It wasn’t snowing outside, not anymore. But the trees and beanfields were blanketed over in white, fluffy drifts of it, standing out starkly against the dirt path in the overcast light. Applejack sighed and glanced at the sky, back to the road, up at the sky, and then scrubbed at the porridge pot with a vengeance, the warm soapy water in the sink slowly bringing her hooves up to temperature.
An odd, squeaky rumbling sounded from outside as Applejack put the last bowl in the drainer, and she trotted to the front door and opened it to take a look. Pinkie Pie, hitched up to a heavy old trundle cart, waved brightly at her and continued on her way, head down, legs rippling with effort and strength. Applejack kicked the door shut behind her and ran out to meet Pinkie, smiling widely for the first time this morning. Not that she was unhappy, but there was nothing to do, and the heavy clouds didn’t help.
“Hey, sugarplum,” Applejack greeted, kissing Pinkie on the cheek. Pinkie giggled as Applejack cantered backwards, kissing her other cheek, her forehead, the tip of her nose.
“What’s got you in such a good mood?” Pinkie’s eyes twinkled as she darted her neck out and nipped Applejack’s ear.
“Jes’ happy to see you,” Applejack answered, peering around to get a look at whatever strange contraption Pinkie had hidden beneath a tarp on the trundle behind her. Pinkie giggled, with those wonderful blue eyes of hers peering intently at Applejack.
“Oh yeah?” she half-growled, her smile never leaving her voice.
“Yeah!” Applejack crowed, frisking backwards happily. She nearly fell over when her hocks hit the steps of her porch. She stood a moment in embarrassed silence before giving in to her instincts and rolling on the cold dirt and gravel, laughing her head off. With the clink of tackle, Pinkie joined her on the ground, smiling and giggling herself. Applejack calmed and rolled to look at Pinkie, look at her bright blue eyes, warm and sunny despite the weather.
“Jackie, remember how you were saying you missed seeing the sky?” Pinkie asked, stroking Applejack’s shoulder with a slow, steady hoof.
Applejack chuckled and stroked Pinkie’s face, looking into her bright blue, sunny eyes. “I reckon I got all the sky I need right here, Pinks,” she said, scooting across the space between them and entwining Pinkie in a full-body hug.
Pinkie blushed, a little change in color that had taken Applejack a while to recognize. “That’s really sweet of you,” she said, pulling out of Applejack’s clinging limbs and hopping upright, “but it’s also not true.” She grabbed a corner of the tarp on the old trundle cart and yanked it off, showing a new-and-improved flying machine.
“I’m gonna show you the sun today, if that’s alright?” Pinkie’s smile was infectious, and Applejack shot to her hooves, practically vibrating with excitement. She couldn’t hardly wait.