//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2: The Proposal 
// Story: War, Apples, and Love 
// by Island_Dancer96 
//------------------------------//

Two weeks passed before Riley's P-51D Mustang was gassed, geared and ready to fly, but he didn't want to go. He had fallen for Applejack. She and her family had grown the apple orchard on their own, plowing, planting, and dusting the fields until they grew tall. She was also kind and honest. "I know you can't come with me, but how would you like to go fly with me?" Riley asked.

She smiled, "Of course."

Applejack flew with Riley in his Mustang farther then she expected to. She liked Riley and she sensed that he liked her too. Then Riley opened the throttle pulled on the stick and his Mustang began to climb higher and higher. "C'mon, Applejack, we should fly higher, the view is amazing."

Applejack hesitated before blurting, "No, Riley, I'm afraid of heights." 

Riley leveled off at 980 feet, staring at her in shock.

"I'm a teensy bit afraid of heights." Applejack stammered.

Riley nodded, "I understand." He said. 

"You… do?" She asked.

Riley smiled caringly, "If I hadn't been trained to fly high, I wouldn't like heights either." They shared one last look before flying back to the farm. As Riley walked back to his Mustang he called behind him, "I'll come back, I promise."

And Riley did return every month to say hello. Applejack and Riley developed a bond like no person in Ponyville had seen before. And one day he returned with excitement bright in his eyes, "I came back with a surprise!"

He and Applejack walked up a small hill and he faced Applejack, got down on one knee and asked, "Will you, Applejack, be my girlfriend?" He produced a ring in a little velvet box and showed it to her.

Applejack was too shocked to respond at first. "Yes," she whispered hoarsely. "Yes!" 

Riley slipped the ring over her index finger with a grin wrapping around his face. Applejack looked right into Riley's brown eyes, and Riley looked right into applejack's green eyes. Right on that hill, they had their very first kiss. Applejack took her Stetson and put it on Riley's head. Riley combed his fingers through her hip length blonde hair, and Applejack combed her fingers through Riley's dirt brown hair. As they kissed on that hill, Applejack's hair shone like gold in the light of the setting sun, but to a slight extent, like Applejack's hair, Riley's hair took on a golden hue, and their peach colored skin glowed.