Applejack groaned, slamming her hat on the table.
"Are ya kiddin' me?!"
Big Mac walked over, raising a brow. "Huh?"
Applejack shoved a paper in his face. "Look at this! The apple business in Manehatten isn't gonna take any apples from us for a few months!"
Mac scanned the letter, blinking. He groaned as well. "Seriously?"
Applejack nodded, snatching it back. "Yeah. They're worried that 'we won't have enough for a while' because of the whole cider season thing." She put her head in her hooves. "Ah guess that means Braeburn will have ta work harder out in Appleloosa ta get apples to 'em."
Mac shrugged. "Well, we can't exactly do anythin' about it."
Applejack turned to face Big Mac. "Mac, we're losin' business! We're losin' money! That whole cider thing happened over two months ago and no one's lettin' it go!"
"That's true, but it'll all calm down eventually. Once ponies see we've recovered, business will be back ta normal. It's not like no one will ever buy from us again."
Applejack looked to the ground. "But-but-"
Mac sighed. "Applejack, you're stressed. Ya need ta find somethin' ta help with that. Ah'm sure Granny knows a few methods."
Applejack blinked. "...You're right. Ah'll go for a walk. Anythin' away from business."
Big Mac nodded. "That's a good idea. Be back soon."
Applejack nodded. "Ah will," she replied, stepping outside. There was a more relaxing breeze today as she made her way out of the orchard, immediately knowing where she wanted to go: the woods. Flim had today off, and she had every intent to spend some time with him. She trotted across town, and, like always, made sure to stay out of sight from her friends. She had been keeping all of this a secret for months, and she was starting to hate it. If she knew that her family would be alright with her and Flim dating, she would have certainly told her friends by now!
She walked into the clearing, swatting away the bugs that tried to land on her body. As she entered, she saw that Flim was napping against a tree. She smiled as she walked over, laying down next to him and taking her hat off, letting the breeze course through her mane. After staring at him for a second, she lightly nudged his side. His eyes slowly fluttered open, glancing over to Applejack. He smiled as he saw her.
"Oh, hey, Applejack!" He said, rolling over and snuggling against her. "How have you been?"
"Great. Well, kinda. Business isn't doin' so well."
Flim's ear flicked. "Oh?"
Applejack nodded. "Yeah. Ponies still can't get over that cider thing."
Flim grunted. "That was a few months ago!"
Applejack nodded. "Ah know. Oh well. Hopefully we'll regain it all soon."
Flim nodded. "You should. I mean, you're Sweet Apple Acres, after all. Ponies wouldn't want to go without your apples for too long."
Applejack chuckled, stroking his mane. "Thanks. Ah know it'll get better eventually, but Ah'm still so stressed. Ah've been losin' sleep over it all."
"Aww, I'm sorry."
Applejack kissed his head. "Yeah. Ah just need some way ta de-stress, especially at night." She looked down to him. "Oh, if only ya were able ta live with me."
Flim met her eyes, tilting his head. "Huh?"
Applejack nodded. "Ah wish ya were. Havin' ya there before Ah go ta sleep would really help me with mah stress."
Flim chuckled. "Well, I obviously can't live with you. The only way I would be able to meet you at night is if I broke in. That won't go over well at all."
Applejack blinked. "Actually..."
Flim's eyes widened. "Wait a second... are you really wanting me to break in?"
Applejack shrugged. "'Break in' is a harsh phrase. Ah was thinkin'... can ya teleport?"
Flim shook his head. "Nope."
"Darn. Ah was thinkin'... y'all could teleport to mah room some nights and we can snuggle a bit. Ya can then teleport out. If we're quiet and Ah lock the door, no one would know."
Flim blinked. "Well... I guess that could work. I mean, would you really get better sleep if I come around some nights?"
Applejack nodded. "Yeah. Ah'm sure. Even Granny has commented on mah lack of sleep. It's not just the whole losin' business thing, either. Ah've put mahself under so much stress ta do much more work than normal, and Ah can't do it too well."
"Applejack, you need to maybe not work yourself too hard."
Applejack shook her head. "No. Ah need ta make up for the shortage. Ah-"
Flim shut her up by kissing her, pulling apart and running a hoof along her face. "Applejack, if it's really having such a negative effect on you, why do it to yourself?"
Applejack blinked. "It needs ta be done. Ah'm doin' it now so Ah won't have ta worry about it later. Big Mac's been takin' on more work, too."
Flim sighed. "Well, if that's really what you think. I don't suppose I can deter you."
Applejack shook her head. "Ya can't."
"I had a pretty good feeling. So, anyway... I would totally sneak into your house if I knew how to teleport. I mean, considering I want you to feel a bit better."
Applejack kissed his cheek. "Why, thank you. And... hold on. Would ya be able ta learn it with a book?"
Flim nodded. "That's how I learned levitation."
Applejack beamed. "Great! Ah can borrow one from Twilight!"
Flim tilted his head. "Wouldn't she think it's weird that you, an earth pony, was borrowing a book about magic?"
Applejack blinked. "Um... that's a good point. Ah would have ta steal it."
"Please don't feel like you have to, AJ."
Applejack shook her head. "Nope. Ah will. This goes against everythin' Ah was ever taught, but Ah want some sleep, dammit. Ah'll steal it."
Flim's eyes darted around. "Well... alright. Whatever you want, Apples. I will try my hardest to learn the spell as soon as possible." He booped her nose. "For you."
Applejack smiled, bringing his head forward and kissing him. They parted, Applejack smiling. "Ah love ya."
Flim smiled. "I love you too."
Applejack kissed his forehead before standing up. "Ah'll go get that book now."
Flim nodded. "Well, alright. Bring it right back so I can try to learn it as soon as possible."
Applejack nodded, smiling. "Ah'll do just that. See ya! Love ya!" She replied, running out of the woods. As she did, she ran up to Twilight's castle, hoping she could discretely take the book off the shelf. Maybe she could get Twilight to go off on some rant and she could slip it under her hat when she wasn't looking?
Applejack knocked on the door, tapping her hoof on the ground as she waited. It was eventually opened by Spike, who smiled at the visitor.
"Hey, AJ! Why did you knock?"
Applejack blinked. "Ah, right. Ah always forget Ah can just waltz right in," she said, walking in and chuckling.
Spike nodded. "Yep! Anyways, are you here for Twilight?"
Applejack nodded. "Yup! Where is she?"
Twilight walked into the main foyer. "Did I hear my name? Oh, Applejack! Hi!" She greeted, smiling. Applejack tipped her hat.
"Hey there! Ah kinda wanted ta relax in the library with ya."
Twilight blinked. "The library? I mean, I'll agree, I'm in there all the time, but I never thought of you as a reader!"
Applejack shrugged. "Well, Ah was thinkin' that maybe readin' somethin' can get mah mind off of business."
Twilight beamed. "Well, alright! Let's go!" She replied, bounding over to the library. Applejack walked behind, feeling a weight drop in her chest. This was all going against her element of honesty. But, then again, hasn't she been going against it since she first met up with Flim?
Her thoughts were soon drowned out by Twilight eagerly talking. "Well, here we are!" She said, opening the doors to the library. "Do you want me to find a book to recommend to you?"
Applejack nodded. "Ah do. What are some of yer favorites that you think Ah'll enjoy?"
At this, Twilight's eyes sparkled. "Oh, I have so many! Let me tell you about all of them!"
As soon as she said this, Applejack knew she would go off for a while. She was right; Twilight continue to go on and on about some large book that talked about the life experiences of Star Swirl the Bearded. As Twilight was nose deep looking though that book, Applejack noticed she was standing right in front of the shelf with all the magic books. As Twilight continued to look through the book and explaining parts of it, Applejack looked behind her again, a book title immediately grabbing her eye: Mastering Teleportation. Applejack glanced at Twilight again before picking it up, stealthily hiding it under her hat. She breathed an internal sigh of relief as she realized that Twilight didn't even notice.
"Oh, I have another great book that I think you might even like more than this!" She said, looking up to Applejack. Applejack nodded as Twilight pulled out a huge book with an apple on the front.
"This story is about how earth ponies lived back before Equestria was founded; when the races were split into three tribes! It's quite interesting and eye opening! Everyone who has read it has loved it, and..."
By the time Applejack left the castle, she left with the stolen teleportation book under her hat and a borrowed book about ancient earth pony lives in her arm. She walked over to the woods, stepping into the clearing and smiling. Flim saw her walk in, smiling as well.
"Oh, there you are! Is that it?" He asked, pointing to the book in her arm.
Applejack shook her head. "Nah. Twilight convinced me ta borrow this one." She lifted up her hat, taking out the book. "Here it is. Ah hope Ah got the right one."
Flim smirked as he took it. "Wow, Applejack. It's hard to believe you're the element of honesty, stealing someone's book."
Applejack lightly swatted at him. "Hey! Ah wanna get some sleep!"
Flim laughed. "Alright, alright. That's understandable," he said, opening the book and looking through it. He nodded. "The spell's here!"
Applejack beamed. "Great! So, Ah gotta leave now. Mac's gotta be wonderin' where Ah am."
Flim nodded, standing up. "Well, alright," he said, leaning forward and kissing her. "I'll see you on my next day off. I promise I will try as hard as I can to learn this spell before then."
Applejack smiled, kissing him again. "Well, Ah'm glad you're dedicated. It means a lot ta me." The two looked into each other's eyes before pulling into another kiss. They broke apart, smiling.
"Bye. I love you, Applejack."
Applejack's pupils dilated as she smiled even brighter. "Ah love ya too, Flim."