//------------------------------//
// 4 Applejack makes a delivery 
// Story: Applejack's First Crush 
// by Cryogenii 
//------------------------------//

Applejack pulled the old farm wagon up to the back door of Sugar Cube Corner.  It was a lovely autumnal day in Ponyville and whilst it'd been a good workout, she hadn't gotten too hot and sweaty pulling the heavy load of apples all the way from Sweet Apple Acres.  Even the stares of the colts she had passed hadn't been too annoying today. Maybe she was starting to understand why they looked.  Given a chance she would happily stop and stare at that one pegasus which was the focus of her infatuation. She knocked on the door, and stood waiting for an answer whilst trying to banish those thoughts from her head.

A pink pony with a wildly curled mane and tail answered the door.  She smiled broadly, took a deep breath and the did an overly exaggerated double take.

"Good afternoon, Miss," said Applejack, "Ah've got ya delivery from Sweet Apple Acres.  Best o'the new harvest."

"Hello… not Big Mac," the pink pony smiled before suddenly switching through a variety of emotions, "where's Big Mac? Have you swapped jobs? Is he on holiday? Has he run away?  Will we ever see him again?"

"Calm y'self missy, he's just a mite under the weather's all," explained Applejack, "lost his voice a couple days ago, or at least that's what we're reckoning. Never was one to go mentioning if he was feelin' unwell."

"Oh no, that's sooo sad for him," the pony's face fell, before immediately brightening up again, "those look delicious!"

"We always try our best for the Cakes," smiled Applejack, "are you workin' for them?"

"Why, yes I am! I'm Pinkie Pie, the new baker."

"Mighty pleased to meet ya, Miss Pie.  I'm-"

"Your Applejack, Big Mac's told me all about you!" Pinkie beamed, as some steamers flew over Applejack's head.

"Sure." Applejack looked dubious as she brushed the paper strings off her hat, it was not like her brother would tell anypony about anything.

"You're as honest as the day is long and hardworking as a three legged tap dancer."

This made Applejack blush with embarrassment, although she also felt a swelling of pride in her chest.  Her brother didn't often express his feelings, or any opinions at all. That he had spoken so highly of her on his visits to town was both a surprise and delight.

"Well that's mighty kind of him," she muttered at last, kicking at the ground and hiding her eyes under the brim of her hat, "y'all said you were the new baker?"

"Sure am! I was the apprentice but I like Ponyville so much I've decided to stay."

"Reckon you're not from round these parts though," replied Applejack thoughtfully, "are ya from the big city?"

"Why does everypony keep saying that?" Pinkie sighed, "I grew up on a rock farm."

"Hey, that's quite a change of career," mused the brown earth pony with a chuckle, "y'all specialising in rock cakes?"

"I do marble cakes and mud pies too!" Pinkie grinned at her puns.

Applejack couldn't help but smile back.  The other pony had such a joyful demeanour that it was hard not to be charmed by her playful nature.  In contrast, life on the orchard was so serious that she felt a little bit jealous.  To stop those thoughts Applejack brought the conversation back to the business at hand, addressing the apples as a sommelier might talk about fine wines.

"Ah've brought some Bramleys, that'll be good for pies'n'applesauce," she pointed at the various crates on the wagon, "the Gala are going to be good for apple cake and for a strudel use the-"

They were interrupted by the sound of a bell tinkling, back in the shop.

"Sounds like a customer," said Pinkie, "I'll be back in two shakes of a colt's tail!"

Suddenly alone by the door, Applejack started unloading the crates of fruit from the wagon.  The new baker was certainly an odd character, but it was hard not to like her.  The murmured conversation drifted out of the shop, and she could hear Pinkie's distinctive high voice mixing with an altogether different one. The customer she was speaking to had a rasp to their voice, slightly deep but somehow Applejack got the feeling that it belonged to a mare.  It certainly wasn't anyone she knew from Ponyville or the surrounding area.

"Sorry about the interruption," called out Pinkie Pie as she made her way to the back door.

"No need to 'pologise, Sugarcube," replied Applejack, "ah know business is important."

"That was Rainbow Dash, just refuelling for her return to Cloudsdale."

Applejack jumped with surprise.  Anypony going to Cloudsdale was a pegasus, and could this be the weather pony she'd been crushing on?  She quickly stepped back into the alley, and only just managed to glimp that familiar rainbow tail flashing overhead. She let out a little moan, thinking once more about grabbing it in her teeth and pulling the flying pony down into her embrace.

"The bakin' at Sugar Cube Corner is nice an' all," she pondered, "but Cloudsdale's a long trip for a snack."

Pinkie Pie nodded, "that'd be silly! She works in Ponyville."

"I see, an' might she be the local weather pony then?" Applejack tried to sound as light as possible.

"She sure is," confirmed Pinkie, "you must've seen her though, she's kinda eye-catching with the rainbows and all."

"Mmm hmm, she sure is," agreed Applejack, before quickly adding, "Ah spend so much time in the orchards so ah see just about everything."

Applejack couldn't believe how much her heart was hammering.  Surely the other pony would be able to hear it.  To be able to put a name, and a voice, to that beautiful mare was something she had longed to do for months now.

"Erm, does this Rainbow Dash come here often?" She tried to sound casual.

"Oh you betcha," Pinkie answered, "she burns off so much energy chasing clouds that she needs a little boost to get her home.  Sometimes she stays for a coffee and something sweet, but today she's rushing off to see the Wonderbolts."

"The Wonderbolts?  Those fancy fliers that do shows?", Asked Applejack, "ah wonder why a weather pony would wanna watch that."

"I guess you could ask her," Pinkie got a quizzical look on her face, "would you like to?"

"What? No! I mean, sure, if'n she happened to be around I'd be, erm, happy to meet her."

Now Pinkie looked at Applejack for an uncomfortably long time.  The farm pony swallowed noisily as sweat started trickling down her face.  She felt like she'd have to blurt out the truth about her infatuation with this filly that she'd never even met.

"Okey dokey wokey then," Pinkie said at last, with a bright grin, "turns out there's a couple of old school friends of hers living around here."

Applejack leaned forwards, her interest evident, "is that a fact? Feels like a mighty small kingdom sometimes.  Anypony ah'd've met?"

"Well there's Ditzy Doo. She's a grey pegasus with a blond mane and fun eyes. Wants to be a post-pony but works as a furniture mover."

"Don' rightly think ah'd've met her," said Applejack, her muzzle scrunched up in concentration.

"Oh, I think you'd remember if you had," exclaimed Pinkie, "the other one actually lives not that far from your orchard."

"Really? The only pony that ah know of round there that ain't kith and kin is that pegasus that looks like she'd jump right outta her skin if a ladybug said boo."

"That's the one… Fluttershy," said Pinkie, "she looks after my alligator when I'm busy."

"Well shoot, she grooms mah lil doggy Winona," explained Applejack. "That Fluttershy's as timid as a mouse sneakin' 'round a barn full of cats but she sure has a gift with the critters.

"Erm, wait a second… did you say alligator?  Nope, nevermind. So Fluttershy went to school with this Rainbow Dash?  They seem so opposite ta each other."

"I guess, but I've got three sisters and we're all different," explained Pinkie, "so it's not so wild that fillies who went to school together could be mixed."

"True 'nuff ah suppose, agreed Applejack, "been mighty nice talkin' to ya but time ah was heading back."

"Well it was super duper nice to meet you too, Applejack! Tell Big Mac to get well soon!"

Waving as she went, Applejack's mind spun with all she'd learnt.  Not only did she now know the lovely, athletic pony's name but she also had an idea what she sounded like.  Rainbow Dash, her name was both feminine and powerful like its owner.  In a flash Applejack was daydreaming about fur, feathers and firm muscles again.

She suddenly felt that it'd be a good time to give Winona a little pampering.  A visit to Rainbow Dash's old school friend would be just what her dog needed, and if they got talking and things turned towards her younger days in Cloudsdale then that'd be just swell too.