The second day had begun and the second friend on the list was honest Applejack. The thought of what Fluttershy tried the day before still lingered in Shines memory. He violently shrugged his head and it was if the thought fell out through his ear as he suddenly heard Applejack talk to him.
- Sorry Shine, ya've been workin' so hard that ah can't afford to pay ya for a whole days 'o work.
Applejack shouted to Shine who tried to approach his regular posting at the Sweet Apple Acres.
- Aw, well, that's too bad.
Shine looked a little disappointed when he suddenly shone up slightly.
How 'bout I work for free today? I'd rather not change a planned schedule.
- Alright then, yer apple cart's in its usual place, get buckin'.
Applejack was happy at Shines suggestion and pointed her hoof at the side of her barn where an orange cart was parked. The day went on, Shine was bucking apples out of the trees on the farm while Applejack helped Big Macintosh with the rest of their chores. Around mid-day Applejack called out to Shine.
- Shine! Where ya at? It's time for a break.
Applejack scouted the area with her eyes that she had told Shine to buck apples in. After a while Applejack heard heavy panting coming from her side.
- Huff, huff.... here I.... phew... am...
Shine was dragging a heavily overloaded cart full of apples with the last bit of his strength.
- Woah! That's a might more than ya use to fill the cart. How many trees did ya buck?
- Hnnnngggghhh... I lost the count... after five...
Shine kept pulling the cart past Applejack and into the barn where he was told to always unload his cart. But this time Shine didn't have any strength left to unload the cart. Instead he just collapsed as he stopped, making a lot of the apples from his cart fall over him, completely covering him, except for his tail. Applejack couldn't help but laugh at the scene. When she settled down she slowly walked to the pile of apples with a tail and began pushing away the apples, revealing a heavily exhausted and sweaty orange unicorn stallion. Applejack lay down beside Shine and looked at him with a slightly tilted head.
- Heh... why'd you overdo it like that for?
- I wanted to make a good impression.
Shine had recovered enough to finally be able to speak normally.
- No need for it.
Applejack smiled at the tired looking pony in front of her.
Ah know yer a hard worker. None of the strongest ah've seen. But ya've got more will to work than a lot 'o others ah've seen.
- I guess that counts for something.
Shine managed a strained smile as he wriggled away from the harness of the cart and lay down on his right side on a stack of hay he used to rest on between loads of apples. Applejack dragged a bale of hay across the inside of the barn to lie down next to Shine who was too exhausted to notice at first.
- Ah guess it does. But ya shouldn't overwork yerself, done that mistake mahself.
Applejack blushed a little and noticed Shine gave her a tiny nudge as he stretched his limbs out to relax. Applejack almost impulsively put one of her front hooves on top of Shines closest front hoof.
Without looking, Shine put his other front hoof on top of Applejacks hoof, making it look like Shine is holding her hoof. Applejack bent her head close to Shines head and looked closely at the stallions closed eyes. It looked like he was fully asleep. Applejack slowly bent her head even further forward. Their heads were so close now they could feel each others breath, almost taking turns inhaling and exhaling. Applejack tried to move her lips closer to Shines, but just as their lips were about to make contact, Shines eyes flung open, observing what Applejack tried to do. Looking unaffected of what he saw, he quickly got up to his hooves as if he never had been tired at all.
- Enough resting, those apples aren't gonna buck 'emselves outta the trees.
Applejack looked a little angry for failing at her little attempt. She quickly ran for a rope hanging on a long rusty nail on the barn wall and threw it a Shine, giving it a violent tug, tripping Shine and tie him up by the hooves. She leaned her head above Shine who looked rather shocked at what just happened.
- Ah think Big Macintosh can take care of the apple harvestin' for the rest of the day.
Applejack gave Shine a naughty grin.
Work, work, work an' no fun can make ya go crazy, so now it's time for some fun.
- Fun?
Shine raised an eyebrow while looking lazily into Applejacks eyes.
Well, fun sure is fun, but I'm a bit worried what ''fun'' you got in mind. So, what DO you got in mind?
Applejacks smile widened into a huge grin, still with a naughty touch.
- Sumethin' like this.
Applejack lowered her head and softly began kissing Shine on his neck.
- Well, enough of that!
Shine yanked his upper body away from Applejack just as his horn began glowing which he used to untie himself. Applejack got very surprised by this and slowly began walking backwards towards the slightly open barn doors.
Going somewhere?
Shine looked at the very nervous Applejack as he once again used magic to close the doors shut, gently slamming the handles into Applejacks flank.
- Sh-shine? Whatcha goin' to do?
Applejack began looking a little terrified.
- Not much.
Shine lazily looked at the rope laying on the ground that earlier had him tied up.
Not much, except teaching this naughty mare in front of me a little lesson.
Shine pointed his horn at the rope which he then levitated over to Applejack which tripped her and tied her up, just like Shine was. Shine lay down on the ground next to Applejack, just like she did to him. Applejack began to panic slightly from Shines naughty smile she couldn't avoid seeing.
- Hnnnghh! L-lemme go, please. Ah'm sorreh, a-ah didn't mean to do anythin' ya didn't wanna do.
As Applejack calmed down she shut her eyes to prevent Shine from seeing the tears forming in her eyes.
- Well, me neither.
Shine tilted his head slightly, still looking at Applejack who slowly forced her eyes open, revealing her big green teary eyes.
- Whu-whadda ya mean?
A single tear had been built up in Applejacks eye which slowly began traverse down her right cheek.
- I never intended to do anything more than this to you. I just wanted to say a few things to you, and like this, I knew I'd get your full attention.
Shine used his magic a final time to untie the rope from around Applejacks hooves. Applejack who still was slightly trembling in fear didn't budge the slightest from where she was laying. She just kept still, laying on her back with her hooves in the air.
You gotta understand this. You are a great friend, but I don't wanna take our relationship any further, it might interfere with our friendship with the others. Besides, my heart has already chosen a special somepony.
Shine helped Applejack get up to her hooves.
I hope I wasn't too harsh in the way I wanted to tell you this.
- Nah, don't ya fret 'bout it. Ah was the one bein' rude.
Applejack blushed with an apologetic face expression.
Ah wanna make up for wha ah almost did to ya. How 'bout ah treat ya for dinner?
As Applejack finished her sentence, both of the orange ponies' stomachs rumbled in response.
- I guess that's a yes. Shall we depart?
Applejack nodded as she went ahead and opened the barn doors the two orange ponies then went through.