Some time went by and Rainbow Dash continued to provide help for her over worked friend as much as she possibly could. After they were done with the apple collecting, Applejack wiped the sweat off her brow and said, "Thank ya so much fer yer help again. Would ya like to come in and have some supper? I might not be a very good cook, but I'm sure I can whip somethin' up."
Rainbow Dash began to giggle a bit
"What in tar-nations are you gigglin' bout girl? My cookin' isn't exactly gourmet, but it ain't that bad! Or is it?" the orange mare asked.
"You won't be needing to have to make dinner today," Rainbow replied. "I already set up a special date for you today. I found you a somepony special. We need to get going now because he's already waiting for you. Come on!"
Applejack was stunned. "Wait? What!? Are you bein' serious R.D. or are ya pullin' my leg?"
Rainbow Dash refused to answer her. She grabbed Applejack by her hoof and they traveled across town.
"Where are ya takin' me R.D.?" Applejack asked.
"You're going to like it A.J., I promise! I made this special set up just for you!" her friend replied.
They made it to the woods and followed a path that seemed to meander deep into the woods. Suddenly, Rainbow Dash left the path and started making her way to a place where there was a group of bushes.
Applejack followed closely behind her.
"Pssst! Look over there," Rainbow said as she poked her friend who happened to be looking around the woods.
Applejack turned her head and saw in the distance that there was a stallion sitting on a checkered blanket. His coat was a light colored brown and his mane and tail was striking blonde. There were baskets of food and bottled beverages. Rainbow Dash had made them both a picnic to enjoy.
Applejack shot her head back to her friend. Her face was as bright red as a tomato with blush. "Rainbow Dash! I told ya not to go over board with the romance!"
Rainbow giggled and said, "Come on A.J. It's not that bad! I bet you'll do just fine if you go over there now and introduce yourself! I also made sure to pack an abundance of food because I know how you like to eat!"
Applejack took off her hat and said, "My goodness! I didn't even prepare myself for such an occasion! How does my mane look? I never thought I'd ever ask this, but do I look pretty?"
Rainbow Dash put her hoof to her chin as she studied the mane of her friend. She suddenly stuck her hoof on top of Applejack's head and began roughing her up as she rubbed her hoof in her friend's mane. She stepped back and noticed that she just made a complete mess out of her friends mane. It also didn't help that the humidity in the air was rather high today which caused her friends mane to stick out quite a bit. "Uh. I think it looks good enough," she said. "Just go on over and be yourself. You'll do fine!" Rainbow Dash suddenly put her head to the flank of her friend and pushed her out of the bushes.
"Ok, ok, ok! I git it! I'll go over and have some conversation with him," she said hoping that Rainbow would stop pushing her closer to her date.
Rainbow Dash stopped pushing her friend and hopped back into the bushes.
Applejack looked back at the bushes with a nervous and worried expression on her face.
Rainbow Dash popped her head out of the bushes with a slightly angered look on her face. She pointed her hoof over to where the stallion was sitting and waved it as if she were shooing a fly away.
Applejack sighed as she put her head down and walked over to the stallion. She took note that his cutie mark was of the sun rising in the morning. She sat down on the blanket and gave a very awkward smile at her date.
"Uh, howdy partner. My name is Applejack. It's awfully nice to meet ya. What's yer name?"
The stallion smiled and replied, "My name is Sun Rise. It's a pleasure to meet you, Applejack."
Applejack's stomach began to growl in hunger. "Well, I reckon this food ain't gonna take care of itself on its own. Let's dig in!" she said.
Her date didn't hesitate. They both plunged their heads into the baskets and began to devour the food.
Applejack took some bites of a sandwich and began to chew loudly. She looked over to the stallion who had his head back in the basket for seconds and said, "Say, what part of town are you from and what do ya do for a livin'?"
Her date pulled his head back out of the basket with another treat in his mouth. He put the treat down and said, "I just came to Ponyville not too long ago. I started my own small farm on the other side of town."
"No way!" Applejack said. "Ya mean to tell me that yer involved in the farm business too?" Applejack suddenly put her hoof to her chest proudly. "I work on the best known farm in all of Ponyville. None other than Sweet Apple Acres!"
Her date smiled and said, "I have heard so much about it. Your Pegasus friend wouldn't stop talking about the farm and how hard you work. She practically begged me to come here."
Applejack's ears shot up and replied, "WHAT!? She didn't force ya to come here did she? I'm awfully sorry if she did! She can be really pushy sometimes."
"Nonsense," the stallion said. "I was a little bit hesitant at first, but she talked me into coming here. I have been wanting to meet more ponies in this town anyway."
Applejack wiped the sweat off her brow and said, "Phew!" She then looked at the pony with suspicion. "Ya don't use G.M.O.'s or pesticides on yer farm do ya?"
Her date laughed and replied, "Nope! My farm is purely organic. I wouldn't even consider allowing my customers health to be harmed in order to make a few more bits."
Applejack grinned with enthusiasm and then went back to shoving more food in her mouth. If Rarity happened to be there watching the two ponies eating together, she would be horrified at their table, or more like, picnic manners. Neither pony seemed to mind the sounds of each other chewing loudly or the food that was smeared across their faces. They were both farm ponies who had voracious appetites and digging into their food was not a problem for either of them.
Applejack finished the last bit of food and used her front leg to wipe off the food that was on her face. She seemed to be very happy because she noticed that her date had quite the appetite as well and he was able to put more food away in his belly than she could. She knew that was a sign that he was a good, hard worker.
They both talked to each other as they watched the sun begin to set in the colorful sky.
As crickets began to chirp loudly, Applejack's date looked around and said, "I need to get going. You know how important it is to get to bed early when doing farm work early the next morning."
Applejack nodded her head in agreement and said, "I understand. It was awfully nice to meet ya." Applejack stuck her hoof out and shook hooves with the stallion.
Her ears lowered a bit in depression and she lowered her head as the stallion turned to leave her.
Suddenly, her date stopped and turned around. "Applejack?" he asked.
Applejack's ears perked up a bit. "Yeah?" she said.
"Do you think we could do something like this again? Maybe have another picnic. I really had a good time with you and I think I'd like to get to know you better."
Applejack's heart began to race. "I sure as sugar would love to spend more time with ya! Thank ya for takin' the time to meet me. I had a great time too!"
They both made another date and time to meet at this exact same spot and then parted ways.
As Applejack made her way through the bushes, she banged her face hard against Rainbow Dashes head. "Ouch!" Applejack cried out as she rubbed her nose with her front hoof. Applejack became horrified that her friend was watching her with her date the entire time. "R.D.! You couldn't at least give me some privacy with my date?"
Rainbow Dash giggled and said, "Oh A.J., You know I had to keep an eye on you. How come you didn't kiss him?"
Applejack looked even more upset than before and shot back, "Rainbow! I just met him! I'm not that kinda gal who rushes into things like that! I need to take things slow!"
Rainbow Dash kept giggling and said, "Aw, come on A.J. I didn't think you'd be able to resist. He's quite good looking isn't he? He's got quite a nice flank too!"
"Rainbow!" Applejack yelled out loud.
"Ok, ok, ok. Did you at least score another date with him?" Rainbow asked.
"I did," her friend replied. "I'll be meeting up with him again for another picnic at this very same spot."
Rainbow closed her eyes proudly and said, "Hah! I knew I could hook you up with somepony!"
"I thank ya for helpin' me out so much, but don't go tryin' to make me rush into things. I just met the fella today. Also, I'd appreciate it if ya wouldn't watch over us like a hawk."
Rainbow Dash laughed and said, "Can't make any promises on that, but I'm glad you like him! I guess I'd better get going now. I'll catch you later!" Rainbow Dash took off at full speed leaving her friend alone.
Applejack traveled back home. She took a quick shower and then leapt into bed. The warmth of the covers made her body quiver with pleasure as they relaxed her over worked muscles. Her mind began to calm down as she thought about her date and what possibilities might happen with him.