Goodlands and Applejack

After a short time talking to a stallion over at the small building, he got to work helping him with some daily routines. Goodlands wanted to have a new wagon wheel waiting for Applejack as she would need to get her cart home, as well as help Big Mac, but he had no money to get a new wheel so he spent most of his morning helping the wainwright/carpenter of the town. He wasn't sure how to go about making a wheel, so he mainly worked off the cost of just outright buying one. It wasn't too hard for him to do, but then again, he was no stranger to hard work. It took him most of the morning to get the money for the wheel together. By the time he was done the sun was at the top of the sky. He thanked the stallion and put the wheel into a satchel that he'd also roped into the deal, and headed out the door. As he was nearing Applejack he heard a voice that resonated from earlier that day.
"Have you seen Goodlands, the new pony? I have things set up for a party, and when i find him the party will officially be on!" came the voice of the loud but happy-go-lucky pony he had narrowly dodged that morning. His eyes grew big as he upped his pace. Making it back to the wagon Applejack was in full selling mode and taking orders for pies and fritters of different kinds. Goodlands made himself nearly invisible as he walked over to the side of the cart that had the missing wheel. It was away from the crowd so he went undisturbed as he silently fixed the wagon. *well as silently as one could be while fixing a wagon, but with all the noise the crowd was making he pretty much went unnoticed.*
He followed the wainwright's instructions for the wheel, and made sure to do it right putting everything into place as best he could.
After finishing up with the wheel, he sat there watching the ponies once more going about their daily routines, wondering what kinds of things they did for fun.
He seen a blue blur fly overhead followed by a rainbow. A pegasi that had left a rainbow in their trail, now that was something.
Some time later, he was sitting near the front of the wagon when Applejack came around to see him. She smiled at him, and walked over.
"You didn't have to sit here all day. Wasn't their something you had planned? Family to visit? Friends?" she asked politely..
"Um no ma'am, I didn't sit here all morning i.." but again he was cut off.
"Big McIntosh, How are you feeling, you alright?" she walked over to Big McIntosh who looked down with a pained expression.
"Eeyup." he then nodded to her and then to Goodlands.
"Well I'm about to pack up and head on home. You need to be resting, doctors orders." she said with finality, much to his dismay.
"Nnope." he responded, but coward a bit when she glared at him.
"Doctors orders." she growled then cheerfully continued "We need to get you home, I need to figure out how i'm going to do that, and what I'm going to do with this here wagon. Guess I'll have to come back here and get it, later.." she said pushing Big Mac towards the road.
"Um ma'am, I'll help you, if you don't mind." Goodlands spoke up as Applejack was unsuccessfully pushing Big Mac down the road.
"I appreciate the offer but even empty, that wagon's still heavy." she said as she stopped trying to push Big Mac. She turned to look at him "You're strong I'll give you that, but you could seriously hurt yourself trying to lug that thing all the way to my farm." she looked over him and noticed him standing next to an unbroken wagon wheel.. "When did you? How did you? Where did you?" she looked perplexed at this latest update.
"I guess that only leaves the who, what and why." he said jokingly. "I fixed it earlier while you were taking care of your wares."
"Well goll-ee. Thank you ever so much. That was mighty nice of you." she turned and looked at Big Mac, "guess you'll be riding on the front seat of the wagon. Doc says you need to be off your hooves. Go on." she nudged Big Mac who reluctantly got into the wagon a scowl covered his face. "If you'd like to help me pull this, then that would be wonderful, Goodlands. Here I'll get you the money for that there wagon wheel." she said heading toward the front of the wagon.
"No need for repayment, madam.." he responded in kind.
"I wouldn't feel right not paying you back for helping me here." she pulled out some money to give to him but he bowed,
"Its quite alright. It didn't cost me anything, i just helped a feller over there, and got that thrown in as part of the deal."
"Are you sure you wouldn't like payment? I mean i really appreciate it and all, but I'd like to make sure you're paid for your work and all."
"It's quite alright, besides we need to get Big McIntosh here home, that's more important." he said heading toward Big Mac.
"That's true i suppose." she said and together they got the wagon moving towards her farm, Big Mac sulking in the front seat.

Along the way she told him about life on Sweet Apple Acres, and the apple business. The cart was much more manageable now that it had its fourth wheel. Occasionally they'd hear a grown from Big McIntosh whenever they'd hit a bump in the road.
"I've been working on this here farm since i was a little filly. With my brother here, my younger sister Apple Bloom, and good old Granny Smith. Together we've bucked more apples, then we could ever count over the years." She said with pride, then lowered her voice "Not sure what I'm gonna do bout that right now, with Big Mac being hurt and all." their was worry in her voice as she glanced over her shoulder, then Goodlands spoke before he even had a chance to think of what he was saying.
"I can help there miss, if you'd like."
"Please, call me Applejack." she chuckled. "I'm not used to that, if you want to call someone miss, madam, or "ma'am" you're looking for Rarity. She likes all that fancy stuff, I'm just not used to it." she looked over at him with a twinkle in her eye.
"Yes ma'am. I'll try to remember that for later. But uh that offer's still open if you'd like some help on your farm. I'd be more then happy to help." he said as they made their way down the road.
"Well, I'll definitely need the help, and I wont say no to good help, but i don't even know you. I mean, have you ever even worked on a farm before?" she looked at him searchingly.
"Yes ma'am I believe I have, once or twice before." he puffed his chest out a bit as he said it.
"We'll see." she said "How bout starting tomorrow? I need to finish up whats left over from the southern side of the farm.."
"Eeyup." came a conformation from behind them both simultaneously looked over their shoulders, and chuckled. Her laugh was soft, and light, his cheeks reddened a bit, if he kept this up, he'd be as red as Big Mac in no time. He inwardly frowned at himself.
"Do i need to bring anything to accomplish this? Or should i just show up as is?" he asked glancing at her.
"No special tools required. Got all the supplies we need on the farm. Mainly buckets, ya know for catching all the apples that fall out of the trees." she smiled back at him.
"Well alright then. I believe i can do that."
"So you got family here to visit?" she asked looking over at him.
"Sorry ma'am, I'd rather not talk about that.. It's a touchy subject." he said looking forward.
"I didn't mean no offense, just curious is all. Did you have to travel far to find Ponyville?" she asked.
"No offense taken miss, I have traveled a fair amount, yes. I was glad when i came here, its rather less hectic compared to the big city, lot quieter too. Plus everyone seems more laid back, and calmer.." he said smiling to her. "And more polite." he thought inwardly, but didn't voice that bit.
"Eeyup." said Big Mac from behind them, just to let them know that he was still there.
"Your brother's conversations are so riveting." he said with a chuckle. "Has he always been a reticent kind of pony, or did something cause that." he asked in an undertone.
"Not sure what that means, but Big Mac's always been a little on the quite side. Ever since.."
"Applejack!" came Big Mac's voice from the cart. Looking over his shoulder Goodlands seen that Big Mac was wearing a scowl on his face.
"We don't talk about it." she said with head down "not since..." she stopped again. "best we drop that subject, for now." she said in an undertone.
They slowly worked their way towards the farm. When they arrived at the farm, Goodlands helped put the wagon in the back of the barn as Applejack helped Big Mac into the house, aided by Granny Smith who'd been worrying over her and Apple Bloom who'd come out to tell her about some stuff Goodlands didn't catch.
"That will do just fine right there." she said as Goodlands was pulling a cover over the wagon.
"Yes ma'am." he responded as he left the wagon behind. He headed out to the doors of the barn and help close them. "I uh, guess i'll see you tomorrow then." he said as he looked into her bright green eyes. Stars reflected in them, and the moonlight made her look even more pretty. At this he felt his face go warm, why did he have to go red now? He found small comfort in the fact it was mostly dark outside, so he was pretty sure she hadn't noticed.
"Well, um yeah. Tomorrow then. I'll see you here bright and early, as we've got quite a bit of work to do." she nodded and headed back into the house. As she entered he turned and headed toward the field, wondering where he was going to sleep. This he hadn't thought of until now, but he was sure he'd find a nice tree to camp out under. The night was still and warm, and he did have a nice new satchel as a pillow. He wandered around for a bit, his stomach growling from not eating today. He'd hopefully find a way to get something to eat tomorrow. Hopefully.