Applejack had never felt so relaxed in her entire life. The surface of the water soothed every muscle in her backside. She was floating in the water at a lake, with her back against the surface, her four hooves splayed out, and her belly exposed to the warm sunlight from the big blue sky. Harvesting apples at her farm, taking care of the animals, sprucing up her house, and selling apple pies to the Ponyville residents was enough to make her feel all worn out. Thankfully, she wouldn't have to worry about that for a while, as she loved swimming in the lake she and her family would come for a swim. But, let's just say, she's technically not with her family at this moment, which is nothing usual.
"Isn't this great, Applejack?", a high-pitched female voice asked, emerging from the depths of the water and starting the farmer. Applejack had apparently invited her marefriend, Pinkie Pie - Ponyville's number one pony when it comes to parties, to come swim with her. Even though, the pink pony wasn't getting any aching body parts from working at Sugarcube Corner, she was happy to go swimming with the mare she loved. They've been dating for a while now, probably like a month or two. "We're taking a break from working our flanks off, not dealing with customers do any cleaning, and we've got time to enjoy our relationship with each other by swimming in the lake."
Applejack turned herself upwards, with her head now above the surface. "I thought you loved working at Sugarcube Corner.", she said with a chuckle.
"Huh?", Pinkie Pie asked, looking over to the farm pony. "What did you say?"
Applejack held a hoof. "Let's head over to the shallow area before we start chatting.", she said, paddling herself over to shore with her marefriend following behind. The two ponies finally made it with their hooves on the ground under the water and their back sides exposed above the surface. The orange farmer pony turned to the pink mare. "You said that we don't have to deal with customers and work our flanks off. Is that saying you secretly hate working at Sugarcube Corner sometimes?"
Pinkie Pie gasped. "What?! That's insane, Jackie!", she cried. "You know I love working at Sugarcube Corner and making everypony smile. But, spending time with you is a lot more fun, because my love for you is what matters to me."
Applejack blushed. "Aww, Pinkie Pie, that's awful sweet of you.", she said bashfully. "By the way, let's not forget that we're teachers at Twilight's school. That counts as work, right?"
Pinkie Pie nodded. "Yep.", she answered. "And I don't think teaching our students puts us in exhaustion, does it?"
Applejack shook her head. "Of course it doesn't.", she said. "I love our students."
"Me too.", Pinkie Pie agreed, rapidly nodding her head. "But, considering you're a teacher, you're still the pony I mostly admire. The hat you always wear, those freckles on your face, you're bright blonde mane, those strong back hooves you use to buck apple trees, everything about you."
Applejack couldn't help but giggle at the compliments. "I'm very flattered, Pinkie.", she said. "Again, you're very sweet."
Pinkie Pie giggled. "But, you're the sweetest of all ponies.", she said, tenderly touching her marefriend's freckled cheek. "And, maybe you're sweet as apples." She playfully licked Applejack's nose, causing her laugh.
"Hey!", Applejack guffawed. "Nopony licks me without my consent!" She grabbed Pinkie Pie by the midsection and, before the pink pony can protest, they dove into the depths below the surface. They only went a couple meters down, but it wasn't too deep for the upper area to disappear thankfully. With her hooves around Pinkie's pudgy pink middle, Applejack tickled her sides.
Pinkie Pie burst into laughter, with bubbles escaping from her open mouth. She enjoyed tickling and laughing, but maybe underwater isn't the best solution. Laughing underwater could lead to some damage to your ability to take in some oxygen. The laughing pony wanted to cry for help, but luck wouldn't come to her if anypony would be able to hear her, especially almost at the bottom of a lake. She tried to swim away, but she knew Applejack was a capable swimmer and would catch her again easily. It was almost like she was trying to drown her by making her laugh. She wasn't sure how much she was going to take, so she squirmed a lot harder and kicked Applejack in the stomach. It gave her the perfect opportunity to swim to the surface and cough out the water that threatened to fill her lungs and breath in the precious amount of oxygen that has been suspended for a good couple seconds.
Applejack followed suit, although she didn't have to get much oxygem as Pinkie is at this moment. "Now how was that for a little bit of fun?", she asked.
Pinkie Pie coughed again, only a little. "What was that? Trying to drown your own marefriend?", she asked.
"Well, I didn't give you permission to lick me, expecting that I would taste sweet like apples, especially on the nose.", Applejack said. "Just thought of a certain way to get you back, because you didn't obey the number one rule of never licking somepony like me."
"Yeah.", Pinkie Pie said, shrugging. "But, still, you're a really sweet pony." She wrapped her forelegs around her lover. "And hey, if you hold me while we're in the water, I'll consider you extra sweet." She closed her eyes and snuggled against Applejack's chest.
Applejack chuckled and returned the embrace to Pinkie Pie. "But, you'll always be extra sweet, to me.", she said quietly, kissing her forehead. "I guess I regret trying to... well... unintentionally drown you here. I wouldn't even plan on doing that on a romantic time like this." As the two loving ponies gently floated in the water, they continued to enjoy each other's company, especially with nopony else around.
