“Applejack Darling you really need to calm down. It's just a party.”
“This isn't just any party Rarity! This is the first time Bruno is taking me to a party as his marefriend! Kinda of a big deal! I'm as nervous as a stallion who forgot his wife's birthday!” said Applejack.
Bruno was taking her to a party in the Noble's Forest. She was getting ready at Rarity's house because as always the unicorn had designed an outfit for such an occasion. This outfit was a red dress that came with a matching apple barrette to put in Applejack's mane. Bruno was going to meet the Earth pony at Rarity's house in a few minutes. The couple had been together almost three months now. It amazed Applejack that Bruno still made her just as nervous as she had been three months earlier. She took a deep breath and said: “You're right Rarity. It's just a party. I just feel nervous because I want everything to be perfect. You know that as well as I do.”
Rarity smiled. “I know dear. But with a gentlemen like Bruno, you and I also know you've got nothing to worry about.”
“Yeah. He is pretty great.” The orange pony felt a giddy grin on her face at the thought of the rottweiler.
“He certainly is.”
Then there was a knock on the door.
“Oh my! He's here! Uh..How do I look? Is this pin in right? Do you have my hat on the hook for when I get back?”
Rarity giggled. “I would I have never thought to hear you ask me out of all ponies about your looks. You look lovely. And your pin looks fine. The hat will be here on that hook just like I promised. Open the door. Don't keep him waiting.”
Applejack opened the door to see Bruno with an orange rose in his paw and a warm smile that he reserved just for his marefriend. He wore a white button down , a red blazer and a black fedora to match his tie.
“You look amazing. Rarity may have designed the dress but its you the wearer who makes it lovely I must confess.”
Applejack felt a blush creep up into her face. “Thank you. You look very nice yourself Mr. Poet.”
Bruno grinned mischievously. “Thank you. This is for you by the way.” He presented the orange rose with a flourish.
Applejack flushed darker. The rose matched her orange coat exactly. Rarity popped into the doorway and immediately noticed the rose. “Oh my Bruno, how beautiful. I shall put this in a vase for you dear. Very handsome suit by the way Bruno. Did you design it yourself?”
Bruno chuckled. “I did actually. Thank you.”
Rarity smirked. “You're welcome. Best be on your way to the party now hm? Don't want to be late I'm sure!”
Bruno checked his gold watch. “Yes we should go. Thank you for everything Rarity. I'll get her home at decent hour.”
The unicorn smiled. “I'm not worried Bruno. Now scoot! I won't have you be late on my account!”
The couple left with Rarity smirking behind them.
Applejack felt a rush of butterflies in her stomach now that her and Bruno were alone.
“So how are we gonna get there?”
Bruno smiled. “Oh with a little help from some of my good friends. Blossom! Bruzzles! We're ready to go!”
A short, brown, scruffy bear dressed in a black suit and top hat emerged from the shadows. He was followed by a lavender pony wearing a cape of white silk. The pony had a wispy cotton white mane and a pink flower with a yellow center on her forehead. Her mahogany eyes twinkled with mischief and amusement. “Hello I am Bruzzles. This is my wife Blossom. Follow us to your carriage.” said the bear.
Applejack looked at Bruno with alarm. He nodded encouragingly. He held out his paw. Applejack placed her hoof in it and then they followed the strange pair into a clearing. Shining in the autumn moonlight was a beautiful maroon and gold carriage. Blossom was already hitched to the front with reins in her mouth. Bruzzles was standing next to the carriage door ready to open it. He bowed gracefully and said: Good sir and lady your carriage awaits. Shall I get the door?”
Applejack was dumbstruck as she looked at Bruno. “You did all this..for me?”
Bruno kissed her. “Yes. Because you deserve it.”
“I-I don't know what to say.”
“Then don't say anything and let me get the door.”
Bruzzles nodded, hopped into the driver's seat and took the reins. “Whenever you're ready sir.”
Bruno opened the carriage door and helped Applejack inside. The interior was maroon velvet.
Applejack was amazed at how far Bruno had gone to make sure tonight was special. When the carriage started moving she kissed him. Bruno responded with joy. She could feel happiness radiating from him.
The Earth pony tugged at the dog's blazer. Bruno shrugged it off. Applejack put her hoofs under his shirt feeling her coltfriend's muscled chest. Bruno groaned. The temperature in the carriage rose due to their bodies moving together quickly and so closely. “Applejack...”
“Hmm?”
“Slow down..”
The earth pony got up off the carriage floor blushing.
Bruno picked up his blazer and the apple pin that had fallen from the pony's mane.
He fixed his shirt and straightened his tie.
“Uh..Sorry about that..I didn't mean to get carried away..”said Applejack.
Bruno sighed. “It's fine..I can't say I didn't enjoy myself. You're welcome by the way. I suppose that's one way to say thank you.”
“Yeah..”
The awkward silence that followed spoke volumes. Bruno being the gentlemen he was would never let Applejack experience certain..things for the first time in a carriage. Applejack knew this but felt a bit behind due to Bruno having done things of that nature before and she hadn't. But the Earth pony respected and was grateful Bruno made sure to keep things comfortable for her sake.
They heard a knock on the door. “Lady and Gentlemen we have reached your destination!”
“Give us a minute Bruz ok?”
“Sure thing Bruno take as much time as you need!”
Applejack straightened her dress out and put the pin back in her mane. Bruno opened the door. The forest was quiet and beautiful. The orange pony breathed in the scent of pine trees.
“Where's the party Bruno? I thought Bruzzles said we were here.”
“Just a little further Applejack. This is just where we park. Close your eyes and don't open them until I tell you to.”

“Um..ok.”
Bruno took her hoof and led her to the sound of rushing water. Where ever she was she could smell barbecue and hear the sound of things sizzling on a grill. As they moved closer to these sounds she heard animals talking and laughing. “You can open your eyes now.”
When Applejack opened her eyes she saw a waterfall sparkling in the light of paper lanterns and candles. The crescent moon was high in the sky. A black wolf with green eyes was grilling vegetables.
A black horse was talking to a she-wolf with bright red eyes. A small lioness wearing a black cow pony hat and boots was talking to a tiny brown bear in a flannel poncho. Bruzzles and Blossom were getting drinks at the punch bowl filled with a foamy orange liquid.
“Wow. So this is the party?”
“Yup! You want me to introduce you to everypony?”
Applejack smiled wryly. “Well that's why we're here right?”
Bruno grinned. “True.”
The couple went over to the bear and the small lioness. “Applejack this is Bruzzle's cousin Plimpy and his wife Alice. They're teachers at a school called the Legend Academy.”
“Well howdy do there Miss Applejack! Bruno here has told us wonderful things about you! Pleasure to meet a fine young lady who's captured this fellers heart!” said Plimpy. He was even shorter than Bruzzles. Alice and Plimpy were the same height. The bear had a rowdy but friendly tone.
“It truly is a pleasure.” said Alice in a soft warm voice.
“It's nice to meet you as well. What do ya teach?”
“I teach mechanics and Alice teaches healin. She's also the school nurse.”
“Mechanics? Wow that's mighty impressive.”
“Shucks and chuck wagons, I've been doin it fer so many years that it doesn't feel like work at all.”
Applejack laughed. “Well that's good to hear.”
Alice smiled. “Applejack have you tried the orange cream punch? I made it myself. It's always very popular at parties if I do say so myself.”
“No I haven't. But I definitely will. Perhaps I can send the recipe to my Aunt and Uncle Orange. They're always having parties in their apartment back in Manehattan. Would you give me the recipe so I could mail it to them?”

“Why yes, of course.”

“Do you want me to get you some punch AJ?” asked Bruno.
“Yeah. That would be great. Thanks.”

Applejack loved the punch ,it was like liquid orange sherbert. Alice wrote down the recipe and Bruno put it in his pocket since Applejack had didn't have anywhere to put it.
After talking to Plimpy and Alice Applejack felt more confident about meeting Bruno's friends.
She allowed Bruno to lead her over to the buffet table to meet the red-eyed she-wolf and the black stallion. “Minotaur, Iry, I would like you to meet Applejack, my marefriend.”
The black horse had a handsome friendly face with kind brown eyes. He wore a gold silk ribbon with an aquamarine carved into the shape of a four-leaf clover. The she-wolf had storm gray fur and wore a sea-foam green cape with a silver clasp.
“Hello Applejack. I'm Iry. It's wonderful to finally meet you.”said the she-wolf in a soft yet strong voice that spoke with hidden power.
Applejack shook her paw. “Thanks. It's great to meet you both. You sir must be Minotaur.”
The stallion chuckled. “Yes Applejack, I am.”
“How did you get such a name?”
Iry giggled as if that question had been asked before.
“Well my mother was from Greece. She wanted a name to inspire me stand out from the crowd.”
“Well did your name do its job?”
Minotaur smiled. “It did. I am now engaged to a unicorn princess. She is the niece of Miss Blossom.”
Applejack's eyes nearly popped out of her head.
“Wait..What?!! Blossom is royalty?! Bruno why didn't ya tell me?”
“She doesn't like anypony to give her special treatment because of it. She let her sister take the throne because she didn't want the responsibility. Blossom is the younger sister anyway. Her sister Mystic is the queen of The Unicorn Keys.”
“Wait so your fiancee is gonna be Queen someday?”
“Yes.”
“So you're a prince.”
“I suppose I am.”
“My friends and I visited your home for a month. It's lovely over there.”
“Oh so you're one of Celestia's ambassadors! I met with your friend Twilight Sparkle!”
“Yeah. Twilight mentioned that she met with the royals.”
“She was wonderful to talk to. Very well read.”
Applejack chuckled. “She sure is.”

2 Hours Later
“Did you have fun?”
“Yeah Ah did. More than I expected to.”
“I'm glad.”
“Eyup.”

“Applejack?”

“Yeah?”

“Want to go for a swim?”
“Um...yeah..sure..”
Even though Bruno had seen her without clothes and she was a pony and he was a dog, Applejack felt a bit exposed. This felt very intimate to her. She quietly unzipped her dress and watched Bruno remove his jacket,untie his tie ,and unbutton his shirt. Her heart pounded. That body...it was..there were no words. Bruno dived into the water. Applejack removed the pin from her mane and slipped into the pond. “Wow..you're so..beautiful.” whispered Bruno. His breath was warm in her ear. She shivered. The water was a bit cold but that of course wasn't the cause. “Bruno..I...I..Thank you. For everything. You're amazin. Sometimes Ah feel like Ah don't deserve you.”
Bruno's soft brown eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
“Ah don't know. Ah have never felt like this and Ah worry that Ah'm not good enough.”
Bruno kissed her gently. “Don't think like that. I-umm-well..um...”
“You what?”
“I don't know...”
“Yes you do! Tell me!” Applejack's heart pounded. Was Bruno really going to say that he....?
“I love you.”
“What?!”
“I-I- I love you.”
“Oh...Um....”
“I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that..”
“No. Don't apologize. It's not you..it's me..Ah'm not ready..”

Bruno stepped out of the water.
“Okay. That's okay.”

“You're not upset with me?”
Bruno sighed as he put his shirt back on. “Well..How can I be? You feel how you feel. If you're not..ready..then you're not.”

“Can you take me home? Ah'm kinda tired.”

“Sure thing AJ.”

Author's Note

Listen to More Than Words By Extreme while reading this. I think it really captures the chapter.