stopping. Applejack is sitting on the porch, watching the scene in front of her. She feels sorry for her brother, but also feels sorry for Fluttershy, Applejack doesn't know Big Mac like anypony else, none of her friends know that Big Mac was once known for going around, rutting every single mare senseless that falls in love with him and then discarding them like trash once he looses interest in them, he's done it with Berry Bunch, Carrot Top, the Flower Ponies (all three of them at once), the Spa twins (also at once) and finally Cherilee, she does not want the same thing to happen to Fluttershy.
"HEY APPLEJACK!" Applejack's thoughts are interrupted as she sees two pegasus ponies heading towards the farm house, one is her best friend Rainbow Dash and the other is a pegasus stallion that she hasn't seen since the anniversery party several months ago.
"What are yo' two doin' here?" asked a surprised Applejack. At the same time, Big Mac just walks off and goes inside the farmhouse, he knows who that stallion is, he's a member of the Wonderbolts, and he finds them annoying and sees them as nothing but showoffs.
"We came for a business proposal." stated Soarin, greeting the orange mare. "It will mean a lot to the Wonderbolts if you accept."
Applejack couldn't help but to check out the find stallion before her. "Oh my, he's one fine specimen of a stallion, an' them eyes. Focus Applejack!"
"I'll leave you two alone, I'll be inside to see what Granny Smith is cooking." stated Dash as she rockets towards the farmhouse.
"Well, what is yo' proposin'?" said a smug Applejack, looking forward to hearing this.
"A lucrative catering contract for the Wonderbolts." stated Soarin with a smile on his face.
"How lucrative?" said a doubtfull Applejack.
"Enough to make your family live comfortably for the next few years." answered Soarin.
Applejack is shocked by that answer, she wants to say "yes" to him right then and there, but she knows that she must talk this over with her brother and granny before making a decision.
"Let me talk t'mah brother an' granny about this." explained a nervous Applejack, trying not to get lost in his eyes.
"Oh, sure!" happily replied Soarin. "I understand, but you do have until next month to come up with a decision, so when you DO come to a decision, just write to me and we'll discuss this over dinner."
"Dinner?" stated a confused Applejack.
"Of course, what better way to discuss business!" happily exclaimed Soarin. "Anyways, I think your friend Dash has my address already so you can go ask her, so until then, I'll be waiting for your answer, bye!" Soarin is getting ready to take off, but Applejack grabs one of his forelegs.
"WAIT! Don't you want to stay over for some dinner? Granny is baking some apple pies for dessert." offered Applejack.
"Pies huh." thought Soarin. "Tell your granny to make some to go, I really have to get going home." explained Soarin, seeing the sun cross the horizon.
"Of course!" stated a flustered Applejack, "I'll go inside an' tell granny, just wait here a few minutes." Applejack quickly sprints into the farmhouse.
After a few minutes of waiting, Applejack comes out carrying a basket with the apple pie inside and gives it over to Soarin.
"Thanks Miss..." thanked Soarin, trying to remember the orange mare's name.
"Applejack." completed the mare.
"Well, thanks Miss Applejack, I'll make sure to return the basket and pie tin when we meet again." stated Soarin, he then flies off, into the horizon, heading home.
"What a stallion!" mumbled a blushing Applejack.
To Be Continued...