Setting: The outskirts of Appleloosa, at least a half mile away from the main settlement, and an hour before dawn. Hightide and Juniper Jewel have just finished digging a big hole. It took them all night.

Hightide: Whew,now that’s finally done! (Hightide looks around at the big featureless square hole he is currently standing in) We are done, right?

Juniper Jewel: Yep, we’re done! (Juniper sticks her shovel into the dirt with a satisfied grunt) Hooee! And right with the rise of Celestia’s blessed sun!

(Juniper whips her head back, throwing out a rugged and somehow glamorous sheen of sweat.)

Juniper: Now this is good hard work a dust dog would be proud of! If I do say so myself.

(Hightide sinks the shovel down into the dirt and wipes his face, leaving a big smear of dirt across his nose.)

Hightide: Speaking of, why couldn’t one of them lend us a hand, or paw, or something?

Juniper: Come now, ‘tide. Appleloosa wouldn’t amount to much if we always relied on the outside help now would we.

(Hightide mumbles something as he slowly crawls out of the hole. As he pulls himself up, the first thing he sees is a set of dark cloven hooves. He glances up to see a disgruntled strongly built cow looking down at him.)

Hightide: H-hey, Ruth!

Ruth: (squints an eye slightly) Oye.Qué haces aquí¿ {Hey. What are you doing here?}

Hightide: (frowns) I’ve been in town for the last two days. Where have you been?

Ruth: (seems almost taken aback) I was—(she frowns in contemplation, looking away for a moment before turning back to Hightide) I was…away.

Hightide: Oh! (rolls his eyes) Well that explains everything!

Ruth: (flat response) Yes, it does.

Juniper: What’s going on up there? (Juniper walks over to the edge of the hole and tosses up the two shovels before jumping out herself) Oh heya, Ruth! (jabs Hightide with her elbow) What’s goin on. Is this dork giving you guff already?

Hightide: Aw come on, June. (grinning) I haven’t even gotten to the part where I ask her out yet.

Ruth: (snorts) And he won’t.

Juniper: (notices the cart Ruth pulled with her is full of wood, stones and other supplies) Perfect! Now we can actually start building this place.

Hightide: Whaaaat? Are you trying to kill me?!

Juniper: This building project is way behind schedule, and that pushes every other thing that needs to be done out of schedule! Initiatives needed to be taken.

Hightide: The town will be awake in another hour. Let them do it!

Juniper: It’s attitudes like that throws all our progress out of whack.(leers) Do you not care about the great settlement of Appleloosa?

Hightide: (groans pitifully) Please let me sleeeep.

Ruth: (nods) You both really should get some sleep. The townspeople will come soon to finish the job.

Hightide: (looks around) What is this anyway? We’re like a mile out of Appleloosa. Is it gonna be a basement for something? A storage facility? A big well?

Ruth: La tumba larga. {A mass grave}

Hightide: (looks shocked) Huh?!

Juniper: Ruth,no!

Ruth: Sorry…I mean a Rose Cottage.

Hightide: Oh, a-a flower shop? (still appears nervous) Okay…that’s…nice?(he looks around again) But way out here?

Ruth: (smirks) That’s silly pony talk for morgue.

Juniper: Ahem! Funeral home.

Hightide: Oh…ooooooh. That explains the location.

Juniper: MmmHmm. True…So many of us kept putting this off. We’re an expanding place, you see, so thinking about this kind of thing—well it wasn’t much thought about. But that’s in the past!

Hightide: Right! And now that my selfless contribution to Appleloosa has been fulfilled I’m going to take the shower of champions. And then! (raises one of Ruth’s hooves, trying his best to seem dashing while covered in grime.)

Hightide: Sería un honor, señorita, si me acompañaras a desayunar en el Morning Glory Café. {“It would be an honor, my lady, if you would accompany me for breakfast at the Morning Glory Café}

Juniper: (Juniper tries her best to stifle her laughter) You’ve been practicing.

Ruth: (looks down at him with a sort of placid amusement) Perdón, hombrecito. I pass. {Sorry, little man. I pass.}

__________

An Appleloosan cow named Ruth (Ruthless) Opal has had Hightide smitten for a number of years. She’s stoic and aloof. Like Big Mac but without the friendly part. Despite this, Tide has always wanted to get to know her and figured that if he learns Spanish she might think he’s cool enough to date. He…doesn’t need to. She understands him just fine and can speak near perfect english. But Hightide thinks he’s a sexy beast when he speaks Spanish so he does it anyway. Juniper Jewel has noticed this since day one and watching her friend’s attempts to woo the silent sierra of the Badlands is an endless source of amusement. Also take note that these characters are all adults by this point. Hightide is short as fug.

Memory Refresher: Juniper Jewel is the daughter of Rarity and Braeburn.

Hightide is the son of Rainbow Dash and Dumbbell.