//------------------------------//
// Ch. 3 The Background 
// Story: New Slang 
// by Closer-To-The-Sun 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 3: The Background

Rob looked up to see an orange mare walking towards him. "Howdy," she repeated.

"Oh, hello there, Applejack. Sorry, kinda lost in my own thoughts," the stallion apologized, rubbing the back of his neck with one of his hooves.

"It's quite alright, sugarcube. What brings ya ta this neck of the woods?" Applejack asked.

"Oh, just came by to talk to Big Mac and Caramel. What are you up to?" Rob answered and then asked a similar question.

"Ah was runnin' some end of the day errands around Ponyville. Gotta say since Spike's been helpin' 'round the farm, things have been runnin' smoothly," Applejack replied.

"Yeah, he told he helps out every so often," Rob spoke. He took a look at Applejack before continuing, "Hey, are you alright?"

"Hm? Ah'm quite fine," the mare replied, "Why you ask?"

"Well, it seems you're a bit off, is all."

"Nope, doin' jus' fine!" Applejack reassured the colt, "So, what you talk to Caramel and mah brother 'bout?"

Rob slightly blushed as he spoke his words, "Well, it sounds a bit weird, but I was asking them what I should do for Pinkie Pie. I want to do something special for her seeing how I've been in Ponyville for two years."

Applejack was a bit surprised to see the blue pony blushing, "Ah see. Any ideas?" The orange pony gestured for Rob to follow her on the path back to the farm.

Rob followed, looking up to the colorful sky with the sun beginning to set, "Well, Caramel said I should do something that is meaningful."

"Meaningful?" Applejack was puzzled by what he meant.

"Like, something that can be sentiment and what not," Rob elaborated "Big Mac didn't have any ideas like myself."

The blonde mare chuckled softly, "That sounds like mah brother alright."

"And Spike told me to get her a new party cannon."

"Even little, ol' Spike had some advice fer ya? Go figure," Applejack stated.

As the two ponies drew closer to the barn and the Apple family's home, Rob continued, "Seems everypony has their own take on what I should do to surprise Pinkie."

Applejack stepped up onto the porch of her home and sat on her flank. She faced the rest of the farm, watching Celestia's sun slowly sink in the distance. "Well, what do ya want ta do fer her, Rob?"

Following suit, Rob sat down on the porch as well to watch the sunset, "I don't know. I mean, I really like her a lot. We're even called the 'party couple', as silly as that sounds. But the more I think about that, the more it sounds kind of nice. Maybe I should pop the question to her."

Applejack's face became pale as Rob spoke those words. Quickly, she shook her head violently to snap her back to normal, "Well, do ya really want ta do that?"

Rob turned to look at the orange pony, "What do you mean?"

The mare's head faced forward, staring straight into the distance, "Is it what ya really want to do?"

The stallion was quiet for a moment before answering, "Yes, it's something I really would like to do. Even if she says no, I at least tried."

Her head tilted slightly downward and a small smile crept on her face, "Ah say if it's somethin' you feel strongly about, go forward with it and have no regrets of what might come."

The blue pony nodded at Applejack's comment, "Alright. Are you sure you're alright though?"

What sounded like a soft chuckle was emitted from the mare, "Can ah be honest with ya about somethin'?"

"Yes, of course."

A single tear fell down Applejack's face, "Ah know this sounds like somethin' only a  fool would say, but remember when ya first came ya Ponyville? Ah have to admit ah was quite taken by ya." Not moving her head in the slightest from her forward stance, the mare wiped the tear away, "Yer a really hardworkin' pony as well as bein' quite the gentlecolt. Ah guess ah somewhat had the kind of crush that little schoolfillies would have."

The blue stallion was stunned by what he heard.

She continued, "But don't mind me an' mah silly crush. Ta be honest, ah figured ah didn't stand a chance when ah saw how you an' Pinkie got along so well. Heh, ya two just seemed jus' perfect fer each other like apples an' cinnamon."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Applejack, I had no id-" Rob was cut off.

"Don't worry 'bout it none, sugarcube. Ya didn't know an' that's all mah fault. But that's the past now. But fer yer special surprise for Pinkie, ah know she would love it, and say yes," Applejack turned to Rob finally, a few tears present in her eyes despite her happy expression.

"R-Really?" the stallion couldn't believe what he just heard.

"Sure as sugar. Pinkie's really fond of ya, maybe even more so than ya know," Applejack wiped away the remaining tears from her eyes.

Rob spoke, "But what about you? I mean, it just seems so cruel to just ignore you after this."

Applejack chuckled a little more light-heartedly than before, "Ah'm telling ya, ah'll be fine. Besides, ah would be lyin' if ah said ah don't have my eye on a cute little runt right now."

Flinging his limbs around the orange mare, Rob hugged Applejack, "Thank you, Applejack, for everything. Just….everything."

Applejack returned the hug, "Think nothin' of it. Ya jus' better ask her the question."

"I will."