Their eyes met

It was an early morning in Ponyville. A day that began just like it always did. The sun was peeking up from behind the mountain tops, slowly pushing away the dark night sky to send it's nourishing rays of light upon all living beings worshiping it's life giving wealth.

The day had begun, just like the daily life cycle of all the creatures living in and around Ponyville. However, for a specific orange unicorn stallion, his day had begun way before his neighbors.

He was getting ready to walk over to the Sweet Apple Acres where he had gotten himself a job as an assistant to the apple family owning the massive orchard.

As he walked up to the front door, ready to venture out in the early morning, he stopped as he saw a letter lying on the floor just inside of the massive door sealing him inside the small house he called home.

He used his magic to lift up the envelope which he then opened up and began reading the letter found inside of it;

''Dear Shine Yellowsoul

I appreciate your hard work here on our farm.
But you seriously need to get yourself some rest.

This is around the tenth time this month Big Macintosh had to carry you home after you've worked yourself to the bone.

Therefore, we, the apple family, has decided to give you the weekend off.
Take care and get some rest, sugar cube

Sincerely, Applejack''

Shine tucked the letter back into the envelope and stashed it in a small box he put all of the letters he had received and read. Feeling a slight relief of not having to work for the rest of the weekend, he decided to follow Applejack's written order detailed in the letter to relax and get rested up.

He walked out from his house, feeling the warmth of the sun lighting up his face as he peered his eyes all around him until his eyes had adjusted to the strength of the sun.

To him, the sun felt unusually warm for the season. This sensation did not bother him however as he would appreciate any day the sun blessed the earth with it's presence. It did not matter if it was just the day after Winter Wrap Up day or just before the annual snow storm. No, Shine YellowSoul was happy to feel the warm sun on his face any day. This autumn morning was no different.

A few other ponies shared his idea and was just outside their houses, pottering about. In the distant he saw the grey mailmare zigzagging between the houses, handing out envelopes to the ponies who already was out or just slipped them into the mailbox stationed in front of each house.

Shine sat down next to his own mailbox, waiting for the grey mare. He basked in the sun, every now and then taking a peek to look how far away the mailmare was. She now was only one stop away from his house.

She took a peek inside her mailbag and pulled out a bunch of envelopes, putting most of them into the mailbox in front of her. The rest of the envelopes were stuffed back into her bag.

As she turned to face Shine sitting in front of his house, looking straight back at her, a bulky blue earth pony stallion came rushing out of his house and almost tore off the little hatch to his mailbox as he hastily checked his mail. He quickly turned to the grey mailmare and yelled at her. It was not hard for Shine to clearly hear the blue stallion's side of the conversation as it was obvious he was majorly upset about something. Seeing how things developed, Shine got up and approached the scene to hear the entire conversation.
- You stupid filly! You did it again! I don't know how many times I've told you to make sure you only deliver MY mail to MY mailbox.
- I-I am sorry mister, it's just that...
The grey mare was steadily poking at the ground with her hoof, afraid to look the infuriated stallion in the eyes.
- Quit your stupid excuses, I've had enough of this. I'll tell you once and for all; Get a new job or get a doctor to fix your stupid eyes.
The blue stallion tackled the grey mare so that she flew into some rose bushes growing next to Roseluck's house.

That was it, not even a calm and collected pony such as Shine could just stand by and watch this any longer. Shine levitated a rock next to his head which he sent flying, hitting the blue stallion in the back of his head.
- Hey! Jerk-face! Are you really such a chicken that you have to pick on mares to feel like a proper stallion?
The blue stallion scratched the back of his head before turning around, looking even more furious than before. He ran up close to Shine and glared him right into his eyes.
- What did you call me, shrimp?
- You heard me! But with that white mane of yours, I think I'll call you albino instead.
The blue stallion was shocked to hear this. He backed away slightly, still looking angry beyond belief.
- Say that again and I'll rearrange your face, shrimp!
Shine began laughing with a nasty, almost evil-looking grin on his face.
- Heh... mweheh. Mwahahaha! Humor me, albino!
With that, Shine was coated by a yellow light originating from his horn. He stood up on his hind legs as the most stomach-churning cracking sound could be heard when his very bones changed shape.

Smoke rose from Shine's human form as he rose to his full length, well taller than the blue stallion that was standing in front of Shine and just stared with his mouth gaping wide open.

Shine quickly looked at himself before he resumed the staring contest between him and the bulky blue stallion.
- Normally, actions like yours just a minute ago would make my stomach rumble for a nice juicy steak. But during the circumstances I'd probably only get a bad stomach-ache.
- Who- who are you? WHAT are you?
The blue stallion was looking in terror at the tall two-legged creature threatening to eat him. He could feel his knees trembling, immobilizing him on the spot.

Shine ignored the stallion in front of him and took a step forward.
- Heed this warning thou cowardly weakling; Repeat the deed you did today and I shall hunt you down, skin you alive and wear your white mane as a wig.
The blue stallion turned around and ran back into his house, soundly locking the door after him.

Shine was surrounded by yet another yellow light, this time welling out of his eyes when his bones once again changed shape, back into his pony form.

As the light evaporated he took a quick look around himself, seeing a few mares just standing still and staring at him.
- Mornin' everypony.
Shine happily smiled at them as he trotted over to the rose bushes growing next to Roseluck's house.
- Are you OK? He gave you quite a nasty push there.
Shine called out to the bushes as he approached them. He carefully stuck his head into them to see where the mailmare went.

She was lying there, covered in rose thorns stuck all around her body, tears showering her cheeks. The crying grey mailmare didn't notice Shine up until he had muscled his way into the bushes and put his hoof on top of hers.
- I repeat, are you OK? Those thorns looks like they hurt a lot.
- No, please, just go. I don't want you to make fun of me. Please, just leave me alone.
The mailmare sat up, turning her back to Shine, facing the wall of the house. Tears still fell from her eyes to the ground, wetting the soil.
- Oh, I'm not here to make fun of you. I'm here to help. I am happy to report that the mean stallion won't be bothering you anymore. You have my promise.
Shine used his magic to carefully pluck a thorn loosely stuck on her back. He slowly levitate the long thorn in front of the face of the grey mare with a blonde mane.
- Look, this thorn resembles that jerk. Poof, now he's gone.
Shine let go of the thorn with his magic. The mare watched the thorn lie on the ground for a while before she turned her teary eyes to look back at Shine.
- Thank you... i-it feels a lot better now. Uhm.. c-could you please help me get rid of the rest of the thorns?
- Sure thing. However, the rest of them looks to have gone quite deep. I need to use forceps or something to coax them out. I suggest we get to my house where I as well can clean any wounds left behind from the thorns that went the deepest.
The mare felt a sudden burst of joy unlike anything else. The surge was enough to flash a quick smile at Shine who caught the glimpse as he returned a smile of his own.

Shine used his magic to gently bend a path in the rosebushes for the mare that slowly got up to her hooves and slightly limped out from the bushes. Shine shortly followed and plucked another loose thorn that was stuck in her left hind leg in the hollow of the knee.

Both of them walked steadily towards Shines house. The mailmare was gently leaning against Shine walking next to her left side. She didn't really need any support to walk, but she felt that having someone this close to her was rather pleasant.