Bulk Biceps’ muscular arm hit the locker next to Flash Sentry.
“You’ll be joining my workout class.” Bulk commanded in his deep, raspy voice.
Flash shuffled his books. “What are you even talking about?”
“The Friendship Games are on the horizon. With the ladies of Canterlot sporting magical powers, we need to raise the level of our game to not slow them down.”
Flash paused, remembering the giant magical horse that had defeated the Sirens at the battle of the bands. “OK, I get it. There’s twelve people per side, and we need to make sure we can help win.”
His friend nodded and grinned. “It’s also about bulking you up a little.” He gave Flash’s arm a playful poke.
“Hey!” Flash returned the smile. “I’m plenty strong! And I’m fast, too. Those great big muscles look real nice, but they slow you down a lot.”
“We’ll see… we’re doing some physical fitness tests down at Sweet Apple Acres with Big Mac, this weekend. Are you free?”
Flash reviewed his schedule. “On Saturday afternoon, I am. The morning, I’m helping First with homework.”
“Bring him along!” Bulk suggested. “I can bring Featherweight; I’ll see if Thunderlane can get Rumble to come.”
Flash shifted. “Did you ask Big Mac if you can bring someone?”
“Ah, it’ll be ok!”
“You should ask him, still. It’s still… not easy for him.”
Bulk sighed. “You’re right. I’ll make sure it’s ok with him.”
“Great, do I need to bring anything?”
“We’ll be working with Big Mac in the morning, then doing some exercises.”
Flash pursed his lips. “I’ll convince First to do his homework on Friday so we can join you.”
“OK, makes sense. We have Thunderlane, Microchips, and Sandalwood joining us. Big Mac mentioned a bonfire in the evening, so I’m bringing some sausages to roast.”
Flash shut his locker, grinned, and nodded. “I’ll see you there!”
Sporting a pair of blue jeans, a green flannel, and sturdy work boots, Flash drove down to Sweet Apple Acres. “Thanks for coming, First. I’m glad we were able to get our homework done, so now we’re free to have some fun!”
“Yeah, yeah, spare me the lecture,” First Base grumbled affectionately. “I’ll make hay while the sun shines, like dad says.”
“I hear Featherweight and Rumble are coming, too.”
“How do you think you got me to come?”
“Is it not because I’m your favorite?” Flash asked in mock outrage.
“Do you know what we’ll be doing?” First said, cheekily avoiding the question.
“Helping with the farm in the morning, and games in the afternoon.”
“Sounds cool.” First put on a pair of Flash’s sunglasses.
“You can wear those, just remember... don’t make fun of Big Mac’s voice.”
“I would never.” First said, genuinely shocked. “I remember how upset Apple Bloom was after Sunset made fun of him.”
As they pulled up the path, Big Mac was waiting for them. He nodded. “First, Flash. I’m glad you could come.”
“Thanks so much for hosting this!” Big Mac nodded and gave a soft smile. “It’s always nice to do fun things with friends.” Flash added. Big Mac looked out to the apple orchard.
“Ah reckon we can get started with a little pruning. Th’ only thing we really have to do is clear up a fallen tree, then the party can start.”
“You know how to use an axe, Flash?”
Flash scratched the back of his head. “Not really… I’ve seen it done.”
Big Mac nodded and picked up an axe, heading to a large brick patio with a fire pit. “Handle it with care. Say ‘thank you’ when you have it, and Ah’ll say, “Yer welcome.” Flash reached out to grab the thick wooden handle.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Big Mac let go, trusting that Flash had it. He pointed to a log, set up and ready for splitting.
“Take your legs, about shoulder width apart. Good, and now put your right hand lower.” Big Mac put his hand over Flash’s upper one. “This hand will guide the head. You’ll slide it down and really give the wood a wallop.” Flash took in the smell of baked apples and sawdust as Big Mac took a step back. He put the axe behind his head, and brought it down, going about halfway down the log. Big Mac nodded.
“Eee-yup, you’re a natural.”
“I had a good teacher,” Flash grinned, preparing for another swing. The wood split.
“Hey, gents!” Thunderlane came by, with Bulk Biceps, Microchips, Sandalwood, Featherweight, and Rumble. “What are we up to today?”
“Ah thought we’d chop up a tree that fell on the south field. We’ll chop it up, and bring it here for curing.”
Under Big Mac’s direction, the group brought rope, axes, and saws to the fallen tree. With everyone working together, they made quick work of it.
“Good job, everyone.” Big Mac gave them a satisfied nod as he looked at the logs. “Ah’ll go get the Gator, and we can load these up.” Big Mac turned to leave.
Once he was out of earshot, Rumble looked towards Thunderlane. “That took, like, 15 minutes. I feel like he could do it himself.”
“He didn’t call everyone here to help with the tree. He called everyone here to hang out... he just doesn’t like to ask directly.” Thunderlane replied.
“Let’s stack the wood so it’s ready for lifting.” Flash inserted, trying to prevent this line of questioning.
“It’s so cool how these logs will be in the campfire.” First added.
“Actually, these logs are pretty green.” Sandalwood replied. “It needs to dry out first, or cure. The Apples have some cured firewood ready to go.”
Once the Gator arrived, they loaded it up, and walked behind the vehicle as they returned to the homestead.
“Now, I made some sandwiches for lunch.” Big Mac gestured to a picnic table with his broad arm.
“Wow, thanks!” Flash surveyed the spread. “Did you make the bread yourself? It looks really good.”
“Ah did.” Big Mac said, his voice becoming more accented.
The group made some delicious ham sandwiches as they discussed the training session.
“Why don’t we start with a game of cards, then move into the physical competitions?” Bulk Biceps suggested.
“Sounds mighty fine.”
Thunderlane pulled out a deck of cards, and the crew joined in a game of Egyptian Rattlesnake, which Thunderlane won. As the ham sandwiches were digested, Bulk suggested a push-up contest.
“Alright, everyone. Featherweight will call out the time, and he’ll monitor if you've slowed down too much, or if your form is off.” Bulk called out.
They set up in two parallel lines and got into position.
“Ready, set… go!” Featherweight called out. “And one, and two, and three..." Featherweight continued. Rumble tapped out at 22, with Microchips following at 26. Featherweight tapped out his friend, First Base, at 31, and then Sandalwood, at 37. Flash stopped at 42, unable to keep pace. Thunderlane joined him after 43, knowing that he had beaten Flash. They stood up, and began cheering for Big Mac and Bulk Biceps.
It was a pretty even match. Bulk Biceps could lift a lot of weight, but it was clear that he was getting tired. Big Mac, however, was around two hundred pounds of corn-fed farmboy, and he was just getting started. “Let’s go, you’ve got this!” Flash cheered. Finally, Bulk Biceps collapsed. “Good job!” Bulk called out, like a good sport.
“Thanks,” Big Mac replied. “Anyone for a game of horseshoes?”
After a game of horseshoes, and cornhole, and a running race, they sat beneath an old sycamore tree, sweaty and warm in the late summer sun.
“It’s still warm out… anyone want to go for a swim in the pond?”
“That actually sounds really fun! Can I go on the rope swing first?” First asked.
“Eeyup.” Big Mac answered. “It’s just down this trail.” He led the way from the sycamore through a stretch of wood to a small pond. A boathouse took up the western bank, with another tall sycamore tree stretching over the water. A rope ladder led to the top, with a rope swing beckoning. A dock led to the water, with a small diving board.
“Wow, this looks great! Did you build this all yourself?” Microchips asked.
“With my Pa.” Big Mac replied.
Unaware of the silence that followed, First doffed his shirt and unzipped his quick-dry convertible pants into shorts. He climbed the ladder as Rumble and Featherweight looked on as he let out a Tarzan yell into the water.
“The water’s great!” First called out. Flash shrugged, realizing that denim pants probably wouldn’t dry if he got them wet. He doffed his shirt, unlaced his boots, and finally took off his pants to reveal a dark blue pair of boxers. Noticing Thunderlane’s stare, Flash smirked. “It’s not like you’ve never seen me in a locker room before, dude.” Big Mac nodded in agreement, though it seems he had thought ahead, sporting a pair of green swim trunks. Sandalwood and Microchips took to the water in their shorts, Thunderlane followed Flash’s example, and Bulk Biceps revealed the swim brief he had elected to wear.
After a round of Marco Polo, a diving contest, and several dozen rope swings in, Big Mac cleared his throat. “Flash, would you mind helping me set up the fire?”
“Sure, Big Mac. I can help you out.”
With the pond party winding down, the rest of the lads started lounging on the dock to dry off in the late afternoon sun. Flash pulled on his pants again, dried his feet before putting on his socks and shoes, then adding his shirt.
Flash and Big Mac started back to the patio. Big Mac cleared his throat, pausing as they entered the orchard.
“This is where Granny planted the first orchard.” Big Mac paused. “This is where my Pa taught me about how new trees grow, and it’s where I learned how things can change.” He paused.
“Flash, you know... I’m not very affable. It’s been really hard, not being able to say everything that’s on my mind. I know that you’re the one who included me in your group. You didn’t have to, but you did.”
Flash looked at Big Mac. “Of course I did. That’s what friends do.”
“Still, it was you that made us friends.” Big Mac said in his ponderous voice. “Would I ever have had such wonderful friends without you? I was jealous, for a long time, of mah sis. She has such great friends. And now, I do too, because of you.”
Flash weighed his words. “Thank you.” It seemed inadequate, but Flash wasn’t sure what else to say.
Big Mac looked back at him. “You’re welcome.” He looked out at the orchard. “Y’know, Paw always used to say to not beat around the bush. Always be honest all the day long.”
Flash looked out at the tree at the center of the orchard. “He would be proud of you.”
“Eeyup, reckon he would.” Big Mac hitched his thumbs in his belt loops. He took a deep breath, and looked towards Flash. “Ah- I’ve caught feelings for you, Flash. The way you use your popularity for good—always lifting people up and helpin’ ‘em. The way y’laugh w’everybody, not at ’em for being quiet or weird or whatevah. Yah coulda just been th’ cool guy with the guitar, but ya chose to be… more. Ya invite th’ weirdos, the oddballs. E’vrybody saw when y’stuck up for Ditzy. Or when Sunset… hurt me, y’were there. And… Ah know you dun’t feel the same, but Ah hafta tell you.”
“It’s cool if you dun’t feel like that, but Ah… hope we can still be friends.” Big Mac averted his eyes, back to the orchards.
“Big Mac… Thanks for telling me.”
“Like Ah said, y’dun’t hafta feel the same. Just had to… say summthing.”
“Who says I don’t feel the same way?” Flash reached his muscular arms up around Big Mac’s broad shoulders.
Big Mac’s head turned in shock. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
“What, why is that so hard to believe?”
“Yah- you’re you!” Big Mac sputtered, as if that were evidence enough.
“Yes, I am. And you’re you. My feelings are my feelings, it’s not some math problem. It’s not because your face is easy on the eyes or you check all the boxes on my list. I like you because you’re you, and everything about you.”
Big Mac looked back at Flash. "So... what now? If we both like each other…”
Flash grinned. “Let’s go on a date. Just us, at Sugarcube Corner. Are you free next week?”
“Ah’m free tomorrow.” Big Mac leaned forward, and kissed Flash’s cheek. Flash smiled wide, and cupped the farmer’s head as he returned the kiss.
The two men returned to the firepit, holding hands.
