It was pitch black when Applejack had opened her eyes to see a white colored ceiling above her head unlike her room that was blue. Not sure where she was Applejack turned her head to see that she was in a large bed with blue sheets again nothing like her green sheets. She saw that she was laying next to a stallion who was a gray with a black mane as if he was….It was Charles! Applejack got up very quiet so she would not wake the sleeping monster in her bed. She turned around to bump into him, but how did he get out of bed so fast! And how had he managed to move so fast.

"Hello darling," was what he had said. "Or should I say Mrs. Rich,"

Applejack couldn't talk all she did was scream and loud! So loud it woke up Big Mac

"AJ LISTEN HEY WAKE UP! STOP SCREAMING ALREADY IT WAS JUST A DREAM!,"

"Huhhh whaaaa Big Mac… I just had the worst dream. It was terrible I was there and Charles and oh Big Mac…."

"Hey, its ok, look its morning already. Now I've already made some scrambled eggs downstairs that are calling your name." Big Mac said

"Thanks, I'll be down in a second," The truth was that Applejack was afraid to even step out of her room because of her dream, but she did have to wake up Applebloom and do all the chores today.

"Applejack I heard you scream, are you alright?" It was Applebloom's voice coming from her doorway.

"I'm fine Applebloom its ok. What are you doing up so early?" Applejack said hiding the fear she had.

"Oh, well you're screaming woke me up, but its ok. Hey, how was your date yesterday?"

"Um, my date?" Applejack said feeling ashamed that she had woke her sister up with her nightmare.

"Yeah your date is he everything you could ask for in a stallion?" Applebloom asked.

"Well for starters he will save the farm from bankruptcy and he will pay for your education so that you can still go to school and someday get a good job,"

"Really! He's that good… but AJ what if I don't want a job behind some boring old desk, I want to work on the farm just like you and Big Mac," Applebloom said

"Well its up to you to decide your future,"

X X X

It was a peaceful morning to Caramel. He had ditched his old job as a miner and went back to his old plan to become a good old ranch-hand at some place called Sweet Apple Acres in a small town called Ponyville. Of course being new to the town he didn't know where everything was so he was going to ask for directions.

"Excuse me sir but can you direct me to Sweet Apple Acres?" Caramel said as he bumped into a tall gray colored stallion with black hair.

"Why what business do you have down there anyway," the pony said.

"Oh I'm sorry if I troubled you but I have been hired by two ponies name Big Mac and Applejack to become their new ranch-hand," Caramel said thinking that he might have disturbed the stallion for he might not like the place.

"Oh well in that case just follow that road, take a left at the fourway, and then another left, you should end up there and if you get lost follow the everfree forest, the barn is on the edge of it,"

"Well thank you Mr. aaaaa, what's your name?" Caramel said thankful that the stallion had given him directions.

"Charles Rich, and thats Mr. Rich to you!" he said quote rudely.

"Thank you again Mr. Rich!" was what Caramel said but was all he could say being that after The pony had given him his name he walked away.

X X X

Back at Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack had been doing the dishes from this morning and Applebloom had been practicing some sewing skills that Granny had taught her.

"Sis what will the Ranch-hand be like?" Applebloom said as she put her needle down.

"Well hopefully friendly, hard working, and a very good stallion to have to live with." Applejack respond back to her sister.

"Look, is that him?" Applebloom said glancing out the window in the kitchen. Before Applejack could say anything Applebloom was out the door and running up to the pony walking toward the fields.

"Hey Mister what's your name?" Applebloom said to the orange colored pony

"Why I'm Caramel and who might you be?" Caramel said. Caramel before he had left his home had a younger sister who would always love to play with her older brother.

"I'm Applebloom and her over there is my sister Applejack, your boss. Oh and in the fields is your other boss my brother Big Macintosh, but most people call him Big Mac." Applebloom said so proudly, but before she was done speaking Caramel had already muted her out to gaze upon the beautiful orange mare trotting toward him.

Applejack on the other hand was not only embarrassed that Applebloom had such rude manners but that all over a sudden it seemed that there was a sonic rainboom over the new ranch-hand's head, just as Rarity said when she had met Fancy Pants.

"Oh I'm so sorry, Applebloom knows better don't you Applebloom," Applejack said when she approached him.

"Know better to do what?" Applebloom interrupted.

"Nevermind, anyway what's your name partner," Applejack said.

Partner, PARTNER Caramel didn't say anything and he already broke what his friend called the friend-zone.

"He's Caramel," Applebloom said, speaking for him.

"Applebloom go back in the house, I need to discuss matters with Caramel," Applejack said with force toward her sister. "Again I'm dearly sorry for her attitude,"

"Oh no its ok, I used to have a younger sister with just the same attitude." Caramel said.

"Well, umm, lets get started, welcome to Sweet Apple Acres I guess. Its not much but is worth it."

"Aaaa its not that bad. I mean yes, maybe some improvement is needed, but hey, good looking place," Caramel said. Oh great I just showed "myself to her already", Caramel thought. But Applejack simply laughed a little, mostly because she knew it was true.

"You're funny Caramel, I like you," Applejack said. Oh great did I just say that out loud! Applejack you just met the guy only two second ago now you just told him you like him! But Applejack listen he IS a lot better than that fiance of yours. And while this little war was going on between Applejack and well, herself, Caramel was bubbling with confidence. Not only had Applejack laughed at him, but she liked him!

"Oh well thank you," He slipped out.

"Umm let me show you around," Applejack said blushing madly. "Here are the apple fields, thats where you and Big Mac will be working, he will help you get started on how to buck the trees. There is the barn where we live, come on in."

"Ok, so this Big Mac, what's he like?" Caramel asked.

"Big Mac? He is our brother and well he is pretty simple now that I think of it, sure he does have some emotions every once in awhile but yeah pretty simple."

"Ok I see, now where will I be staying?" Caramel asked.

"Right up here, in the attic, don't worry there aren't any creepy crawlies around here," Applejack said.

"Ok, so whats the schedule?" Caramel asked.

"How did you know theres a schedule around here?" Applejack said

"Well there seemed to be a schedule wherever I go. I mean think about it, this whole world seems to be on a schedule,"

"Yes, you do have a point." Applejack said under her breath. "Anyway back to the schedule. Today you will unpack your things and go work with Big Mac on the apple-bucking basics then dinner will be at 6:30 as it is everyday unless we go eat with friends which almost never happens anymore. We won't have enough bits to pay you full time so you can chose if you want to work mornings or nights."

"I think I will go with mornings," Caramel said.

"Works with me, that means you're going to have to wake up early either by the rooster or me," Applejack exclaimed.

"Well when I don't get up by the rooster you might have to wake me up anyway," Caramel said.

"Ok you're all good then just unpack, and go see Big Mac," Applejack responded before walking out of the room.

"Wait! Will I see you again. I mean before I go work," Caramel said trying to impress the mare.

"Only if you want to….." And after leaving him with a cliffhanger, Applejack walked away with a dirty smirk on her lips.

"Dang," Caramel said under his breath as she left.

Back downstairs Applejack had continued with her dishes and Applebloom with her sewing. All Applejack could think about was the new ranch-hand, Caramel, and his funny jokes about their farm. Her thoughts were interrupted by her brother walking in to see if the new ranch-hand had gotten there.

"Hey AJ, has the ranch- hand come yet?" Big Mac asked.

"Yep, he is unpacking right now, and he has a name you know," Applejack said with a smile on her face.

"Ok, you seem happy… what's his name?"

"Caramel, and might I say….."

"Hey Applejack where is Big Mac, I'm ready to go work with him," Caramel had cut off Applejack with his big announcement walking down the stairs to where she was talking to Big Mac.

"Oh Caramel, this is Big Mac, the one I told you about. He will take you to learn the basics on apple-bucking.

"Nice to meet you Big Mac," Caramel said holding out his hoof to shake Big Mac's hoof.

"Nice to meet you Caramel now we don't have a lot of daylight left before we go in for the day so lets get going," Big Mac said as he lead Caramel out the door way.

"Bye Applejack and Applebloom," Was what Caramel had been able to drag out before he was out working his tail off with Big Mac.

"Now don't he seem real nice Applebloom?" Applejack said to her sister.

"Yeah he is pretty nice I guess," she responded. "AJ I never got to see your ring from your date remember?" And with those few words those few painful words, came the cruel reminder that she was engaged to her snob of a husband-to-be.

"Umm, I will show you after dinner before you go to bed," Applejack said after the long awkward silence between them. Applejack then glanced out the kitchen window to see Big Mac and Caramel going through the same drills that she had to go through when Big Mac trained her to become the apple-bucking expert that she was now.

No matter what she was doing, Applejack could not get Caramel off her mind but she also couldn't get her fiance off her mind either. The war with herself would not stop going back and forth between what would happen if she would marry either one. If she were to marry Charles and if Caramel DID like her than that would not only break her heart but his, but if he didn't like her it would still break her heart but what would become of Caramel? And if she were to marry Caramel than what would become of Sweet Apple Acres? And did this have something to do with what Granny Smith told her? She knew that her Granny was wise but she didn't know she could tell the future, or could she? With all this going through her mind time would fly by her as if it never happened.