Another sunny blissful morning gracing the early birds of Ponyville. We’ve been here countless times before, and so has she. Every day felt like a record stuck on repeat, especially these seemingly perfect sunny mornings. She’d rub her eyes,digging out any eye crust that accumulated overnight, and stretch her stiff back shuddering with pleasure at every crackle and pop. However, these last few months have seen a break to the reciprocating nature of her mornings in the form of a purple lump on her bed or on the floor.
That wonderful scaly beast would come over at night to have a little ‘fun’ whenever she asked. Most of the time she didn’t really need to. This time around, he decided to curl up on the floor like a cat protecting her kittens. It was relaxing watching another sleep. It often gives you images of how peaceful your own slumber is. Anyway, today is another day, and she had plenty of work to do.
She hopped out of bed, a little off balance due to the night prior, and made her way downstairs. She’d gotten into the habit of checking to see which one of her friends was sitting at her table well before she’d woken up. If they had been anyone else they'd catch a firm rear hoof to the jaw. Luckily, this time, kin sat at the table.
“Mornin Applejack!” Applebloom greeted with a bright smile. Mac raised his mug of juice to greet her.
“Hey… What are y’all doin up so early?” Applejack yawned.
Mac replied with a gulp, “It's a bit after ten, sis.”
“Really?” Applejack shrieked.
“Eeyup,” Mac took a generous gulp from his mug. “I’ll be outside waitin for ya…”
“So, how are ya feelin?” Applebloom asked with a curious smile.
Applejack cocked a brow and said, “I’m alright, I suppose. Just a li’l sore.”
“Oh really…?” Applebloom coyly replied while sipping her coffee.
“Yes, really.”
Applebloom giggled causing little bubbles to form in her bittersweet beverage.
“How are you feelin?” Applejack asked.
“Not nearly as good as you sis,” Applebloom coyly replied with a smug smirk. Applejack frowned and stormed off up the stairs with a roll of her eyes. Applebloom was a fully grown mare, yes, but Celestia be damned! Show some kind of decency!
As she looked in the bathroom mirror she realized how disheveled she was, and why Applebloom knew what happened the night before. As well as another contributing factor… She ran her hoof through her frizzy hair, giggling as she looked at her tired yet satisfied eyes. She sighed happily and began brushing her teeth. As she did, the massive purple and green frame of Ponyville’s strangest resident filled the mirror.
“Good morning…” His voice resonated through the small room.
Applejack spat the minty foam out. “Marnin sugarcube.”
Spike took hold of an apple shaped brush on the counter and began to work on her mane. Applejack purred as she was being groomed.
“Did you sleep well?” Spike asked.
Appleajck nodded with a misty, “Mhm”. Spike checked his work by running his claws through her rough blonde hair.
“Why did you sleep in the floor?” Applejack asked and she handed him her hair tie.
“I wasn't comfortable on the bed. That, and I didn't want to crush you,” Spike sighed while tieing off her mane. He shifted his attention to her tail, gripping one of her flanks as he did so.
“Spike!” Applejack moaned.
He looked to her with worry. “Did I hurt you?”
“No, I’m not used to your claw-hand-things just yet…”
He lessened his grip, much to Applejack’s dismay, and carefully parted the strands her tail. Having Spike groom as if she were Winona was the good kind of taboo. Every time he ran the brush through her hair, she suppressed moans and whinnies.
“So, what are we up to today?” Spike asked while sectioning off Applejack's tail.
Applejack smiled wide, inspecting all of her chompers. “Same ol’, I guess…” She raised her brow at Spike’s actions. “What in the hay are y'all doin?” Just as she turned Spike added a hair tie as a finishing touch to her braided tail.
“You can take it down if you don't like it.”
Applejack smiled and said, “I like it! Where did you learn how to do hair?”
“I’ve helped Twilight and Rarity every now and then,” Spike replied with a shrug.
“I would wear braids more often, but-” she glanced at his claws, “-you know.” She swung her tail in a circle like a golden fan, admiring Spike’s work. The boy was mighty good with his hands alright.
“Guess I'm getting an early morning show, huh?” A slick sharp toothed grin parted Spike's lips. Applejack stopped immediately with a blazing blush.
“Leave that kinda talk for the bedroom, Spike!” She gasped in false shock.
“Since when have we let anything stay in the bedroom?” His voice grew deeper and sultry.
“I gotta get to work, and you gotta get to the Library. No mornin’ after floolin’ around,” Applejack happily trotted out, but not before leaving her lusty dragon with a marvelous view.
~T_T~
Heat was the name of the day. Heat; muggy, sticky, itchy heat. To make matters even more difficult, this was the third day in the row that this choking blaze covered the land. Celestia must be having a fit, or whatever would happen to bring this upon them.
Well, time to get to work. Applejack trotted over to the barn, tip-toeing over the hot dirt. The air was stuffy and oaky as if the walls themself were sweating. Applejack looked around with a frown. Everything that happened over the last few months didn't have any effect, did they? She was still her, still working, still nothing but apples.
“Yep…” Applejack sighed before hitching herself up to the cart. The old wagon squeaked and groaned as it was pulled out into the blazing daylight. It was battered and aged beyond what most other farmers would deem as acceptable, but the thing still gets the job done.
As soon as she felt the sun's heat, a loud metallic snap battered her ears. With an owl like turn of her head, she saw the wagon listing on it’s side. And here she thought she’d be the first to break down in the heat. “Damnit…” she mumbled.
She knelt down to see why the wagon keeled over. From the looks of it, the axle snapped completely in half. Applejack sat in the dirt with a frown. Not only would she have to go into town to find a new axle, but she would be losing a lot of time.
“Sis? What happened?” Big Mac approached with his own cart half full.
“The darn axle gave out on the rear set. Now I have to go talk to Steele…” Applejack sighed.
“What’s wrong with him?”
“Nothin’, I just don't wanna go into town.” Applejack fussed. “Help me get this back in the barn. I’ll go after we’re done.”
“Nah, you go on now. Spike and I can hold things down.”
“He had to get back to the Library.”
“Darn, well. Still, you gon and get a new axle.” Applejack snorted and left to go grab her bits pouch.
~T_T~
Ponyville was Ponyville. There’s nothing much or less that you can say. Over the last few years some new faces have came and gone, but the regulars stuck around. Lyra and Bon Bon still sat on their bench, Derpy dropped letters left and right on her daily rounds, Pinkie bounded about town with her kids, and every now and then tourists would come through to see Twilight's castle and meet the local heroines.
“Ooh, wait! Miss! Miss!” A young mare stood in front of Applejack with a notepad in her magic.
“Can I help you?” Applejack said with little emotion.
“Are you Applejack, the Element of honesty.
Applejack inhaled sharply and said, “Yes… I am.”
“I am Dawn Scribbum with the Post Trihorn newspaper. Do you have time for a quick interview?”
“Not really…” Applejack started to set off, but was stopped by the curious mare.
“Please miss. It will only take a second.”
Applejack rolled her eyes and craned her neck. This, Dawn, gave the best puppy dog routine that she could muster. However, Applejack was burning daylight, and this grown mare begging was tainting the atmosphere with a haze of awkward. So with a heavy sigh, she said, “I guess I can answer a few questions.”
“Thank you so much ma’am!” The cream colored unicorn chirped. “How do you fill your free time now that Equestria has been peaceful for all of these years?”
“I usually work around my farm… That’s it really,” Applejack shrugged as the mare wrote furiously on her notepad.
“Mhm, so. How do you keep your mind and skills sharp in your downtime?”
Applejack flexed some and replied with a grin, “I’m usually buckin trees and liftin stuff on the daily.”
“Ooh, you lift, eh?’ Dawn cooed as she wrote that little snip of info down. “I like me a strong mare. Now, this next one is more for the media as opposed to ‘actual news’. Give me a moment…” She rummaged around in her saddlebags and presented a folded sheet of paper. She cleared her throat, “Okay, it is known that most of your friends have a significant other. Are you currently dating anyone?”
This right here is exactly why she didn't want to be questioned. Just when she thought this mare had legitimate and interesting queries, she drops the ball with one pitch. Applejack snorted and said, “That’s a little personal, don't ya think?”
“Sorry ma’am, I had to ask if I wanted to keep my job. Equestria is more worried about celebrity gossip and relationships as opposed to showing them as rational functioning ponies.”
“So you’ll lose your job if I don't answer ya?” Applejack's heart began to beat heavy with worry.
“Well, I can make something up. After all you are the element of honesty.”
Applejack gave her a soft smile. “Thank ya sugarcube. Do ya have any other questions?”
“Plenty!” Dawn said with a bright toothy smile.
“Ah damnit…”
~T_T~
Spike sat at his desk/podium playing with fire in his claws. As always, it was a slow day with no ponies or any other odd Equestrian creature to come through the oaken door. Tell you the truth, it rarely bothers him. Most of the day he’ll catch up on his comics, maybe re-read some oldies but goodies, and sleep. He napped so often he could count on his claws how many hours he was awake and coherent. Even with all of this lazing around he didn't get anyone coming into the library.
“Hello!”
Well, now there is. A royal blue mare with a dusty brown stallion approached the now alert drake. “Good Morning,” Spike waved, “Can I help you with anything?”
“We just lookin, fam,” The stallion replied with an odd accent. Spike turned up his snout and raised a scaly brow.
“Fam?” What does that mean? Is it a greeting? An improper pronoun from wherever these people hail from? They are Equestrian. So, why the off kilter vernacular? The couple, or friends, or whatever they were paced around the library. They would occasionally glance at Spike before pretending to browse the adventure section.
The mare whispered something and nudged her partner in the ribs. He cleared his throat and approached Spike, “Aye! So, you a dragon, right?”
“Yes…?”
“Aye, that's cold bruh!”
Spike could feel a surge of cynical confusion rise from within him.
“Sorry if I seem rude, my man. I ain't never seen a dragon before.”
Spike forced a grin and said, “Well, guess today is your lucky day.” The childlike stallion suppressed a squeal.
The mare that he was with came to his side. “I'm sorry,” she started, “He’s been in love with dragons since he was a kid.”
Spike replied with a snarky, “No kidding?”
“I'm fo’real dude! I’m finna get my mane dyed to look like flames!” he said with a bright, albeit, creepy smile.
“Is he always like this?” Spike asked with a pang of worry.
“I’ve never seen him like this. Then again, you are the first dragon he's ever met.”
The stallion pushed himself upon the desk pedestal and peered deep into Spike’s eyes, “Can you spit fire, or roar or somethin?”
Spike glanced at the calm smiling mare. He desperately wanted to ask her to grab those fully grown horse and scold some sense into him. “I can…”
“Can we see? Only if you wanna do it, fam. I'm not gon push you.”
It was just a little puff of fire. Hopefully it will get this guy out of his face. “Stand back,” Spike sighed. The stallion forced himself off Spike’s workplace with an anticipatory smile.
Spike took a shallow breath and let loose a mid strength jet of green/yellow fire that flew just over the stallion’s head.
“Dayum! That was cold as hell, bro!” The stallion cheered with a hop. Spike frowned and thought to himself,“Fire is hot though.”
“Aye bro, thank you.” He shook Spike's hand and held out a book. “It’s a copy of Pyrus. I've been wanting to have it signed by a real dragon.”
How did he get that book? There in front of him was one of the only copies of dragon literature in all of Equestria, and in such good condition too. Spike shook with jealousy and caution as he signed his name on the table of contents.
“Aye, thanks again, fam.” Him and the mare trotted happily out of the library leaving Spike confused with a hint vanity and longing. He tapped his finger on the mahogany wood of his desk. He didn't need that book. He should just let the stallion have it. It’s not like he’d give it up anyway. He totally wouldn't part with it.
Spike darted out of the door in desperate search of the duo.
~T_T~
Big Mac sat under a tree with a stick of wheat resting on the edge of his lips. He watched Applejack furiously buck the trees and carry mountains of apples to storage. He offered to help more than once, but Applejack replied with her usual stubborn “I got this, Mac.” It was good to see that she was back to full strength considering her injuries, which is also why he didn't push the issue of giving her a hand any further. Mac never knew he could fly until the one time he was in bucking distance of his sister.
A soft shuffling sound came from behind him. He peered around the trunk to see Spike approaching.
“Hey Mac,” Spike waved as he took a seat next to him. Big Mac nodded and rested his head against the trunk.
“She's at it again, huh?”
“Eeyup…” Big Mac sighed with frustration.
“How long has she been going?”
“Since about noon…”
Spike shook his head, “Let me see if I can talk some sense into her.” Big Mac snorted and adjusted the wheat in his teeth.
Applejack heaved with all of her might to move the massive pile of fruit up to the barn. Thanks to that reporter, it took much longer to get the axle fixed. To make matters worse, she may have gotten the wrong size. This one keeps catching against the supports making it even more of a hassle to pull these damn apples up this hill.
Then, she started to move faster and the cart was much lighter. Maybe she caught her second wind, like one of those marathoners. But, as she turned around, she saw the hulking frame of a purple dragon on his hind legs.
“Oh, darn it, Spike!”
“Good to see you too, sweetheart,” Spike chuckled.
“Let go. I got this.”
“No you don't.” Spike pushed harder, nearly giving Applejack a ride up the hill.
“I can handle this!” Applejack growled. Spike let go and watched as the cart slowly pulled Applejack downhill. She strained and huffed to regain control of the mountain of fruit. Without warning, Spike grabbed her and unhitched her from the wagon.
Applejack gasped in relief and anger. She furiously turned to Spike and shouted, “What the hell are ya doin? I told you, I can handle this!”
“No, you can't.” Spike began to pull the cart with ease. Applejack jumped in front of him.
“Are ya tellin me what I can’t do?” Applejack spat furiously.
“Yes…” Spike replied with a stoic tone. Applejack turned her nose up at this and shoved against the advancing dragon. He proved to be too strong as she was being moved as if she weren't there at all. Big Mac watched with wide eyes wondering who was going to swing first. No one has ever stood up to AJ during one of her stubborn days, lest they want a hoof to the jaw.
“Spike, I said stop dammit!”
“No,” Spike said with little thought. The barn was less than a few yards away.
“Stop!” Applejack pounded his chest with her hoof again and again. “Please, stop!”
Spike heard the shift in her tone. She was whining, almost crying. “Applejack?”
She looked up at him with a teary eyed frown.
“Applejack, I'm sorry.” She turned, hitting him with her tail, and stormed off to the barnhouse leaving Spike to wonder just what he did wrong. He unbuckled himself from the cart and chased after her.
“AJ?” He asked as he looked around the kitchen. Then, he heard a loud slam come from upstairs.
He lightly knocked on her door “Appleajck?” He tried to go in, but it was locked.
“Get out of my house…” she said, muffled by the door.
“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just wanted to help. You’ve been working yourself ragged lately.” Silence was her only reply. “Please, tell me what I did wrong.”
The door clicked open revealing a livid Applejack. “I told you that I could do it. I told you that it was mine to handle, and what did you do? Had the gaul to, not only, unbuckle me from my wagon, but completely disregard me when I told you to stop.”
Spike looked away like a child being scolded.
“I'm not mad that you took over. You downright disrespected me and what I do…”
“Can I tell you what I saw?”
Applejack snorted in approval.
“I saw my mare struggling.” Spike rubbed the fur on her cheek in between his fingers. Applejack nuzzled into his hand. Those fingers of his were like velvety magic. “It hurt to see you punishing yourself like that. I'm always going to help you no matter what.”
Applejack purred and said, “I know how ya are Spike. I’ve been as frustrated as a wet cat all day. I got started late on my work, and I'm gonna have to go back to that cheapskate Steele for another axle!”
“Come here…” Spike cooed. Applejack hopped in his lap as he began to pet her. “You need to relax…”
“I try to, then a billion things decide that they wanna act up!”
“I can stay here full-”
“Nope.” Applejack shook her head with her hooves crossed.
“Come on! You, me, and Mac? We can try to make a difference.”
“You have your own problems to deal with, Spike.”
“And you think your problems don't matter,” Spike shot back. “I don't even utilities running at the library anymore. To be honest, I'm surprised the Ponyville bank hasn't foreclosed the property yet.”
“Wait, you've been living in that library for how long, and you ain't even got no lights or nothin?”
Spike shrugged with a goofy grin.
Applejack punched his chest and said, “What on Celestia’s good green Earth have you been doing?”
“Well, they were just shut off. Twilight was keeping it up with monthly stipends, but after I told her I only get one or two ponies a day to come through, she cut the funding.”
“Knowing Twilight, that can't have been easy…” Applejack sighed. “Well, why didn't you say anything?”
“Because I was pretty alright with having a place to call my own. But, now that I see my marefriend is shooting herself in the good with all of this work, I'm pretty sure my claws are tied.”
“Well, it would be nice to have ya here every night,” Applejack giggled with a small blush.
Spike slid his hands down her back. “It would be more than nice,” he lustfully growled. Applejack’s blush turned furious crimson before wiggling out of Spike’s grasp.
“Let’s save that for later. Also, let’s try’n keep it down. Applebloom keeps teasin me about it.” Spike smiled and followed Applejack outside to wrap up the rest of the day’s work. They worked until the sunset and beyond, enjoying one another’s companionship at the end of just another average day.
Author's Note
Wow, where did this come from right? I write the original story almost 3 years ago now, and am just now starting a SoL based on it? I am terrible at keeping up with deadlines. This was supposed to have been out over 2 years ago, but I was having life issues and confidence issues so... I hope you all enjoyed, this will be updated more sporadically as opposed to regularly. Bye now
