In Ponyville the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration already were in full swing. Fillies, mares, colts and foals were running around, delivering something, decorating their houses with flowers and garlands. The air was thick with the smell of cooking, roasting and baking. An overwhelming joy filled the atmosphere and Twilight looked at all the happy faces. They are really trying to make the best out of it.
Spike was sitting on her back as usual. He hold a parchment role in his claw. „You have to supervise five things“, the dragon said, „How are you going to do this? What is your plan?“ Yes, he knew her well.
Twilight explained with a look in the sky: „Because it is already midday, I will only visit Rarity and Applejack. Tomorrow we are going to check on Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. I assume, Rainbow Dash will do her job just fine.“
„Alright“, Spike answered. It seemed like he was looking forwards to meet Rarity again. It was an open secret that the dragon had a crush on the beautiful mare. Which was not a surprise. Twilight knew no other pony, that checked so much on her looks. Rarity loved nothing more then her friends and herself. She still was very generous, which on the outsider's perspective was like a miracle. The comfort of her customers meant everything to her.
Rarity's boutique was standing on a great place. It was a big, white and purple decorated pavilion with yellow carpets. It always reminded Twilight of some kind of fancy torte for a royal wedding. The whole boutique looked rather noble and stood out in the ordinary houses of Ponyville.
Twilight softly knocked at the main door. Rarity sounded nervous as she shouted as a greeting: „GO AWAY! PREPARATION IS NOT FINISHED!“ Spike pressed his claws against his not visible ears.
Twilight sighted, before she knocked again and said quietly: „Rarity, it is me, Twilight! I shall come and overview the preparation for the Summer Sun Celebration.“
The red door opened a slit and Rarity's head stucked out of it. „It is you“, said the white mare, „Well, then you can come inside. Pardon for screaming at you, darling. I am just so incredibly nervous.“ Twilight trotted into the working room, which laid in the main floor. Pink walls, golden frames and mirrors everywhere. Several fabrics laid on Rarity's table in all thinkable colours: Golden, blue, yellow, pink, green, red, silver, black. The wall was stuck with sketches for dresses. The purple alicorn also realiced, that Rarity was wearing glasses, a pair of scissors stuck behind her ear, together with a pen. A tape laid over her back behind her shoulders.
„Can you believe, what I have to do, Twilight?“, she asked and walked beside her, „I have to design the dresses for every important guest, which means the Princesses, your brother and the main minister and advisers. Oh my god, it is so much to do and I am not yet finished! Darling, because you just happen to be here, can you tell me, if my versions of the dresses for the Princesses are alright? After all you know them better then me.“
And before Twilight could utter a word, Rarity's horn glowed and three display dummies appeared. The dresses, they were wearing all looked very beautiful and elegant. The purple alicorn could already tell by sight, which was for whom.
Celestia's dress was white and a golden ribbon had been wrapped around it. The edge had a thick golden line at its end. Rarity had added several firerubies and thin orange lines, which were following the wearer's movements.
Rarity had choosen darkblue and black as a colour gradient for Luna's dress. Silver dots were stitched into it, forming several figures, which Twilight recogniced as constellations. Also Luna's dress had several jems on it. Sapphire and moonstone.
Cadence's dress was pink. A pale, skinlike tone. It was shimmering like snakeskin at some parts, because Rarity had added thousands and thousands of thin rose quartz stones. A fireruby in a golden necklace at the top of the dress was a true eyecatcher.
Twilight nodded slowly. „You do not have to worry, Rarity. Those dresses look brilliant. The Princesses will love them“, she found.
„Are you sure?“, panted the white unicorn, „Quite sure? Is the cut somewhere misplaced? Or did I chose the wrong fabric? Are there too many or too less gems?“ She looked like she was about to have a nervous breakdown again.
Twilight walked over and placed a wing on her shoulder. „Calm down, Rarity“, she said softly, „I am sure, the Princesses will adore your dresses.“
Rarity shuddered. „I hope so. Darling, I still have not worked on yours as I am not sure, what you would want.“
Twilight stepped back. „I trust your instincts, Rarity“, she declared, „I am sure, you will know, what suits me.“
Spike looked around and muttered: „So many gems. Eh, Twilight, if your dress will have gems too, may I have them after the celebration.“ Twilight knew it was a habit of dragons to collect shiny things (moreover to eat the gems like crisps) and she could not really forbid it.
„Sure, Spike. Come. Let's visit Applejack.“
***
Sweet Apple Acres laid a bit away from Ponyville. The apple farm was huge. The orchards stretched over the hills and their healthy, wonderful treasure shone in the light of the sun, which was making its way to twilight. The main building of the farm was a huge, red barn with white bars. Twilight heard pigs squealing and a few cows followed the visitor with their dumb looking faces.
Applejack was standing in front of the door. Her orange coat fumed from the heath and she was pouring water with her hat over her face. Next to her stood a handcart, on it baskins, full of red apples. „Howdy, Twilight“, called the mare as she saw her friend in the reflection of the glass of a nearby window.
„Hello Applejack“, answered Twilight. She was actually glad that she had gotten away from Rarity's nervousity. Somehow her high pitched voice had caused her headaches again. She still was tired, but she tried her best to hide it.
Applejack put her wet hat on her head. „Nice to see ya.“ The mare pulled her into a thick hug. Twilight laid her head on the mare's shoulder and smiled. As usual she had a very warm feeling, whenever she was with Applejack. It made her coat prickle and caused her some sort of happiness she did not even knew off.
The earth pony stepped backwards. „Twilight, is everything alright?“, she asked, while she studied the tired and exhausted face, „Ya look dreadful, believe mah.“
She rubbed her neck. Her wings opened and closed nervously. „AJ, I haven't slept well during the last month. And I am having headaches“, Twilight confessed.
„Can I help ya somehow?“, Applejack asked and laid a leg over her shoulder, which made Twilight smile briefly.
„Actually yes“, the mare said, „Zecora had said, I should visit a friend, who could help me and my pains. Distract me a bit. I immediatley had to thought about you, Applejack.“
Her friend blushed. „Thank ya, sugarcube, for this great trust“, she said, „I will try mah best.“ They kept looking in each other's eyes. Applejack's were the colour of fresh, cuted gras. Green, with a few darker sparkles in them. Twilight had always loved those eyes. She could drown in them.
„Oh, come on!“ Spike's yell made them look at the tiny dragon. He was throwing his arms in the air. „You always find me ridicolous being in love with Rarity, but now look at you, Twilight! You are acting like a school foal on Hearth's and Hoove's Day. Even a bat can see, that you two have something for each other.“
Applejack snorted amused as her eyes rested on Twilight. The alicorn's cheeks flushed. „Spike, how about you going away for a short while?“, she asked and pushed her snout in his back. „Can you check on the preparations for me? I am coming soon.“ Lousy excuse, Twilight!, the student in her criticised.
„Yes, of course. More power to you, the lady.“ And Spike walked away, probably to stop brusting out in laughter in front of the two mares. Twilight watched, until the dragon's tail disappeared behind an edge.
Applejack laughed. „Oh, come on, Twi!“, she called and softly hit her friend's shoulder with the hoof, „It's nothing to be ashamed of. Look at Spike. He would become a monkey to please Rarity.“
Twilight nodded and answered quietly: „But Spike and Rarity do not have the same sex. How would our friends react, if we told them?“
Applejack snuggled against her. „All will go well, sugarcube. Ya'll see.“ And they turned their heads and their lips met.
The kiss was shy as if it was their first one. Applejack tasted like Red Delicous. Sweet, fruity and juicy. Twilight closed her eyes as she answered the kiss. Their heads were moving slowly as their lips chose their position, which was the most comfortable one. Twilight's tongue touched Applejack's mouth and she heard her chuckle. „That tickles, sugarcube“, she whispered.
They stopped as soon as they heard hoofsteps and turned around. Apple Bloom was sprinting towards them. Totally excited the filly stopped in front of them and asked: „Applejack, ya have promised, ya will teach mah today how to buck apples! Will ya teach mah? Will ya teach it mah now? Please!“ Her eyes became huge as she begged.
Applejack chuckled. „Yeah, why not, sis. We have many trees to buck and it is already midday“, she answered. „Hey, Twilight, how about ya help us a bit? I am sure, ya can buck apples as well.“
The mare said unsure: „I do not know. I am not as strong as an earth pony.“
„Are ya kidding me?“ The orange farmer lifted her wing with one hoof. „Ya're an alicorn. Ya do not just have a pair of wings, ya also have an earth pony's strength. Trust mah.“
Twilight folded her wings. „Alright“, she said and smiled, „Maybe that is just the distraction I need.“
„Yeeehaaaa!“ Applejack rose to her hindlegs and laughed. „Let's go and buck some apples.“ Apple Bloom cheered, before she ran off as fast as a weasle. The two older mares followed her amused.
***
„Alright, Apple Bloom“, said Applejack. They were standing on the orcharde in front of a tree, which stood alone. Between the green leaves hung, sweet and armoatic, red apples. „One can seperate the act of apple bucking into tree steps“, explained the mare, „Up, kick, straight. Or longer: Lift yar backside up, kick against the tree trunk and keep yar legs as straight as possible, when ya hit the tree.“
„In full movement it looks like this.“ Applejack scanned the tree with her smaragd eyes, before she turned around, rose to her front legs and kicked viciously and cleanly against the trunk. It danced from the pressure. The apples rained down and landed in the baskins, AJ had placed there. The orange mare lifted her head proudly and closed her eyes shortly. „Voilá.“
Twilight whistled. „Nice kick, AJ“, she said.
Her friend smiled, before she adressed her younger sister: „Have ya seen everything? Do ya wanna give it a try?“ Apple Bloom nodded. „Good.“ Applejack scanned the place. She guided the filly to a smaller tree, a yearling, who was wearing his first fruits. The trunk looked fragile, but solid.
Apple Bloom eyed the tree, took a deep breath, before she turned around and kicked against it. The truck trembled slightly and two apples fell down. Twilight smiled and said: „Keep trying, Apple Bloom. I am sure, you can do it.“
Applejack nodded in agreement: „Get its weak spot, sis, and the apples are yars.“
The yellow filly eyed the tree furiously, before she kicked against it again, this time more near the middle. The apples rained down. One hit her head.
„Yeeehhhaaa, ya did it!“ Applejack laughed and started to pick the fruits up. Twilight helped her. Her friend said: „Alright, now ya try it.“
„What?“, asked the purple mare startled and dropped the apple.
„Oh, come on, Twi. I know, ya can do it.“ The alicorn shot a look at the tree. Its trunk seemed to become bigger and solider in her imagination, unable to break or to move.
Twilight felt like a troll or fool as she walked over to the tree. Alright, let's get over with this. She looked at Applejack and Apple Bloom, her eyes full of doubt. Her best friend smiled. „Up, kick, straight“, she said, „Come on, Twi. Show mah ya can make a great farmer.“ The purple alicorn blew out the air.
Then she rose to her front legs and kicked against the trunk. Her legs trembled from the unfamiliar move. Twilight closed her eyes and waited anxiously for the result to come. A few bopping sounds. The mare opened her eyes a slit. Apples rained down on her. Ten at last. „Did I just do that?“, asked Twilight and jumped a mile forwards, before she turned around.
„Yeehaaa!“ Applejack jumped into the air and spread her arms. „I told ya, ya have the strength of an earth pony.“ Twilight blushed.
Apple Bloom already had picked up her crop and said: „Come on, AJ. Let's finish this job.“
The three mares were sprinting through the orchard. They kicked against the trees and the fruits rained down. Twilight used her magic to fill basket after basket. Every now and then she too bucked an appletree. But Applejack and Applebloom were doing the most job of the harvest. The sun climbed over the sky and the three workers sweated. AJ called commands to make sure they worked the most efficent way.
Twilight rose her legs and kicked against a very dark, thick looking tree. As soon as her hooves touched the bark, a sharp pain shot through her forehead. Twilight shuddered and closed her eyes. The pain beat her like a whipe. It was the worst headache she could even imagine. As if someone had grabbed an axe and tried to split her forehead into halfs.
Twilight whimpered and pressed her hoof against her forehead. She closed her eyes. Applejack trotted to her side. „Are ya alright, sugarcube?“, she asked worried.
„I'm fine“, grunted Twilight and turned her head away.
„Are ya sure?“, repeated the mare anxiously, „Ya don't look like that to me.“
„I said, I am alright!“ Twilight turned her head around and her eyes flashed.
Applejack took a step back. Her friend's face was eclipsed and a green glow shimmered on the farmer's face. Purple mist floated out of the corners of Twilight's eyes and she showed her theet in a terrifying grimace. „Alright, Twilight“, said Applejack appologicing and turned her face away to avoid full eye contact.