Chapters It was a bright, sunny afternoon. Applebloom, Sweetiebelle, and Scootaloo were sitting on the Apple family's barn porch.
"Ugh, I'm so bored. There's nothing to do." Scootaloo whined.
It has been a few weeks since summer vacation started and the cutie mark crusaders have already done every cutie mark earning idea they can think of.
"I know. I seriously can't believe we've done every single idea on our list and still get no cutie mark." Applebloom agreed.
"And it's only been (started counting fingers) 3 weeks into summer." Sweetiebelle said.
All 3 groaned. The front door swung open, Applejack came out with a tray of apple pie slices.
"Howdy! How's everybody doing' today?" She said cheerfully.
The 3 groaned again.
"Now come on. you 3 really finished that long list of yours?"
"And then some." Sweetiebelle added.
"Yeah. There's nothing to do Applejack!" Scootaloo whined.
"Well..... have the chores been done?" Applejack asked laying the tray down.
"I did those hours ago." Applebloom said taking a slice of apple pie.
"Hey, we helped." Sweetiebelle said.
"Well at least be thankful you don't have to figure out a way to fix the damages to the barn."
"Damages? What damages?" Applebloom said finishing her pie.
"There's a couple of holes in the roof which lets in the rain, the wood is starting to rot, and a bunch of other stuff. The past winter has been
"Oh man, I didn't even noticed."
"It's all right. Me and Big McIntosh are figuring it out now. Here. Why don't ya'll go to sugar cube corner?" Applejack said handing her sister some bits.
"Okay." The 3 said running off.
Applejack laughed to herself walking back inside. As mentioned before there was a couple of holes in the ceiling of the barn where the tools are kept, Big Mac was there trying to fix the one of the holes when the hammer he was using broke.
"Not another one. (sighs) That makes 4 so far. Darn these flimsy tools." Applejack said.
"Eeeyup." Big Mac agreed.
A hour of work later....
"Well that did nothing. How about we take a break?"
"Eeeyup."
The two went back to the kitchen, Big Mac grabbed two apple cider sodas from the fridge and handed his sister one. They sat down at the table and drank their sodas. A few minutes later they heard a knock at their door, naturally Applejack rushed to the door and opened it. Standing on the front porch was a young stallion that was amazingly as tall Big Mac around 6'2 ft. tall. He was a light gold coat, mane and tail color with a orange eyes. He wore a white T-shirt, blue jeans with a gold belt buckle, brown cowboy boots, a satchel, and a hat similar to Applejack's.
"Howdy! This is Sweet Apple acres, correct?" He said Cheerfully.
"Why yes it is! What could I do ya for?" Applejack equally as cheerfully.
"I just came by to purchase some high quality apples. I heard around town that the best can be found here, correct?"
"You heard right! We apples take great pride in our apple orchards."
"Then I must be at the right place. I'll take a couple baskets please. " The stranger laughed.
"Coming right up!" Applejack said rushing back inside.
A few seconds later she returned with 7 baskets filled to the brim with apples.
"Thank you kindly ma'am. Here you go. Keep the change."
The stranger handed Applejack a sack filled with at least a hundred bits.
"Why thank you but...there's no need to pay me this much.
"It's okay. You keep it." He said with a warm smile.
The stranger was about to turn to leave when he looked up for a second.
"Huh, isn't that something."
"What is?"
"What? You don't see those giant holes in your barn?" He chuckled.
Applejack stepped right next to the young man to get a better view of what he was talking about.
"Oh no! How did it get worse!" She groaned.
"I bet I could fix that. Would you like some help?"
"Really?"
"Sure."
"I guess you want some bits back huh?"
"Of course not, you keep that."
"No. I can't let you work with no form of pay. It wouldn't be right. "
"Hmmm. How about this? I fix your roof for 3 more baskets of apples, sounds good?"
"Sounds good. It's a deal."
Applejack spat on her hand and held it out half expecting him to be grossed out like Caramel apple. To her surprise the young stallion repeated the act and shook her hand.
"Wow! You have a real strong grip! What's your name stranger?"
"The name's Sunny. Sunny Miles!" The young stallion said with a proud smile.
The Stronghold family's villa
Sunny drove the truck through PonyVille passing the many colorful shops, houses, and other ponies.
"Wow. This place sure is something."
"You said you just came into town right?"
"That's right. Me and some of my family members."
They passed by Sugar cube corner.
"Will you look at that, there's Applebloom. Hold up Sunny I want to see what's up."
Sunny did so parking the Truck next to the building. Applejack hopped out the truck to see Applebloom sitting on the front steps.
"Hey there Sugarcube. What's the matter now?"
"Nothing. Just bored again is all."
Applejack looked around.
"Where's Sweetiebelle and Scootaloo?"
"Rarity came and took Sweetiebelle to a fashion show. Scootaloo went to go see Rainbow dash. So I'm here.....completely bored. What are you up to?"
"I'm going by a friend's house to pick up some wood to help repair the barn."
"A Friend, huh? Do I know them?"
"Probably not, he's new in town. You wanna come along?"
"Better then sitting out here."
Applebloom followed her sister back to the pickup truck.
"Howdy there. The name's Sunny." Sunny said smiling.
"Hello there."
Applebloom sat in the backseat behind her sister, she leaned up to whisper in her ear.
"Hey doesn't he remind you of Big Mac? Honestly I was about to call him that.
Applejack chuckled to herself as they left Sugarcube corner as well as leaving PonyVille. The whole trip the radio played happy tunes, Applebloom hummed the tune to herself as her sister soon joined in. Their humming even made Sunny tap at the steering wheel to the beat. The truck turned down a valley road leading to a large house on top of a hill.
"Wow. That's a mighty fine home you got there. It's almost as big as the barn." Applejack said stepping out of the truck.
"It's my family's summer villa. Come on I'll show you where we keep the wood." Sunny said taking the baskets of apples out of the back.
The two sisters help carry the apples up the hill, they reached the top before Sunny when they saw an old stallion chopping the wood on top of a tree stump. He seemed to be in his mid 40's with a coat black as night with a gray mane and tail. The old stallion amazingly chopped three logs perfectly at one time! They was about to comment when the old stallion collapsed to the ground.
"Oh my! Applebloom come on! " Applejack said dropping the apples and rushing to the stallion.
"Are you alright sir?" Applebloom asked.
"Huh? What's that? Who's there?" The stallion said.
At this point Sunny came up the hill with the last of the apples. He looked over to see the old stallion.
"Grandpa Bronco! Are you alright?!?" Sunny yelled joining Applejack and her sister help the stallion stand up.
"Yes I'm right as rain. The only problem is why is everyone so blurry?"
"Huh? Oh. Hold up."
Sunny pulled out a pair of glasses from his jean pocket and slipped them onto the stallion's eyes.
"Better?"
"Much. Hey Sunny when did you get here?"
"Grandpa you know you're supposed to be in bed."
"And you should know that a stronghold bronco hates being bed written."
"Grandpa..."
"Now now Sunny. We all do our part around here and I'm proud of you for doing yours on a daily basis. If only your brother could just do the same thing. Speaking of which where is the wee devil?
"I'm sure he's close by, probably in the fields again."
"Good luck finding him (or catching him)."
"Alright. But please get some rest grandpa."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah."
And with that Grandpa Bronco went inside the large villa house.
"He seems like a nice stallion." Applejack said cheerfully.
"Yeah. I just wish he would take it easy on himself nowadays. You know old folks hate being called that,"
"Boy, do I know it."
"Uh-huh." Applebloom agreed.
"Come on. Let's go find my mischievous devil of a little brother. Hopefully he didn't get into any trouble while I was gone."
Big Mac was whistling to himself as he entered the barn house to see the stranger on a step ladder working on one of the giant holes in the ceiling.
"Uhhhh......" Big Mac started but didn't know what to say.
"Oh. Howdy there! The name's Sunny Miles, glad to meet you." Sunny said sticking his hand out for Big Mac to shake.
"Uhhhh.....H-Howdy there, Sunny. Pardon but, where did you come from?"
Applejack had walked in with a few baskets of apples they agreed on earlier, she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw her brother. He was giving her a squinted eye look that she knew meant "Who is this guy?"
"H-Hey big brother! I see you meet our new friend." She said with a smile.
"Eeeyup." Big Mac said with a suspicious look.
"Annnnnnd that's the last of 'em." Sunny said stepping down from the ladder.
"Well I'll be. It hasn't been an hour yet and you've already finished." Applejack said looking up at the newly repaired roof.
"I said I would and I kept that promise." Sunny smiled brightly.
"Well here's those extra apples as promised." Applejack said handing sunny the apples.
"Thank you kindly."
Sunny placed the baskets on the ground and started to remove his utility belt from his waist when he heard a slight creak.
"What was that?" he asked.
"It's the wood, it's starting to rot."
"Well that's no good. No siree. Hmmm. Tell you what I'll replace the rotting wood with some high quality Blacksmith's wood."
"Blacksmith's wood?"
"Yeah it's the sturdiest and most long- lasting wood ever discovered. I have tons of it at my house, I'll bring some here and get started."
"Why, that's very kind of you. I'll come and help carry the wood, sounds good?"
"Sounds good."
The two left the barn leaving Big mac alone in the barn.
"Well, I guess that means I get a longer break then huh? Sounds good to me. " He thought as pulled out a small radio and drifted to sleep listening to his favorite tunes.
Sunny led Applejack to his black ford pick-up truck. After placing the baskets of apples in the back Sunny hopped into the driver's seat and started the engine, it hummed to life. Applejack sat in the passenger seat.
"This is some truck sunny."
"It's alright I guess. It belonged to my dad."
"Is that so? Well, if he's anything like you it'll be nice to meet him."
Sunny didn't answer, his bright smile went away.
"Oh. Did something happen to him? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"No. It's okay, really. It's just (sigh) tough to talk about."
"I get it. Let's go get that wood."
"Okay." Sunny said his bright smile returning.
