Two Hats n' One Heart

It'd been some months since the stranger showed up in her barn. He was strange, walked on two legs, and spoke funny.

And he had AppleJack sweating something fierce.

Day 1

Winona had spooked to something during the night. Applejack, dead-tired after a hard days harvest, trudged out of bed, leaving the warm comfort of her sheets, hooves to the wooden floors. With a few flickers, she's got a lantern dangling from between her teeth. Hoof, hat, head. Complete. She'd let her family sleep, handle it herself.

Dead middle of the night, Applejack trails after Winona. Crickets are chirping in the distance, the stars twinkling up high. A slight night chill whispers through the wind, sending a shiver up Applejacks spine, grumbling about her sleep. Whatever it was, the sound didn't come from the direction of the Everfree, nor was Winona barking, so Applejack wasn't too worried. Still, best to check. Winona had her nose planted to the ground, sniffing a storm as she worked her way from the house, to... the barn.

Applejack sighs, setting the lantern down beside the barn does. Winona is pawing at the doors, staring at Applejack.

"Reckon it's some kind of animal you're keen on chasin', eh girl?" Applejack chuckles. Whatever it was, it was about to have a bad time. She pushes the door open slowly with a creak, peering inside.

Quiet, smells-like-hay barn. Few piles of tools, a disassembled wagon, the working wagon, a few piles of hay...

Her ear twitches.

Someone's snoring. Applejack groans, turning, a kicks the barn door open so it slams loudly, rattling the wood. Only thing worse then critters, was a stowaway that hopped the train looking for a place to crash. That should wake 'em right up.

She waits, expecting a startled yelp.

She's met with more snoring.

At this point, Winona has snuffled her way inside, checking the barn. Applejack follows in, Lantern dangling alongside. There's only so many places the motherhubbard could hide, and she'd find 'em.

Then, Winona barks, and leaps on a pile of hay.

"Ha!" Applejack shouts, charging after Winona and sliding right up to the haypile. "Found you, you no-good lowdown napster! Get up on out of--" She pauses, confusion settling on her face.

Winona is licking its face, sat on its lap, tail wagging. Emphasis on 'it'. What in tarnation was that thing? Like a... skinny minotaur with no horns. A hat, not unlike her own, was laid over its face, now getting shoved up by Winonas nose. It was fully dressed in clothes, like those fancy Canterlot folk... though minus the fancy. The lantern casting enough light for her to figure them out. Some kind of... pointed boots with flat tips, with spurs stuck out the back ankle. Trousers, a loose v-neck shirt, some kind of... patterned poncho. Wrappings around its... what's wrong with its hooves? At this point, she's just mighty confused.

Finally stirred by the weight of Winona on its lap, it grunts, reaching up for its hat. It pulls it off its face, settling on its head; revealing tussled, messy medium-length hair, a chiseled, tired face, and a scruffy beard.
"...Might I be a bother n' ask what's goin' on?" It groggily mumbles, in an accent that others would pinpoint as near-same as Applejacks. It glances at Winona, huffs air out of its nose, and starts petting the top of her head, Winona leaning into it.

Applejacks jaw nearly drops the lantern.
"What in th' buck--"

Day 2
The Apple Family is gathered for a morning meeting, their kitchen table near-packed as early morning light began to spill through the windows. They still had a days harvest ahead, but they had a problem to deal with, first.

Granny Smith sits at the head of the table. Apple Bloom and Big Mac sit on one side of the table. Opposite of Granny Smith, sits 'Cass'. At least he had the manners to take his hat off when he sat at the table; that seemed to already have earned him a little leeway. They decided against tying him up with rope when they found he'd slipped out of it, but chosen not to run. Twice.

Also sat in front of every Apple, guest included, was breakfast. Even at their most hostile, they were a hospitable folk.

Apple Bloom has been staring at 'Cass' for a while now, poking at her food. She's far more interested in the weird stranger. Big Mac glares, but says nothing. Granny Smith sits in silence, watching. Finally, AppleJack speaks up.
"So. Mind tellin' us why you chose t' tuck away in our barn?" She starts, throwing in some extra huff-n'-puff to her voice.

"Ain't mean t' sound like a liar n' a fibber, but I don't rightly know." Cass begins, looking towards AppleJack. Eye contact is made. Tarnation, he's got pretty eyes. Bright-blues that sparkle something fierce. AppleJack wonders why she's noticing such a thing now of all times, but pushes on.

"So you just... ended up in our barn? Sleepwalkin' or some sort?" She presses.

"I mean... I ain't never seen folk like your type, before. Where I'm from, everyone's 'bout shaped as me. Wonderin' if I hit m' head a lil' hard or somethin'." Cass responds, offering a polite shrug.

"So you got a home, back where you're from? Can't y' go back to it?" Apple Bloom pipes up, earning her a glare from Big Mac and AppleJack.

"Never really had one homestead, 'cept where I grew up. Traveled, mostly, rentin' rooms n' pitchin' tents. No clue how I'd even get back, if I could. Just... nappin' in m' room one night, wakin' up in your barn th' next." Cass explains, some somber tinge to his voice.

"You some kinda juggalo?" AppleJack mutters, frowning suspiciously. She ain't letting no type of folk like that near her little sister.

Cass almost looks surprised, shaking his head. "Not in th' least, Miss Jack. Not sure if'n such a job exists round here, but I worked as a Cowpoke, an' at odd times, a Gunslinger. Took what I could get."

The Apples glance between each-other, sharing a few mutterings.

"You some type of Farmhand, then?" Big Mac finally speaks up. "We don't know what no Gunslinger is, but you don't look th' type to be workin' fields."

"I promise y', a hard days work out in th' field ain't nothin' I'm a stranger to." Cass affirms. Though, he was going to leave out the horse-riding part. Considering what these... polite, pony-people creatures were, best not to offend.

Granny Smith finally speaks up, cutting AppleJack off from her next question.
"So if'n you weren't able t' get home right away, you'd be willin' t' work n' earn your stay?" She demands, squinting and leaning forward. The other three Apples heads whip to Granny at the implication.

"Course, Ma'am. It'd be the only right thing t' do." Cass nods, maintaining a firm eye contact.

All are silent, as Granny mulls it over.

"Granny... you ain't offerin'--" AppleJack starts, before a green hoof is waved in her face.

"Hush, you. Been nothin' but polite, n' I bet he's from similar stock as us." Granny Smith retorts, shutting AppleJack down. All turn their attention back to Cass.

"AppleJack here has a friend in town, might know a thing 'r two about gettin' you home. Til' then, we'll host ya. You'll be fed n' cared for, but, you're expected t' work every day, with us, like an Apple, n' prove those claims o' yours. Agreed?"

Apple Bloom's smile is wide as she stares at the stranger in excitement.

Cass is silent for a moment. Maybe not mulling over an answer, but appreciating the generosity he'd been offered.
"That sounds mighty fine t' me, Ma'am. It's mighty appreciated." Cass finally responds--he'd tip his hat, but it's on the table.

Granny Smith claps her hooves.
"Oh, hush you. Call me Granny. Now, there's work t' be done. Apple Bloom, you're headed t' town. Let your sisters friend know 'bout our guest, here. AppleJack, Big Mac -- take 'em with ya to th' field, an' get him goin'. See how used he is t' buckin' trees."

"Sure thing, Granny." AppleJack nods, taking her hat and hopping off her seat.

"Eeyup." Big Mac grunts, hopping off his own.

Cass takes his own hat, stands, and sets it on his head. He's glad things worked out, but... hell they mean by buckin' apples?

Day 3
Yesterday went pretty poorly. Despite some general confusion, Cass understood the process well enough. Kick the tree, catch the Apples. The problem was, Cass didn't seem nearly at all attuned to Earth Pony magic like the Apples were, and he just wasn't making any progress. They relinquished him to some chores, deciding to give him another chance on the morrow. Cass agreed, and said he'd "Spend some time thinkin' about it; probably just wasn't in th' right state of mind". At least he kept up with the chores well enough. Didn't seem any more tired than the rest of them, though he got off easy that day.

Well, it was that morrow. Mac was off doing another section of the Orchard, leaving AppleJack to supervise Cass. She trots out from making sure Apple Bloom got her flank to school, scanning the trees for the days bipedal task.
"You roun' here, Cass? If'n you're havin' trouble, we can probably find y' somethin' else t'..." She trails off, finally laying eyes on the Human.

His Poncho and Shirt were neatly folded, laid on the edge of the cart. He was shirtless, sweat dribbling down a shockingly muscular body. Lightly touched with hair the same color as his head. It might be an... alien, bipedal body, but a farmgirl like AppleJack knows work-muscle when she sees it, and shows like that don't come around the Orchard often.

Under his hat, a bead of sweat runs down his temple. He's in a lowered stance, staring down the tree. For a moment, he bites his lip. AppleJack finds herself biting hers. She blinks a few times, snapping out of it. This was... filly behavior, and she wouldn't degrade herself to it, no matter how oddly exotic the foreign show was. The hells was with her, anyway? She was better than this.

She's even further snapped out of her train of thought when Cass grunts, and slams his foot forward into the tree, spur jingling on the contact.

And apples fall.

Her tail flicks around in a moment of excitement. He did it. And that quick? She really thought he'd be plum out of luck. She goes to start trotting forward, looping herself back into a regular mindset and calling out.
"Hey, Cass! Y'did it, Sugarcube! Didn't think you'd pull 'er off--" She starts shouting, closing in. Cass glances up, noticing her, and-- oh, sweet tarnations.

He raises a hand, waving to her and cracking a one-sided smile. Her eyes roam the contours of his under-arm muscles, gaze ending at his lips.

She shakes her head, snapping loose. She'd need to ask Twi if he was some sort of Incubi-Incarnate or somethin' ridiculous, cuz' this was...

Ridiculous!

She finally closes in, using Apple-brand willpower to shove these dumb thoughts aside, and the two striking up conversation. Now that he could Buck Apples, the real work started now.

Day 9
Well, color AppleJack surprised. He'd been keeping up. It'd been a week since he first appeared in their barn, and they were starting to get used to him. Rose the same time as them, worked just as hard as them, always appreciative of the meal, and not a lick of complaining about sleeping in the barn.

Now that he could buck Apples with the rest of them, they had Cass working right alongside them. Usually, it was AppleJack watching him (for no particular, sweaty reason), but Mac would come in and work his area at times, to give AppleJack a... break.

Twi found some long-forgotten information, borrowed from Canterlots archives. Matched up with 'Human', though one hadn't been seen in a long, long time. Unfortunately, nothing about how he might have gotten here, or how to send him home. AppleJack was... relieved? And thankfully, Cass didn't seem too bothered; apparently he was fond of the simplicity of the work, and would "Figure it out when we get there.".

In regards to AppleJacks... personal inquiry, Twi found the question amusing, and a little concerning, but confirmed with AppleJack that Cass was not, in fact, related to any kind of Incubi. Well, shucks. She was just being an over-excited filly about things, then. She turned down Twi's recommendation for interspecies mating books. Too on the nose, Element of Bookworm.

AppleJack sighs, driving her hooves into another trunk, apples tumbling to the ground around her. Ain't no other Pony tickled her pink like that before, nor that quick. But, she weren't no floozy. Finding his weird, alien body hot or not, it was the mettle of the fellow.

She glances over, a few trees down. Still shirtless (Cass claims its what helped him 'Find the Mindset', and she wasn't going to argue, for several reasons), he drives his own foot into his tree, knocking down a fair few apples. He was taking to this real quick. Still wasn't getting them in one, needing to kick a single tree a few times, but the Apple family had this type of work down pat. Nobody could be expected to match them, especially not in three days.

After a few more hours of work, AppleJack trots up to Cass with a water-filled bucket, whose sweating something fierce. Another thing she noticed... his smell. Cass apparently didn't much notice it, when she asked him about it, but for Ponies, smell was a thing. And Cass... he smelled good when he worked.

"Here y' go, Cass." She mumbles through closed teeth, dropping a bucket of cold water beside him.

"Oh, phew. Yer' a blessin' in sweet, orange disguise, Miss Jack." Cass relents, taking his hat off to wipe his forehead. AppleJack glances away, hiding a small blush.

"Aw, ain't nothin' special. Appreciate how hard y' been workin', gotta keep y' from dryin' out." She replies, risking a few side-eyes. They were worth it; especially when Cass poured the bucket over himself, running a hand through wetted hair.

AppleJack barely stopped herself from making an audible whinny. She'd been expecting him to drink it, not... no, she's not complaining.

"Just what ah needed. Angel n' disguise, y' are." Cass repeats, lifting both hands and stretching his arms upwards, pushing out his ches--

Too much for her. Bail.
"Er--right, yep! Back t' it!" She nods, quickly pivoting away, heading back to her section. The sun bearing down on them was warm, but her loins were getting warmer. She needed a cold bucket of her own, right away.

Cass eyes after AppleJack, raising an eyebrow. Was she holding her tail up higher then usual? Not one to be impolite by staring, Cass shrugs, looking back to the tree. Must be a horse thing. Pony thing. They preferred Pony, he chastises himself quietly.

Day 12
"Mac, ah'm losin' my buckin' mind." An exasperated AppleJack's head thunks on the barrel she was leaning on.

"Mm?" Big Mac grunts, looking up from his task of fixing one of the damaged baskets. "Cass bein' a pain or somethin'?"

AppleJack had sought out Big Mac during the workday, leaving Apple Bloom to watch over Cass. That filly was full of questions, and Cass seemed to get along well with children.

"YES!" She shouts, muffled against the wood grain. "Ah need your advice, Mac."

"He's been awfully friendly. Showin' real colors?" Mac asks, pausing and turning to face his sister.

"No, no. Ah, I hate talkin' t' you 'bout this, Mac. Nothin' like that. He's good n' sweet, an' all that. Th' problem is..." Celestia above, she sounded like a filly with her first crush. "...Ah can't stop starin' at him."

Mac seems confused. "...He's an alien, Jack."

"...Yeah, he is." AppleJack mutters, biting her lip.

Big Mac blinks several times. "Eenope. Pass."

Applejacks head shoots up, betrayal written on her face. "What?!"

"AppleJack, yer' my sister. I ain't listenin' t' you gush about Colts, two legs, four legs or six legs." He states bluntly, turning back to his chore.

"Well, what'm I s'pose t' do, Mac?"

"Talk t' Rarity. Y'know, a Mare who actually knows this sort've stuff."

AppleJack blinks a few times, before scrambling off the barrel. "You're th' best, Mac!" She shouts, already out the barn.

Big Mac sighs. Really, sis? The buckin' alien?