Applejack sighed as she looked over Apple Bloom's homework. At least, Apple Bloom said it was her homework. Applejack hadn't seen this kind of math in a long time, and it showed. Her efforts on deciphering the code were interrupted by a leaf falling right on top of the book. She looked up and saw a grinning pegasus looking back down at her.
“Hey, Applejack,” she said. “Whatcha doin'?”
“Tryin' to help Apple Bloom with her homework, but it ain't making any sense.”
Rainbow dropped to the earth, sending a shower of leaves to the ground. “What is it?”
“Quadratic formula,” Applejack answered, “but Ah can't make heads or tails of it.”
Rainbow leaned over her shoulder and smiled. “Not a problem. You just need to simplify the formula.”
“Meanin'?”
“Look. Negative b here—that means remove the b, the book. Plus or minus means both but we'll start with plus. This b squared inside the radical here? Those two will cancel so all we have is b, which stands for RainBow. The 4ac means she goes four rounds with ApplejaCk. All over 2a means that Applejack is on bottom twice, but she can choose whatever position she wants after that.”
Applejack gave her a look flatter than the desert wasteland. “Is that so?”
Rainbow grinned in what she hoped was an inviting fashion. “Makes sense, right?”
“How long's it been since our last time, Rainbow?”
Rainbow wilted. “Three. Whole. Days,” she whimpered.
Applejack chuckled and turned back to her task. “Ah really have to help Apple Bloom.”
Rainbow decided to take a more physical approach. She leaned forward and gently took Applejack's ear into her mouth and bit down gently. “Come on, AJ,” she whispered into her ear. “You know you want to...”
“Yeah, but...” Applejack was finding it hard to focus. “Ah gotta finish.”
“Five and negative three.”
Applejack looked up. “What?”
“Those are your answers. Five and negative three.”
“You can tell that just by looking at it?”
Rainbow nodded, picked up her pencil, and drew out the solution quickly.
“How do you know that?”
“I didn't sleep through all flight school,” Rainbow answered proudly, now stroking Applejack's mane. “Besides, you provide a great incentive.”
Applejack closed her eyes and let out a relaxed breath. “Ya know... Maybe a little break will do me good.”