The sweet taste of apples

Chapter one: The gold of the sun

You put down the last basket of apples in relief, the daily shift on the apple farm nearing its end.You start to take a breath while looking outside the barn where you and your co-workers brought about half the orchard over the last few days. The golden sun near the edge of the horizon floods the apple trees in a golden light. Some rays touch the cones of the trees causing them to shine in a very special shade of green. It is this time of the year you miss the most from life on the countryside.
Since you are a Pegasus you do not belong to the ground, but it is moments like this one which make you wish you did.
Also the body of a Pegasus wasn’t made for the hard work on the fields, especially during applebuck season.That is the reason why the Apple family usually only hires earth ponies to help them harvest the apples before the first snow comes and spoils them.
The only reason why you are allowed to stay at the farm during the season is because you have proven yourself to be very helpful with getting the apples off the tops of the trees.

You close your eyes and inhale the thick air. A light breeze touches your coat. As a Pegasus you can smell that there is going to be a storm tonight.
You open up your eyes again to take another look at the dawning sun.

“Howdy Sugarcube”
A rather familiar voice shakes you out of your thoughts. Gazing upon the remarkable landscape you didn’t notice a young orange mare with a Cowboy hat approaching you from the side.

“Umm… hello Applejack” you reply slightly embarrassed, you must have been a strange sight looking into the dawning sun all by yourself. Applejack was another reason why the Apple family kept employees around during the Applebuck season. Due to her stubbornness she nearly managed to ruin the entire yield a few years ago. Only through the help of her friends the family was able to supply Ponyville with apples over the following year.
Applejack had been the reason you came back to work on the fields during applebuck season. Not only because you liked her, but because she helped you during the first time you had worked in the fields. Back then you wanted to give up after a few days because you saw your co-workers, all earth ponies, working so much faster in bucking the trees than you could ever accomplish. Rather than throwing you out of the team, Applejack soon discovered your potential in picking the missed apples that didn’t fall. That was very encouraging so you came back in the next year. And the year after that. Eventually you were the only Pony who was left from the original team that helped the Apple family.

Over the years you and Applejack grew a very special kind of friendship, the kind where you don’t have to say something to let the other know what you feel or think about different topics. However it never went further in your relationship than drinking one jar of Apple family cider together. Although something deep inside of you screams to flatly go and ask her out on a date, you fear that she will refuse the offer, hurting you. Besides, it could affect your friendship, which is one of the most valuable things you have. You’ve always been more of a quiet type and you are thankful for every social contact you have.

“I reccon you want to stay here lookin into the sun till ya go blind rather than join us at the finishing celebration?” she asks you with a big smile on her face. Even though you are on a farm that mostly grows apples you can still smell the slight aroma of mellow apples coming from her blond mane.
“Err.. sure why not?” you reply trotting after the orange earth pony in direction of the main barn in which the celebration had already begun. As you stride over the meadow Applejack eyes you curiously. Even through the corners of your eyes you can see that she is up to something.
“Wanna race me to the barn?” she smirks.
Before you can begin to form any kind of response she dashes away leaving a dust cloud behind her. Even as a rather shy Pegasus, you cannot let an earth Pony win in a race against you, even when it’s Applejack.
“Oh your on”you say to yourself speeding away in a fast gallop. Soon you catch up with her and try to gain the lead. But you underestimate her strength as she pushes forward leaving you a few inches behind her. You cannot forbear to notice the athletic nature of her body and her strong legs. You are approaching the tip of a small hill as Applejack yells a happy “Yihaa”. Additionally powered by the forces of gravity she is gaining speed and thus the lead. For a small moment an undefinable brownish object covers your face, pressed against it by the airstream. You don’t mind and with a wisp of your hoof you leave the object behind in the grass. Due to this incident Applejack now is well ahead of you. But it’s not your turn to give up yet. You focus on your rival’s movement as you mobilize all your remaining endurance from this day and prepare for a final attack on the first position in this race. In a last spurt you manage to outrun Applejack who suddenly starts to break heavily.

“HAHA I WON!” you yell as a growing shadow in front of you grabs your attention. One Moment later you find yourself lying on the ground in front of the massive wooden wall of the barn, holding one hoof against your hurting forehead. “Good thing you’re just as thick-skulled as I am. Otherwise that barn could’ve hurt you badly” the approaching Applejack giggles trying to cover her big smirks with one hoof. “Here let me help you partner” she pulls you up upon your shaking legs. With her deep green eyes she looks at yours, her facial expression changing from amusement into worry. “You are not hurt are you?” she asks rather concerned.
“Oww.. “you feel a bump on your skull but everything else seems to be fine.
You pull a painful face
“..I think I am okay”
Applejack smiles in relief and asks “So is your thick-head ready to join the Celebration now?”
“You bet I am” you reply with your most cool sounding voice trying to forget the dumb act of you running into the barn wall at the end of the race.

With a chuckle you and Applejack enter the barn.