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// Applejack's Romantic Day 
// Story: Till Death Do Us Part 
// by Brian Jacko 
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	As time went by, Applejack and her date continued to meet each other several times for dinner. They would sit by the same lake as they had dinner and talked. Applejack happened to get to their special spot first today. She wondered why her date was late because he always was the one to get there first. Applejack began to day dream as she stared at the fish in the pond. Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and there stood her date. 

"Sorry I'm so late," he said. "I just had to pick these for you." He brought a beautiful bouquet of wild flowers that he picked himself. As he bent down and put them into the hooves of Applejack, he kissed her on her forehead. 

Applejack's face turned bright red, mostly from blush, but also a bit from embarrassment as well. She never thought there would be a day in her life when a stallion would bring her flowers. She never wished for these kinds of things to happen to her. This kind of treatment was something a pony like Rarity would crave. Applejack studied the flowers and smelled them. She looked back up to the stallion and said, "I thank ya so much for this beautiful bouquet ya made. It's gorgeous! Nopony has ever given me flowers before!" 

The stallion bent back down and picked out a colorful dark purple flower from the bouquet and placed it carefully into Applejack's mane. "You're so very welcome Applejack," he said. "You're worth it and such a pretty girl like you deserves it." 

Applejack was shocked at the word he used to describe her. Nopony had ever called her pretty before. She was a pony who didn't wear makeup and got down and dirty in the mud. She was a tom-boy, like her friend Rainbow Dash. "I thank ya kindly for those words. That means a lot to me," she said.

Both ponies began to stare into each other's eyes for a bit. The sounds of both of their stomachs growling made them lose their focus and look at the baskets full of food. 

"Maybe it's time we dug in," Applejack suggested. 

Both ponies set their eyes on the basket in the middle of them. They were both craving foods rich in protein and they knew that the basket carried the foods that they craved. They both drove their heads down towards the basket. They almost collided together. They stopped just a few inches a part from each other. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment. They then both closed their eyes and kissed. When they finished kissing, Applejack pulled her head away and looked shyly away from her mate. She felt a bit awkward when it came to romantic feelings and situations, but she really did enjoy her first kiss. She had a smirk on her face that she was trying to hide that confirmed that she enjoyed it. 

Her date nuzzled the basket of food over to her. "Ladies first," he said.

Applejack's heart went pitter patter. This stallion seemed to really be interested in her and she was just as interested in him as well. She smiled at him and then drove her head inside the basket. She pulled out her food and began to devour it. 

The stallion also helped himself to the goodies inside the basket. They were both consuming the foods at such a fast pace that it almost appeared as if they were in an eating contest. Neither of them ever suffered with indigestion because their stomachs were used to how they ate their food. Upon rampaging through each basket, they both made it down to the last piece of food that was inside. A slice of apple pie. They ended up sharing it together because they were both still starving. As the sun began to set, Sun Rise scooted over closer to Applejack and wrapped his front leg around her neck and drew her near to his side. Applejack willingly laid her head on his chest and sighed in contentment. They spent quite a while together as they watched the sun set.

When it was time to go home Applejack got up and stretched her limbs. "I guess it's official now huh? We are officially each other's somepony special." Applejack shyly looked away from him and continued. "I reckon you wouldn't be interested in givin' me another..." she paused for a moment as the awkwardness took over. 

The stallion leaned in closer to her and whispered in her ear, "I'd love to." He then wrapped his front legs around her body as he passionately kissed her under Princess Luna's shining moon light. When they broke free Applejack stared lovingly into his eyes and said, "I know it's probably too early to say this, but I love ya." 

The stallion smiled back at her and said, "I love you too. I need to get going now, we need to spend more time together. I'll catch up with you later."

Applejack nodded her head yes with her eyes shut proudly in agreement. As the stallion began to walk away, he stopped and looked back at his mate and said, "Oh and Applejack, you're gorgeous! Don't let any pony tell you differently."

Applejack hid her face in her hat hoping that he wouldn't notice the blush on her face. "I don't know what to say. Thank ya fer the compliment. Yer a fine and handsome stallion yerself," she said.

The stallion smiled at her and then began to walk away. Applejack watched him walk off in the distance until she could see him no more. She felt this love sickness that plagued her mind. She now fully understood why Rarity was so crazy for romance and how nice it is to have a somepony special in your life. Applejack turned away and began to head home. As Applejack cleared the bushes to step through, she heard a familiar giggle. She turned to see Rainbow Dash who was hiding in the bush close by. "Rainbow! What are you doin' here again!? I thought I told ya that I'd like some privacy!" Applejack said.

Rainbow Dash stopped giggling and said, "I'm sorry A.J., but I got finished with clearing the skies early and I just had to come check up on you to make sure that he's treating you right. I didn't know you were quite the kisser."

Applejack's face turned red with embarrassment that her friend had seen her in her most personal and romantic moment yet. "Ya mean to tell me ya saw that happen? Good gravy, I don't even know what to say!"

"Relax, I'm not going to make fun of you. I haven't checked up on the two of you in quite a while and I just got curious. Sorry if it bothers you," her friend said as she crossed her front legs.

Applejack rolled her eyes. "Well, I guess it's not a terribly big deal. I still owe ya everythin' for helpin' me on the farm and for introducin' me to my date."

Rainbow Dash nodded her head in understanding and said, "A.J., do you need a lift? I know you must be tired from all the work you did today and I bet you'd already be in bed at this hour anyway." She turned her back to her friend and squatted low to the ground.

Applejack didn't hesitate. She was exhausted from staying up so late. She hopped onto her friends back and wrapped her front legs around her neck. 

Rainbow Dash took off to Sweet Apple Acres and dropped her friend off. They waved good bye to each other.  She didn't even have time to take a longer shower. She just got wet, lathered herself up, and then rinsed off as quickly as she could. Applejack hurried on upstairs and walked over to her room. Once she entered her room, her body screamed at her to get under the covers because her muscles were so sore and she needed rest. Applejack plunged herself into bed and began to fall asleep, thoughts of her somepony special and that special kiss ran through her mind which relaxed her. She fell asleep with another pillow in between her front legs imagining that it was her love.