Dusk to Dawn

Applejack felt so naughty, so embarrassed at the way she was touching herself, the way she liked it.  She rubbed her soaked and soapy pussy a couple times with the sponge, and then a couple more times with her bare hoof.  Her sensual and current sense of mind told her that rubbing with her hoof only got her genitals dirtier again (though in reality her hoof was as squeaky clean as could be).  As the cycle repeated over and over again, Applejack knew she couldn’t lie to herself.  She blushed as she acknowledged the fact that she was doing this on purpose.

She didn’t want to do this, but it was just so hard for her!  She was in estrus right now, aroused at just about anything she believed could put a colt inside of her or get her off at the very least.  The only bad thing was, not many of very few single stallions in Ponyville had an eye for a county mare like her.  They all liked the attractive mares like Rarity, or the shy ones like Fluttershy (those who liked that type of filly were no less shy than the mare they lusted after), or the smart ones like Miss Cheerilee.  It shamed her to resort to this just to pleasure herself!  But then again, there was no harm in it all as long as nopony found out, like a little game that she had all to herself.

Fearing to be discovered, Applejack peered out the loft window just to her right and made sure that the farm was still abandoned.  Seeing that it was, but still wanting to be sure, Applejack turned her head around, still rubbing her vagina at a steady pace, and looked down at the abandoned barn floor to make sure that it really was abandoned.  Deciding that it was safe enough to really get caught up in her little game, Applejack did just that.

An even redder blush crossing her face, Applejack thought about how her dream stallion would crawl into the bed with her.  It just seemed too real to her.  The way the big, caramel colored stallion courted her with his sweet talking and easy caressing, then the way she kissed him on the lips and allowed him to escort her upstairs.  To the way he tossed her softly onto the bed, locked the door, and proceeded to kiss her body all over.  It all aroused and excited her!  Applejack had closed her eyes and had phased her senses out so that she could focus on the cinematic that she was playing over in her head.  Her head leaned back and her body excited, Applejack tossed the sponge out of the equation completely and proceeded to rub herself only with her bare hoof.

But then, through all of her excitement, the barn was bathed in some brighter light, the creaking of the barn doors could be heard, and a soft voice called out “Applejack?  Art thou in here?”  The soft voice’s reply came back with a loud and frantic splashing sound from up above.  It sounded like a pony was struggling for dear life to keep from drowning!

The surprised, and increasingly uncomfortable Princess Luna could only look up at the massive looking barn lofts and rafters in search of whatever it was that was making this strange noise in an even stranger place.  It was then, that Luna got her answer.  From the loft that was closest to her left, Luna looked up to see Applejack crane her head over the side and look down from up above.  “H…howdy there Princess,” Applejack said, she sounded shaken, and she was wet.

Concerned for her friend, Luna cocked her head and asked, “Is everything all right, my dear Applejack?  We did not disturb anything did we?”

Applejack looked left and right a little nervously and then replied, “Uh… wait just a minute your highness.”  A frown still on her face, Luna watched as Applejack went back into the loft and returned a few seconds later where she climbed down the latter with a towel wrapped around her.

“Are you sure we did not disturb anything Applejack?  Never mind my friend, we will just go,” Luna frowned and turned away to head towards the door, realizing in fact that she had disturbed something.

Before she could get too far though, Applejack stopped her.  “Wait just a minute Princess!  Ya’ll didn’t disturb nothing, I was just having some trouble with a hose that runs up there, that’s all,” she lied.

Luna cocked her head and asked, “What was all that splashing for?  Did we startle you?”

Applejack smiled and replied, “Yep, but don’t you worry.  You comin’ in made me trip over a loose board and fall into a spare tub up there.  Now come on,” she smiled at Luna and led her out of the barn, “a smelly old barn isn’t the place for a princess.”  Princess Luna smiled weakly and followed her friend out of the barn and into the evening sunlight.  “So, what brings ya’ all the way out here again, Princess?”

Her face turning red, Luna looked down at the ground which she kicked at with her hoof a couple of times and then answered, “We… I… I… I mean I was wondering if you could maybe teach me how um… to “buck apples” and… and maybe do some other “country” things?”

To be absolutely truthful with herself, Applejack didn’t know how to quite respond.  Was Princess Luna joking with her, or was she being serious?  She remembered that Princess Luna had made a comment about finding life away from the city rather attractive to her, and beautiful to some extent.  “I… er… Ya’ll sure you want to learn how to do this?  I mean, I ain’t got no problem with it, but it’s a little difficult, all of this.

To her surprise, Luna nodded her head eagerly and replied, “Yes, tis what I want!  Let us go ‘live the country life’!”  Luna was a bit awkward and noticed this as she blushed and looked down.

“Hold your ponies there Princess, this little filly has to get dried off before she does any apple bucking,” Applejack replied.  “You’re more than welcome to come on into the house for a little something to drink while I do that,” Applejack offered as she walked side by side Princess Luna.

“That would be nice, thank you Applejack,” Princess Luna expressed her gratitude as she stepped inside the cool farmhouse and waited patiently as Applejack poured her a glass of cold cider.  Sitting at the table in the kitchen, Princess Luna sat quietly and looked at the window as Applejack stood in the sun to dry off.

“Somethin’ on your mind sugarcube?” Applejack asked as she noticed that Princess Luna was quieter than she usually was.

Princess Luna looked towards her and replied, “I am only meditating my thoughts, my friend.  We… I mean I, am flattered that you are concerned though.”  Applejack smiled at her and looked back at the wall to observe a photo that had been taken of her and her family quite some time ago, and Luna too returned to merely gazing out the window at what appeared to be nothing.

After a few minutes, it was Luna’s turn to ask a question.  Partially dried off, Applejack deemed it alright to go ahead and move around the air conditioned house.  “Applejack,” Princess Luna continued to look out of the window, “what more can you show us to do?”  Luna obviously hadn’t noticed her grammatical slipup.  “I mean me, what more can you show me to do?  Is there anything else I can do other than buck apples?” she caught it though and quickly corrected herself.

Applejack thought a moment, but before she answered, she asked a question back, “Princess Luna…”

The Princess cut her short and said, “Forgive my interruption Applejack, but I would like to request that you call me simply, ‘Luna’.”

Applejack smiled and replied, “You betcha’ Princess.  Now as I was sayin’, are you absolutely sure ya’ want to do this,” Applejack unwrapped the towel from her body and walked into the next room over where she tossed it into the clothes bin.

Luna too answered this question with another question, “Yes my friend, I am sure.  Is there something that I should be concerned about?”  Luna looked at Applejack.

Applejack thought answered quickly, “Nope, but you do get really dirty and sweaty.  All that sweat pouring over your body and all that dirt flying up,” Applejack chuckled a little bit, “it don’t make for a good equation Princess.”  It was then that Applejack noticed she’d be getting dirty again, but she didn’t really seem to mind.

“I think we will be able to handle it Applejack,” Princess Luna smiled at Applejack knowingly, still grateful to her for being so considerate.

“But what about yer sister, Princess Celestia?”  Applejack asked.

“Yes, what about her?”  Luna asked.

“Don’t ya’ think she’ll throw a fit if ya’ll trudge in there all dirty and sweaty?” Applejack inquired, knowing that Granny Smith often got onto her for not cleaning herself up before coming to the dinner table or sitting on the furniture.

“I do not think that will be a problem,” Princess Luna answered.  Before Applejack could ask why it wouldn’t be a problem, Princess Luna pointed out, “When my moon is high in the sky, it is my sister’s queue to recess to her chamber and have her rest.  And when I return to the palace,” Luna giggled at doing this under her sister’s nose, “I will simply bathe myself off.”

Applejack couldn’t help but smile at how much Luna reminded her of herself, always devising some kind of scheme to do something productive, but at the same time avoid getting into trouble.  Also the way that Princess Luna liked to do things slower, she like the quietness and the pace of the small town, which Applejack could completely understand.  Of all the times that Applejack had ventured to larger cities like Canterlot, Manehattan, and Fillydelphia, she just couldn’t see how those business owners did it; the pace was just simply too fast for her!

“What is so funny?”  Luna asked with a smile on her face as she looked over and saw that Applejack was giggling softly.

“Ya’ just remind me so much of well… me!” Applejack explained how they had a lot in common.  Princess Luna agreed with this, and couldn’t help but join in Applejack’s laughing.  After a couple more minutes, Applejack got a little more serious and answered Luna’s question.  “Well, as long as ya’ have that sense of mind, I ‘spose I can teach ya’ how to make cider and maybe how ta… you know what?  I’ll keep that part a surprise.”

Saying this only peaked Luna’s interest, so she wanted to know more.  “Please tell us more Applejack!  What have you in mind?”

Applejack only smiled softly and replied, “I wanna’ keep it a surprise Princess, but I will tell ya’ that it’s a little game I used to love to play with Big Macintosh when we were younger.”

“That’s sounds like it will be very fun!”  Princess Luna complimented.

Fully dried off now, Applejack gathered her rope for effect and asked, “Ya’ll ready Princess?”

Luna could only excitedly nod her head as she followed her friend out the front door and off the deck.  Applejack explained, “Me and Big Macintosh cleaned most of the main orchard out, but there’s more than enough apples to buck at the other orchards.  Since it’s closest, I think I’ll take us to the West Orchard,” she made her decision.

While they were on the subject, Princess Luna decided to tell Applejack a little personal thought.  “Your brother, Big Macintosh is quite handsome,” Princess Luna blushed to a playfully cock-eyed Applejack, “He is also very sweet, quiet.”

Applejack let out a little laugh and replied, “Yep, that sounds like Big Macintosh.  He’s really popular with the mares here in Ponyville, but he’s just too shy and focused on his work to get out there and do anything.”

“I suppose that all but makes him even more of a stallion though,” they finished the conversation with Princess Luna’s statement.

They walked on just a little more, and then eventually found themselves in the western-most orchard.  Applejack led them around the orchard a little ways until she found the perfect, shady spot underneath two trees which already had the wooden apple bins placed underneath them.  “Alright now, watch closely,” Applejack instructed her student.  Wanting to impress her the first time around, Applejack ran forward, flipped around, and then delivered a hard kick to the sturdy tree.  Luna clapped politely as eight apples fell and landed neatly in the bin.  “Think ya’ve got it sugarcube?” Applejack asked.

“I think we are ready to give it a try,” Princess Luna replied.  Applejack walked over to her side and sat down as Princess Luna stood up.  Looking at her for approval, Applejack nodded her head towards the trees, and as soon as she did so, Princess Luna took off towards it with impressive speed.  A look of surprised amazement crossing Applejack’s face, she watched as Luna used her wings to jump up in the air, whip around quicker than a flash of lightening and then deliver a literally earth shaking kick to the tree which swayed permanently over a couple of inches.  Big Macintosh couldn’t even kick that hard!  Applejack struggled to keep up the counting pace as the apples fell one after the other into the bin.

“H…how did we do?”  Princess Luna asked quietly, unsure if she had done a good job or not.  Princess Luna’s breathing hadn’t even escalated, and a drop of sweat had not formed on her head.

Applejack, still awestruck, walked forward and looked into the bin which was now halfway full.  “Well sugarcube…” Applejack was cut short as one more apple fell from the branches up above and landed on her head, falling next into the bin.  Princess Luna had to hold herself back from letting a giggle out.  Applejack rubbed her hat and head as she replied, “That… was really somethin’.  I ain’t never seen a pony kick like that!  I think ya’ll are gonna’ get the hang of this just fine.”

The compliment made Luna smile a little as she finally felt a little better about herself.  “Well, I spose it’s my turn!”  Applejack smiled quickly at Luna and ran towards the opposite tree, determined to break Luna’s apple drop record (she thought that it was pretty safe to say she wouldn’t be able to shake the ground and nearly knock the tree over with her kick).  Trying to copy what Luna had done, Applejack launched herself up into the air and flipped her hind end around kicking towards the tree.  She succeeded, but her kick was mediocre compared to Luna’s, though she did knock considerably more apples from the branches than she had done the previous time, just not enough to match the amount that Luna had dropped.

Having nothing but the smartest wit, Princess Luna caught onto their game fairly quickly.  She was beating Applejack by Celestia knew how many apples, but they each knew that it was all just in good fun.  Eventually though, their fun had to be momentarily interrupted as Luna’s magical horn began to glow of its own accord signaling to her that it was time to raise her moon.  “E…excuse us,” Luna said a little nervously.  She had never actually raised the moon in front of anypony and didn’t want to show off her magic, the very thing which had caused her much pain and embarrassment in the past.  Watching in awe, Applejack looked on as she watched Luna shut her eyes tight, and in a mere second or two, she watched as the sun shot down under the horizon and the moon replaced it high in the sky, bathing them in a cool darkness.

As soon as she had finished her duty, Princess Luna was all but aware at the problem they faced now.  “Oh, our stupid moon is the ruin of all fun!”  Princess Luna exclaimed quite sadly as she saw that there would be literally no possible way for them to buck apples with it this dark and with the branches of the trees above blocking out any moonlight.

“Ah, now don’t you think that for one second Princess.  Your moon’s beautiful,” Applejack tried to comfort the disappointed Luna.  The poor mare only wanted to get to know her friends better, and to have a little fun with them.  Unluckily for her though, most of the ponies she knew retired to bed once her moon was in the sky.

It sounded like Princess Luna tried to hold herself from sniffling as she said, “I… I suppose we must say farewell Applejack.  It was fun while it lasted, I suppose.”   Looking down at the ground with a frown on her face, Luna slowly opened her wings.

Before she could take off though, Applejack stopped her.  “Wait Princess, I thought ya’ wanted to learn more than just buckin’ apples off the trees?”

Luna closed her wings and turned back towards Applejack with one eye cocked, yet some hidden hope in her voice, “What do you mean?” she asked, “the sun is hidden and it is nighttime.  I do not think we can operate in this shroud of darkness,” Luna indicated the basically pitch black darkness they were hidden in, the only source of light coming from the patches of moonlight and Luna’s horn which glowed its mystical and ever beautiful shade of blue.

“No sugarcube, the only thing we do out here is buck apples, load up the carts, and feed the animals.  We do all the rest inside.  Now, if ya’ll want to, we can head over to the barn and I’ll show ya’ how to make some of the best Sweet Apple Cider this side of Ponyville!”

Luna could only be ecstatic as she accepted immediately, “Lead the way my dear friend!”  With that, Applejack used her acute knowledge of the orchard paired with Luna’s light to lead them to a patch of the orchard that was much more lit.  From there, she took them to the outskirts of the orchard and back to the main barnyard, the house left as it had been before the two had gone out on some extra work hours.  Applejack assumed that the family had either returned and gone straight to bed after a long day, or had stayed in town and had stopped by the local pub for some cold drinks and good conversation to celebrate a very successful day.

Ignoring the house for the moment though, Applejack took them straight to the barn.  As she opened the doors for them, Applejack couldn’t help but blush as she remembered how she had nearly been discovered touching herself by the Princess, the Princess of all ponies!  Shaking it off though, Applejack led them to a special room in the barn that was used for squeezing apples to make cider.

“First things first,” Applejack instructed, “Ya’ gotta wash off yer hooves to make sure they’re nice and clean.”  Princess Luna looked down at her cover-shoed foot, and deciding that Applejack knew what was best, took all four of her shoes off and placed them atop a wooden crate.  Following suit, Luna carefully used the hose to spray her hooves clean.  Looking at her hooves to make sure that they really were clean, Applejack smiled and then nodded her head.  “Next, we’re gonna have to put these things on,” Applejack tossed Princess Luna four, strange looking hoof covers.  “These are socks, as Rarity calls em’.  I jus’ call em’ hoofies.”  Applejack blushed as she realized how ridiculous her nickname was for the socks.

On a more serious note, Applejack explained, “These keep ya’ from gettin’ too dirty, and they make double sure that no germs get into the mix.”  Luna looked down after she had fidgeted with getting the strange, mid-leg high material on all four of her hooves, and blushed at thinking she probably looked ridiculous in them, but if it stopped her ponies from getting sick, it was what she wanted; she noticed that the clothing did in fact look new and sanitary, for Applejack had pulled each out of a sealed crate (most likely purchased in bulk from Rarity).

Regardless though, Princess Luna didn’t quite understand what all the preparation was for, so she asked, “Er… Applejack.  We… I mean I, must ask, what is all this preparation for?  What task is so great that it requires us to cover half of our very own legs?”

A smile crossing her face, Applejack replied simply, “I’ll show ya’!”  Luna watched in amusement as Applejack jumped into a bin full of partially squashed apples and finished the process.  “Big Macintosh takes care of getting the apples down to a squashier size with his big hooves, and me and Applebloom usually finish up the job.  It ain’t the most modern way to squeeze yer apples for cider, but it is the freshest.”

Luna watched, a bit unsure of what to do.  Reading the look on her face, Applejack assured her, “Jump on in sugarcube!  Once ya’ get yer hooves in there, all ya’ve gotta do is stomp, like this.”  Luna watched as Applejack hopped up and down on the apples underneath her.  Princess Luna did admit that it looked pretty fun, the sound of the apples liquefying underneath her heavy hooves, the way it seemed like Applejack made a type of dance out of her jumping, and even the way the liquid was flying up over her body.

“Oh, what the hay, you never know until you try it…I…I believe that is the saying,” Princess Luna shook her vocabulary studies away, and taking a small breath, leaped into the air and landed in the bin, giggling softly as the juice from the apples tickled her hooves, even through the socks.

“See, it’s fun ain’t it?”  Applejack continued to hop about as she asked for Luna’s opinion.

“Yes, it is quite fun!” Luna replied as she looked down and watched the fruit squash beneath her and the juice fly up on and around her.

Much like they had done the last time, Applejack and Luna made a game of their afterhours work, and much like the last time, Luna headed Applejack greatly.  The fruit beneath her was no match for Luna’s almost infinite stamina and powerful legs.  Applejack wasn’t far behind her though, her experience at this task was what gave her the edge.

Like the last task, it all had to end at some time.  Not able to squash the pool of liquid beneath them down anymore, Applejack jumped first out of her bin and proceeded to show Luna what to do next.  Princess Luna hopped out of her bin and followed Applejack’s lead as she first took off her socks, or “hoofies”, and tossed them into a garbage can.  Once that was completed, Applejack instructed Luna to “take hold” of one of the bins (Princess Luna used her magic, and Applejack used her head) and follow her to the ice house.  Going out of a side door in the barn, Applejack led them to a smaller wooden building that was just next to the barn.  Bringing her head up, Applejack pushed the door open and led them into the cold building.  “And ya’ just push it anywhere!” Applejack pushed her bin into a corner, and Luna sat hers down beside some others.

Shuddering from the cold, Princess Luna watched the mist come out of her mouth as she asked, “W…why is this place so cold?  How do you keep it so cold?”

Applejack laughed as she led them outside into the warmer night and closed the door behind them.  “We keep it cold in there to keep the cider preserved, otherwise it might spoil.  And we use some…gosh darn it, what was it Twilight called em’ again… ‘refrigeratin’ units, or something like that.  It ain’t cheap or traditional, but it gets the job done.”

Princess Luna nodded her head and replied, “I understand.”

Feeling a little awkward, just the two of them standing in the middle of the barnyard in the dark, Applejack scratched the back of her head and said, “Well sugarcube, that’s about all I can teach ya’ll.  All the rest has been done already, or don’t need doin’.”

Seeming to only be a little disappointed by this, Princess Luna asked, “But thou…I mean you, said that you would show us… I… I mean me, some type of ‘game’ that you had used to play with your brother,” she reminded Applejack.

Applejack slapped her hat back on and cursed, “Gall darn it, ya’ll right Princess!  I almost forgot, come on and follow me back to the barn.”  Princess Luna smiled and did as she was told, following Applejack back inside the warm and well-lit barn.

“What is this game you wish to educate us about?” Princess Luna looked around the barn, seeing only farm equipment, bins for apples, carts, and the massive stack of hay.  “It does not seem like there is much to have fun with in here.”

Applejack began ascending a ladder which was close to her, and once she was at the upper most loft in the barn, leaned her head over and said, “Beg yer’ pardon yer’ majesty, but I think I can prove you wrong.  Come on up here and I’ll show ya’ what I mean.”  A confused look on her face still, Luna did as she was told and used her wings to fly up to the rafter and join her friend’s side.

As soon as Luna’s hooves touched the loft flooring though, Applejack picked her hat up and placed it back on her head, and with a smile on her face and her eyes closed, said “Howdy!” and then leaned just to the left and said, “Goodbye!” and then she promptly fell off the loft.

“Applejack!” Princess Luna exclaimed as she tried to leap forward and catch her, but was forced to helplessly watched the pony fall towards the barn floor, only to land in a pile of hay.  Sick with fear, Princess Luna flew down from the loft and landed beside the stack of hay where she started sifting through it and calling out, “Applejack!  Applejack!  Where are you?”

A sigh of relief escaped her breath though, when Applejack popped up out of the hay only to be chewing some of it.  “Well, what did you jump down here fer?  All the fun starts up there!” she said coolly, obviously unaware of Princess Luna’s worry.

“Thou scared us!” Princess Luna said as she completely ignored her grammatical errors.

Applejack climbed out of the haystack fit as a fiddle and replied, “Yeah, that’s what I told Big Macintosh the first time he showed me how to do it.”

Beginning to calm down a little bit, Princess Luna looked at the haystack and the unharmed Applejack and asked, “What kind of game is this?”

Applejack explained, “It’s called hay divin’.  You jump from one of them rafters up there and see which haystack you can land in.  Ya’ get the most points for hitting the stack farthest from yer’ jump point.”

“Interesting…” Princess Luna said.  “Maybe I should give it a try…” she thought to herself as she looked up at the loft and back at the pile of hay.  “Very well Applejack,” she said, “I think I’ll try my hoof at your little game.”

Applejack nodded and said, “Princess’ first,” as she indicated the ladder.  Getting the gesture, Princess Luna thanked her and flew up to the rafters.  For a moment, Applejack saw beneath Luna’s tail, but knowing that it was for the better, brushed it quickly from her mind.  She then climbed up to the waiting Luna and asked, “Well, which one of us jumps goes first?”

Princess Luna peered over the edge of the loft and saw that it was very high up.  She was used to being higher up than this, but if something did go wrong and she needed to open up her wings and catch herself, she’d smack muzzle first into one of the barn’s confined walls or rafters.

“We… would be most appreciative if thou went…” It was all too obvious now to Applejack that Princess Luna was nervous.

So she cut Princess Luna short and offered, “I understand Princess.  Well, as they say in Appleoosa, ‘Adios!’” and with that, Applejack jumped over the barn loft flipped around to where she landed in a haystack that was one over from the other she had landed in.  As she fell and landed, Princess Luna paid close attention to it all.  She observed the area of the hay and determined that one would have to literally be a Pegasus who opened her wings and flew way off to miss.  She also noted that each stack of hay was very deep and had no spaces in between them, so regardless of however she fell, she would land in a stack of hay one way or the other.

“Oh yeah!” Applejack called up to her, “don’t forget to snag ya’ a bite when ya’ get down here.”  Princess Luna couldn’t help but giggle at how unladylike and “country-to-the-core” Applejack was, she liked it.  She watched Applejack climb out of the stack and begin ascending the latter.

Looking over the edge of the loft once more, Princess Luna took a deep breath and placed all her trust in faith that her calculations had been correct.  As soon as Applejack got to the top of the loft and was standing on all four hooves, Princess Luna gulped and then jumped over the edge of the loft, screaming rather loudly as she fell to the ground.  Applejack now looked over the edge and watched as Luna’s screaming was silenced as she buried herself into a haystack, the same which she herself had landed in on her very first jump.

Jumping out of the haystack, Princess Luna was a little shaky from her nervousness, but smiled up at Applejack to indicate that she had liked it.  Reminding her of the splashes created from the pool at the palace she often jumped in, Princess Luna giggled softly as Applejack took her turn and hopped off the loft, landing in the same pile of hay, and sending some thistles of the dried up grass flying into her mane.

Up for seconds, Princess Luna flew back up to the loft and readied herself for another jump, this time deciding that she wanted to try and hit one stack over.  Once Applejack had cleared away, Princess Luna jumped and landed successfully, earning applause from Applejack who had already gotten back to the top of the loft.

After a while, Princess Luna no longer had doubts about jumping into the hay below.  It was quite fun actually, though the grass stuck in her mane and tail and it made her quite itchy, Princess Luna did like the sensation that it gave her as she fell and landed successfully.  For around thirty minutes, the two of them took turns diving and climbing, diving and climbing.  Eventually though, it was Applejack who had decided that she was ready to stop the fun, though she offered to sit to the side and watch Luna.

All too aware of the country pony’s demanding farm duties, Princess Luna said that it was quite fun and she enjoyed it, but that Applejack’s well-being was more important to her.  “Well shucks,” Applejack said after a yawn, “that’s might thoughtful of ya’.”

Nodding her head, Princess Luna let Applejack lead the way, and so as to let her friend conserve her strength, closed the barn doors using her magic.  Princess Luna then walked her worn out friend to the house on the hill and bid her goodbyes, “It was truly a gift to have done all of this with you Applejack.”

“Shucks, it ain’t nothin’,” Applejack insisted, though Luna could see the tired look in her eyes.  “I’m just glad ya’ll had a good time.  I’m also mighty grateful that ya’ helped me with the apple buckin’ and cider squeezin’, means I won’t have to do as much come next harvest.”

Princess Luna nodded her head, and then just like it was an everyday thing, reared up and delivered Applejack a hug.  “Thank you again, my friend.  Farewell,” she whispered.  As quickly and as unexpectedly as she had come, Princess Luna trotted off a little ways, opened up her graceful wings and then took off into the sky, heading out to resume her duties as goddess of the night.

Still standing in surprise, Applejack watched her fly off, and then noted to herself, “My goodness, she smells wonderful.”