//------------------------------//
// Tuesday - Nutritional Logistics 
// Story: Ballistics of Romance 
// by Cytotoxin 
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	Spike stretched and yawned. Strange. He was not used to wake up on his own - and thus, usually tended to sleep in whenever that happened. Today, it definitely happened - it was a quarter past eleven on the clock. Hopping up, he stretched and looked around. Twilight`s bed was made neatly, a piece of paper laying on it. He picked up the note, fairly confident it was meant for him. The note said - "Hey, Spike. I`m out at the Sweet Apple Acres hanging out with Applejack. Count me out for dinner, I`ll have a meal in town. Have fun!"

He tossed the note into the bin for used paper and shrugged. Time to get some breakfast, then.  He wholly expected a lazy day filled with nothing but lounging around the library and munching on minerals - a simple solid plan that was utterly shattered by the triple cheer that greeted him downstairs. Cutie Mark Crusaders. What`s worse, they came bearing a letter from Rarity. Swooning habitually, he unrolled and scanned through the letter quickly. Apparently, Rarity had an urgent order and was asking him to babysit CMC while she rushed some fancy dresses. Sighing, little dragon went to the kitchen, motioning fillies to follow. If today was going to be an apocalypse, he fully intended to go down with full belly.

___

Earlier today...

It was crisp and bright morning when Twilight trotted up to the gates of Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack mentioned the western orchard - it needed bucking most often, as the russeted apples tended to grow the fastest. It matched Twilight`s interests well, as she intended to finally persuade Applejack into letting Twilight actually taste the russeted apple. She attempted before, but Applejack was quite stalwart that they 'ain`t purdy enough ta eat'. At the time being, Twilight accepted that as a hint that apples were excessively sour and thus only good for pies and cider - however, later she read through the almanac of apple cultivars. The almanac`s entry on russeted apples claimed them to be among the sweetest cultivars grown in Equestria.

First things first, though. Perking her ears, Twilight listened in. A distant thump of hooves connecting with the tree told Twilight where to go. Sure enough, she encountered Applejack just a few steps into the orchard, bucking one of the trees diligently. Cowpony noticed her immediately, of course. "Oh hiya there, Twailight. Top`o`the mornin` to ya." - she offered, pausing her work to talk with Twilight. Unicorn smiled back easily - "Hey there, Applejack. Bucking apples as always, I see?"

"Well, yah." - replied Applejack with certainity - "Them apples ain`t gonna buck themselves, by golly. So, what brings ya here, Twi?" Unicorn shrugged slightly as she looked around, answering softly - "Well... I wanted to help you buck apples today, if you don`t mind." That set off Applejack`s mental alarms - "Now wait just a cottonpickin` minute there, Twailight. Ah donno what yer been hearin`, but ah`m not overworking myself again, no way."

Twilight chuckled and shook her head quickly - "Oh, no, no, no, it`s nothing like this, Applejack. Actually, this is for me, not for you." At the inquisitive glance of the orange pony, she elaborated - "OK, look... For us unicorns, telekinesis is something we need to practice all the time. It`s just like running - the more you run, the better you are at it. Now, I`ve been handling some pretty heavy equipment in my laboratory last day, and it sure wasn`t a walk in the park. So, I`m looking to work out some, essentially."

Applejack rubbed at the back of her neck in confusion. On one hoof, there was her pride - she did not need no help with her chores, no way, no how. On the other... On the other, it was not like Twilight thought she was unable to do the chores - no, Twilight just wanted to pitch in to work out some. That, Applejack could understand and respect. Still, she felt a bit iffy about Twilight handling apple trees with magic. "....Hrm. Well, what do ya have in mind?" - she offered finally, resolving to at least hear Twilight out before dismissing her.

"Ah, pretty simple, actually. See, you spend most of the time hauling the full baskets of apples to the barn. So I thought I`ll take over hauling of baskets with magic, while you concentrate on bucking." - proposed Twilight cheerily, as she glanced at the barn in question. It`s doors swung open, and a cavalcade of baskets floated out, spun around the two ponies and settled themselves under the next few fruit-laden appletrees. Applejack whistled -  "...Whoa, fancy tricks there, Twi... Well, ah suppose ah`m alright with that. Let`s give it a try."

___

Applejack glanced upwards. Her head felt a bit dizzy from constant bucking. "Aw, dangit. Ain`t dinner time for `nother hour. Ah could use some grub." - she muttered, as she looked over the baskets full of apples floating past her. Twilight`s help changed her routine quite a bit - no longer needing to fetch the baskets here and there, she did nothing but buck trees for a few hours back to back. Oh well, she wasn`t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Trotting on to the next tree, she noticed something was amiss. There was no next tree.

"....Well, ah`ll be darned." - she breathed out, turning around, - "We`ve gone and done bucked whole orchard in one morning." Twilight beamed at her friend, wiping some sweat off her brow - levitating all those baskets was a workout on itself, and the weather was not too merciful with heat either. "That we did, Applejack. That we did." - she offered proudly, her face growing concerned a second later - "Uh, Applejack, this is not going to give you any problems, now will it?"

"Naw. Ah sell those apples by tha bulk... Actually, ah think ah might beat everypony else at tha stock exchange this month. Twi, ah insist ya stay fer dinner. Yah earned it, for sure." - replied Applejack with a grin - "Tell ya what - ya tell me what ya want fer dinner, and ah`ll make it, if ah know how." Pausing for a moment, Twilight offered - "Well, since we`re done with the job, how about a little picnic for both of us? You make us some apple snacks, I`ll set the place here."

Judging by Applejack`s grin, she liked the idea. "I gotcha, sugarcube. Will be back in a jif." - she replied eagerly, trotting towards the house. Twilight followed her with the gaze, then trotted after her. She did not go into the house, however, instead stopping at the picnic table next to CMC treehouse. Judging by the silence, CMCs were terrorising ponies elsewhere at the moment. Concentrating, Twilight opened her saddlebags. Applejack had been curious about them in the morning, of course, but Twilight dispelled the notion by admitting she intended to buy some of the freshly bucked apples. That was the truth, of course, just... not all of it.

And so, now Twilight pulled out two sheets of fabric, folding them on the benches. Then she set the little snacks she brought along with her - cubes of candied ginger, fried cashews and a shaker of black salt. She sniffed the shaker and snorted at the smell of eggs wafting from inside. Applejack was not the fanciest of mares, but even she could be enticed by the exotic treat every now and then. Speaking of which... She spied the orange mare trotting back, basket in teeth.

"...Well, ah`ll be... Did ya plan that too, Twi?" - muttered Applejack appreciatively, as she spied the exotic treats. Twilight responded by levitating Applejack`s basket up and spreading the apple treats on the table. It seems that Applejack opted for simple, today - her offerings included apple and cabbage coleslaw, jug of apple juice, some candied apples and the ever-popular apple pie. Soon enough, both ponies were eating coleslaw eagerly. Twilight was susprised as to how much of an appetite she had. But that was hardly a problem - big portions were a tradition of Apple family, after all. "Feel laike ah could eat a tree. What about ya, Twi? Hungry too, ah bet?" - Applejack offered finally, looking up as she licked some stray buttermilk from her lip. Unicorn nodded eagerly, her mouth too full to try talking at the moment.

"I don`t know what you did, Applejack, but things are just extra tasty today..." - offered Twilight after a few more minutes of eating. Orange mare merely chuckled - "Ah`ve done nothang, Twi, ah swear. Nothang unusual, ah mean. Granny Smith keeps tellin` us dinner always tastes bettah if ya put in some good honest work before eatin`." Nodding thoughtfully, Twilight pushed her empty bowl aside, and reached for the ginger cube. "Try this, Applejack. Surprisingly good for something that tickles Pinkie`s fancy." - she offered, levitating another cube towards Applejack.

"That sweet, huh?" - quipped Applejack as she snapped the cube out of air, chewing it up. Her face expression changed to puzzled, then to alarmed as she grabbed the cup and chugged some applejuice down. Twilight giggled, slowly nibbling her own cube, savoring the sweet sweet bite of ginger. "Discord touch it, what in tarnation was that, Twi?!" - gasped workpony as she slammed the cup down, - "An` how in the name of all that`s holy somethang can be so sweet an` sizzlin` hot in the same time?"

"That`s candied ginger, Applejack." - Twilight finally got around to chewing up her cube, - "Don`t hurry when you try it. Savor it a bit, play with it a little." Eyeing the bowl of treats with distrust, Applejack poked the nuts instead. "What about the nuts?" - she quipped, a little unsure. Twilight had to chuckle, for uncertain Applejack looked simply adorable - "Cashews. They`re... uh, nutty? I don`t know how to describe their taste as anything other then nutty." That sounded good enough for Applejack, so she popped a few in her mouth. "Ah, yah, ah dig it, sugarcube. Nutty, ain`t no question about it." - she offered after a bit of consideration, - "Care for some pie?"

Twilight found herself to be quite amenable to that proposition. "Sure do." - she offered enthusiastically, taking a bite, - "Yum." Applejack wasn`t far behind. Finally, after three more slices, Twilight leaned back, folding her forehooves comfortably over her full belly. "...Oh, yeah. That was quite a meal." - she offered, smiling - "I`m full, though... Oof. Maybe a little too full."

"Aw, Twi, come on. Ain`t nothang wrong with hearty meal every now and then." - replied Applejack, looking across the table on the unicorn. Lavender mare retorted playfully - "Well, I don`t see you reaching for extra helping either." Snorting, Applejack snapped up candied apple, but it was obvious her heart wasn`t on it anymore. "Aight, aight, ya got me there, Twi." - she admitted, stretching on the bench with a little groan - "Ah`m full too." Twilight shot her a bemused glance - "Not too full for a salt lick, I hope?"

Applejack`s face drooped in a rare expression of uncertainty - "Ah`m not sure about that, sugarcube. Gettin` plastered in tha middle of tha day? Kinda weird ta me." Twilight snickered, levitating the shaker off the table. She stuck her tongue out languidly, shaking out a little bit of black salt on it. She could see Applejack blushing slightly at the show. And then Twilight swallowed the salt, her mind clouding for a second while her body sorted out the sudden input. "Ahh... Come on, AJ. I`m pretty sure you`ve never tried black salt before. Just one lick. And we have applejuice, so, y`know, no need to stay dehydrated." - she cajoled, letting the shaker float around Applejack teasingly.

Still uncertain, orange mare nevertheless decided to give it a try, sticking her tongue out stubbornly and closing her eyes. "Aight, fine. Lay it on me, sugarcube." - she muttered, blushing again. For a split second, Twilight considered what would happen if she were to lean over the table and suck on that tongue. Most likely, Applejack would have a shock of her life. Amusing, but.... naaah. That might end up ugly. She flipped the shaker over Applejack`s tongue briefly, casting out a tiny pink cloud of salt dust settle on workpony`s tongue.

"Wuth... Wha... WHAT the hay!? Why does the salt taste laike eggs!" - exclaimed Applejack incredulously, smacking her lips at the unexpected taste. Unicorn chuckled, plopping the shaker on the table right before her friend. "Black salt. Also known as pink salt or mountain salt. It smells and tastes like eggs because it contains sulfur." - she explained patiently, sipping some juice - "Which, coincidentally, is good for health, if eaten in a bound form like this."

Applejack stared at Twilight incredulously. "...Only ya, Twailight. Only ya could turn picnic inta lesson." - she replied, shaking her head. Unicorn smirked and capped the shaker, floating a cup of juice to her friend - "Have a drink. I`m guessing you don`t want to be dehydrated all afternoon, now do you?" Nodding, orange mare grabbed the floating cup with both hooves and downed it in one fell chug, slamming he empty cup on the table after- "Ah, yah. That`s tha stuff, by golly."

Unicorn smirked again - "Good. I was hoping to get you all buttered up, because I have a favor to ask." Applejack`s posture straightened immediately as she peered at Twilight intently - "Uh-huh, so what`s that abo... oooh, no, ya don`t. Ah done tole ya, them russeted apples ain`t purdy enough ta eat, and ah`m not budgin` on that." Lavender mare pretended to sulk for a moment, then fixed Applejack with a rather intense and maybe even slightly steamy gaze. "Oh. Too bad. If that`s the case, would you go out with me instead?" - she offered.

"Ah`m glad ya.... WHAT?!!" - as soon as Twilight`s words registered, Applejack jerked up straight, as if she just swallowed a poker, - "Twailight, ah must have misheard ya. Ya can`t be serious `bout askin` me out, now can ya be?" Unicorn leaned on the table, resting her head against her hoof, flashing a tilted smile at Applejack - "Oh, no no no, you heard me right. We`ve had fun just now, didn`t we? I like you, you like me, what`s the problem?"

Cautiously, workpony searched for the right words. Finally, she offered - "Twi? Please, don`t take it tha wrong way, but ah`m just not into ya. Ah`m sorry if yer sweet on me, but ah don`t laike mares that way." For a moment, it seemed that time itself was frozen between two mares, but then Twilight smiled again, offering a slight shrug. "Ah. Well, no problem." - she responded airily, - "Let`s just be friends, then." That wasn`t the reaction Applejack expected to see.

"Are ya sure, sugarcube?" - she ventured cautiously, - "Ah`m sorry, ah really am. Is there anythang ah can do ta smooth things over?" Twilight regarded her with a cool gaze. "Weeeell... there is one thing. I`d be much happier if you`d let me taste the russeted apples." - she finally responded, giving Applejack a little smirk. That smirk vanished, however, as Applejack slammed her hoof on the table, standing up. "Confound it, Twailight! Did ya asked me out only ta taste the darn apples!?" - she exclaimed angrily, her nostrils flaring as she leaned over the table.

"No." - a short and concise reply from Twilight threw Applejack off the loop. She could tell Twilight was entirely honest with that answer - but she also felt confusion and anger in her own head. "Well, then, what was that supposed ta mean?" - she asked, looking on unicorn intently. Lavender mare shrugged, folding her front hooves neatly on the table as she adopted a lecturing posture subconsciously.

"What it meant? Exactly what it sounded like." - she offered seriously, her gaze making direct contact with Applejack`s, - "I assure you, I`ve asked you out in all honesty, and I would have been delighted to go on a date with you, if you deemed it fit to accept my offer. As far as things stand... I can respect your decision. You like stallions and that`s a fair and logical reason to decline. Obviously enough, I don`t think of you any less for it, and I hope you won`t think any less of me for making the offer in first place."

"Twailight. Ah`m pretty sure ya haveta be sweet on somepony to ask them out." - responded Applejack, as she backed off slightly, taking a seat again. "Oh, I do like you." - responded Twilight lightly, - "That much I can honestly state. Unfortunately, I don`t know all that much about romance, and I hoped to learn more if I started dating. So I am not sure about how sweet I am on you, as you put it." Orange hoof rose up and connected to orange forehead with a groan. "Twi... It ain`t gonna work that way." - workpony offered after a few seconds of silence - "Ya haveta figure out whom yer sweet on before askin` them out, ah reckon."

Unicorn shrugged. "I have no idea how would I figure that out, AJ. The only way I can think of is through the experiment... And it seems to me that that`s pretty much how everypony does it." - she explained, lifting another ginger cube to her lips - "And even if today`s experiment wasn`t a success, it`s not a failure either. I learned something about you, about me... and I`m hoping I do get to learn about russeted apples, after all."

Letting out a small chuckle, Applejack waved her hoof. "Fine, Twi, ya win. Ya can taste them russeted apples, but ah assure ya, they ain`t purdy enough ta eat." - she replied, resting her head on the hooves as she mulled things over. An apple floated from the barn. Applejack sighed as she glanced at it. Criss-crossed all over with brown lines and dots, that kind of apple wouldn`t fetch a good price on the market. Still, if Twilight wanted to try it so much, she could - just so she could see why it wasn`t a good idea to taste one. She watched, eyebrow cocked as Twilight bit into the apple with a soft crunch, a trickle of apple juice running over her chin as she did. Applejack found herself blushing again, and she coudln`t even say why.

"Sun`s glory..." - muttered unicorn, looking on the apple in her hoof with a weird expression. "Twi? Ah tole ya, it ain`t purdy enough ta eat." - offered Applejack tiredly. She knew russeted apples didn`t sell. Twilight`s words astonished her, however. "What are you talking about, AJ? It`s the sweetest apple I`ve ever tasted." - she offered, as she took another bite, letting out a little moan of pleasure. Applejack was pretty sure she was just teasing.

"Ah know they`re sweet like honey, Twi." - orange mare offered thoughtfully, - "But they ain`t purdy." Twilight looked at her with strange expression, apple in her hooves already reduced to a core. "AJ? I want a bushel of those." - she said, her face serious and elated in the same time, - "And before you say something? I don`t care how they look. I care how sweet they are."