I got the idea to post this here from Drizzle Quill over at the Twinkie group and thought it'd be a good way to get more ApplePie out there!

Someone starts off by posting a 100-500 word mini-fic about Applejack and Pinkie Pie. At the end will be a one word prompt. If you would like to write a 100-500 word ApplePie mini-fic relating to that prompt within the next four hours, comment right away to claim that prompt. Post the story when you finish, and add a one word prompt at the end for the next people to claim. Simple enough?

Just to make sure everything is clear:
* The mini-fic can be in any style, any tag, AU, humanized, whatever. It can be a cute scene, a snippet of conversation, or an excerpt from an Equestrian history book. It's not expected to be preread or proofread, and if you've never written before that's just fine. Just try to keep it rated teen or lower and make sure it's 100-500 words of fiction about Pinkie and AJ and it relates somehow to the prompt you claimed.
* Claim prompts with a quick post responding to the last post. Just the word "claimed" is fine. When you finish, make a post with the mini-fic and the next prompt.
* Your claim is valid for four hours, to keep someone from accidentally holding things up all day. After four hours, another person could post a claim for the same prompt. If you ran out of time, and no one else has claimed it, and you still want to write it, just go ahead and reclaim it.
* In the event that people become confused, and two fics are posted for the same prompt, the first one posted contains the official next prompt.
* Please include a one word prompt at the end of your fic. There are lots of words, and they can mean lots of things, and it's up to the next writer what they want to do with it.
*Please don't claim your own prompt.

Now that we've got that out of the way, the first prompt is baking.

1678883
Claimed!
Also, I love how this game/collab has been making the rounds of all the ship groups. It's great.

"Foals"

Applejack chews on her lower lip as she watches Pinkie Pie work her very particular brand of magic. The two young foals beside her are chaos incarnate, jumping and shouting and spilling flour all over the counters of Sugarcube Corner. But Pinkie never loses her smile or the sparkle in her eyes, as she gently takes small hooves between her own, guiding them, helping them, nor as she calmly gives instructions in between giggles.

Perhaps most miraculous of all is how Pound and Pumpkin actually listen. They frown hard in concentration when Pinkie talks to them, and they struggle with the bowls and spoons with as much seriousness and dedication as Applejack might use to wrestle a timberwolf. By the end of the afternoon, Pinkie and the twins are covered head to hoof in batter, but there’s a plate of steaming fresh muffins to show for their efforts. Fresh muffins and two proudly beaming little foals.

As the Cake twins scamper off, their baking lessons done for the day, Pinkie begins whistling cheerfully and completely off-key as she goes about cleaning up the kitchen. Applejack silently step up beside her marefriend and starts wiping down the counters.

“Sugarcube?”

Pinkie stops whistling. She turns toward Applejack with a broad smile, her head tilted inquisitively.

Applejack finds herself smiling back, even though her stomach’s churning something awful. “You ever think …” She pauses. Takes a long swallow, even though her mouth’s suddenly dry. “You ever think about havin’ foals someday? You and me havin’ foals, I mean?”

A split second later, Applejack’s on the floor, with a batter-dripping mare pinning her down and peppering her face with a thousand little kisses. Applejack laughs. She supposes that’s a yes.

Next prompt: Fiddle.

1681428 Claimed

"Fiddle"

Applejack cracks open the weathered case with a crisp snap and takes a deep, overpowering whiff of varnish and old velvet. She pulls her old fiddle out carefully, puffing the dust away from its smooth red body. She rubs her bow along the lump of rosin, sending out hints of summer and pine trees into the room. And as she leans against the wall on her two hind legs and raises the fiddle to her chin, she smiles and winks at her attentive audience. Then she brings her bow to strings and starts out slow, and old murder-ballad Granny used to sing her at bedtime.

Pinkie Pie sits and sways to the mournful tune, enraptured. Applejack finds herself adding on little trills and ornaments she normally wouldn’t, and smiles a bit wider as each one makes Pinkie’s eyes grow wider and wider. Finally she’s had enough slow and sentimental for the night, and she casts off into a lively reel, fit for a square dance. Pinkie starts tapping her hoof against the floor, just a little. Applejack licks her lips and changes to a bouncy little jig, chuckling as Pinkie bobs her head in time with her hoof.

Applejack throws herself into a wild breakdown, stomping her own foot for emphasis, laughing wildly as Pinkie gets up and throws down, shaking her rump in a playful, wonderful way that’d never fly on the dance floor. But they’re just in a room, the two of them, and it’s perfect. Hairs on Applejack’s bow are snapping left and right as she makes her fiddle wail and sing. And Pinkie moves closer, still dancing as wild and free as she ever has. Applejack looks into Pinkie’s playful, bright blue eyes and loses herself in mad inspiration.

And suddenly she’s playing a real barnstormer, but something she’s never heard before. Suddenly, she’s not just ornamenting, she’s creating. And it feels wonderful. After three more times through the ditty she just wrote, Applejack winds it down and ends with a sharp chop of the strings. Pinkie erupts into applause grinning so wide it looks like it would hurt anypony else.

Applejack nudges the fiddle over to Pinkie with a gentle grin. “Give it a go for me, sug?” she prompts, kissing Pinkie on the cheek. Pinkie grins sheepishly.

“I can’t play the fiddle,” she admits, looking guilty as anything. It’s surprising, Pinkie not being able to play anything.

Applejack smiles anyway. “Well, d’you wanna learn?” she asks. Pinkie nods, her mane flying every whichway. Applejack sidles up to her and lifts the fiddle under Pinkie’s chin, curling Pinkie’s left hoof around the neck and tucking the bow into the crook of Pinkie’s right.

“Alright, you hold ‘er like this. Now you take the bow and set it lightly on her strings, and then you draw the bow along straight. You with me so far?” Pinkie nods, a bright smile dancing on her lips. Applejack already knows it’s gonna be a great night.

Next Prompt: Mailbox

1681805 Claimed.

"Mailbox"

Life on the Apple´s farm worked like a well greased machine because every member took on a different chore each day. Be it wash the dishes, take out the trash, feed the animals or pick up the mail.

Today it was Big Mac´s turn to check the mailbox. He opened it and found the usual fliers and magazines along with bills to pay and a curious tiny pink box. Big Mac opened it and found a rather tempting apple flavored cupcake that he finished in one gulp. He came back home with the letters on his mouth and found her sister Applejack waiting in the doorway.

“Any letters for me, big bro?”

“Eeeenope.”

Next day it was Apple Bloom´s turn. She had to bring a stool to reach the mailbox and when she opened it, the content fell on her head. She rummaged throguh the letters to see if her package had arrived but no such luck. She did found a pink box with a green cupcake that she devoured. She came back to the house with the letter and founder her sister waiting.

“Any letters for me, sugarcube?”

“Ah don´t think so. And ah won´t get mah Cutie Mark fer Mad Science either…”

“Thanks heavens,” Applejack murmured.

The next day it was Granny Smith´s turn. Applejack was already waiting on the doorway to see if there was any package for her. She waited, watching her grandmother very slowly reaching the mailbox. Very, very slowly. She almost fell asleep on one point while she waited for the elder pony to figure out how to get the letters out of the mailbox. Once Granny Smith finally started going back with the letters in her mouth, Applejack realized she got chores to do at the barn and had no time to lose.

“Bye Granny!” she said, rushing past Granny Smith.

“Wait! Ah think yah got a package! Damn kids, always rushing. Okay, ah guess ah´ll take this cupcake then. Mmmh, tastes like apples.”

Finally, the day after that, Pinkie Pie decided to take matters on her own hooves. She fifn´t let the package on the mailbox like the others but instead knocked on the door of the Apples residence. She wanted an explanation as to why Applejack hasn´t say anything about the cupcakes she has especially baked for her the past couple days. She waited at the doorway with her arms crossed and her face in a very un-Pinkie Pie frown.

Upon taking a look at her, Applejack let go a chuckle.

“Thursdays Pinkie Pie, that´s the day ah got the mail.”

Before Pinkie could say anything, Applejack gave her a kiss on the cheek and took the cupcake. Finally able to taste it, she put on the biggest smile possible, making Pinkie smile as well.

Next Prompt: Pets!

Claimed! I've got a great idea for this one

I knew I had to have her from the first moment I saw her. We were in town, and she was standing there at the apple cart. She was helping close down shop when someone called her name and she turned, the light hitting her just so. Her coat glistened with sweat from a day of hard work and her muscles rippled as she moved. She looked like a goddess, one I’d happily spend the rest of my life worshipping. Someone like her should be celebrated in the streets, although she’s far too modest to want such a thing for herself.

Sometimes I think I should just get it over with and tell her how I feel. Could you imagine the look on her face? She’d probably run away in disgust or laugh off my advances. She and I are too different you see. She’s so full of love and life, and I am a mere shadow of what could possibly interest her. Maybe someday we’ll be sitting in the park, when we’re both old and gray, and I’ll casually mention how I cared for her. By then not only would it not matter, but she’d laugh at the very idea of such a thing and brush it off. She’ll go back to her loving family and friends and I’ll go back whatever it is I’d do to occupy my time.

There she is...that vision of loveliness. The only star in my sky, the only one for me. If only I could tell her how I feel. If only I could make her see me!

Winona bounded up the path to Pinkie and Applejack’s usual meeting spot. Panting and wagging her tail with joy she ran up to Gummy and tackled him, licking the toothless gator enthusiastically.

“Y'know Applejack, Gummy has been as pleased as toothless alligator punch that we’ve included him and Winona on our dates to the park. Do you think maybe we could add another day for just the two of them?”

AJ smiled and glanced over at the two pets frolicking in the cool grass. “If it means seeing you more, I’m all for it sugarcube.”

On his back with his tail being chewed playfully, Gummy could think of nothing better.

Next prompt: Sky

1684581 Claimed!!

"Sky"

It wasn’t snowing outside, not anymore. But the trees and beanfields were blanketed over in white, fluffy drifts of it, standing out starkly against the dirt path in the overcast light. Applejack sighed and glanced at the sky, back to the road, up at the sky, and then scrubbed at the porridge pot with a vengeance, the warm soapy water in the sink slowly bringing her hooves up to temperature.

An odd, squeaky rumbling sounded from outside as Applejack put the last bowl in the drainer, and she trotted to the front door and opened it to take a look. Pinkie Pie, hitched up to a heavy old trundle cart, waved brightly at her and continued on her way, head down, legs rippling with effort and strength. Applejack kicked the door shut behind her and ran out to meet Pinkie, smiling widely for the first time this morning. Not that she was unhappy, but there was nothing to do, and the heavy clouds didn’t help.

“Hey, sugarplum,” Applejack greeted, kissing Pinkie on the cheek. Pinkie giggled as Applejack cantered backwards, kissing her other cheek, her forehead, the tip of her nose.

“What’s got you in such a good mood?” Pinkie’s eyes twinkled as she darted her neck out and nipped Applejack’s ear.

“Jes’ happy to see you,” Applejack answered, peering around to get a look at whatever strange contraption Pinkie had hidden beneath a tarp on the trundle behind her. Pinkie giggled, with those wonderful blue eyes of hers peering intently at Applejack.

“Oh yeah?” she half-growled, her smile never leaving her voice.

“Yeah!” Applejack crowed, frisking backwards happily. She nearly fell over when her hocks hit the steps of her porch. She stood a moment in embarassed silence before giving in to her instincts and rolling on the cold dirt and gravel, laughing her head off. With the clink of tackle, Pinkie joined her on the ground, smiling and giggling herself. Applejack calmed and rolled to look at Pinkie, look at her bright blue eyes, warm and sunny despite the weather.

“Jackie, remember how you were saying you missed seeing the sky?” Pinkie asked, stroking Applejack’s shoulder with a slow, steady hoof.

Applejack chuckled and stroked Pinkie’s face, looking into her bright blue, sunny eyes. “I reckon I got all the sky I need right here, Pinks,” she said, scooting across the space between them and entwining Pinkie in a full-body hug.

Pinkie blushed, a little change in color that had taken Applejack a while to recognize. “That’s really sweet of you,” she said, pulling out of Applejack’s clinging limbs and hopping upright, “but it’s also not true.” She grabbed a corner of the tarp on the old trundle cart and yanked it off, showing a new-and-improved flying machine.

“I’m gonna show you the sun today, if that’s alright?” Pinkie’s smile was infectious, and Applejack shot to her hooves, practically vibrating with excitement. She couldn’t hardly wait.

Next Prompt: bed-rest

1691444 I'd better get in on this, hadn't I?

Claimed.

Prompt: Bed-rest.

*

Applejack didn't get sick. Pinkie knew this as a fact. She knew it like she knew Granny Smith made the bestest, most crispy apple pies in Equestria. She knew it like she knew her niece was the most adorable filly that had ever lived.

She had lived with Applejack for twenty five years, through baked bads, through allergy seasons, through strain after strain of hay fever, even through that outbreak of the cantering cough, and Applejack had never so much as had a runny nose. 'Too stubborn to let a few little germs stop me,' she had once said, and it was true. Applejack was way tougher than any cough.

So why wasn't she getting out of bed now? Why was she shivering like she was trapped in the freezer with the ice cream, even though she was in her room with two extra blankets on her and it was summer outside? Why didn't she even put up a fight when Pinkie told her she was running to get the doctor? Applejack hated seeing the doctor. She always ate at least two apples a day, just to be sure.

Doctor Stable pulled his stethoscope out of his ears to cast a look at the nervously bouncing mare trying to peek over his shoulder. “Would you like to wait outside?” It was one of those questions that wasn't really a question, but an order.

Pinkie nodded and stood out in the hallway, pulling the bedroom door shut behind her. She could hear some of Doctor Stable's questions as he sat by Applejack's bed: “How long have you had the symptoms? When was your last checkup? When I say so, breathe for me.” But Applejack's responses were too quiet for her to hear. After a while, the doctor got quiet too, and Pinkie couldn't hear him without pressing her ear to the door. She really wanted to know what he was saying, but pressing her ear to the door would be a little like sneaking, and Applejack didn't like it when Pinkie sneaked.

So she scooted far enough away from the door to keep from being tempted, and she waited. She waited for what felt like a long time, but then, time gets all stretchy when you want to press your ear to a door but know you shouldn't. Finally, the door opened and Doctor Stable stepped out. Pinkie looked up at him expectantly, but he just nodded politely and headed down the stairs.

Pinkie crept back into the bedroom. Were Applejack's eyes always so baggy? It looked like she could fit a whole other pair of eyes under there. She made eye-contact, and gave her a smile. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Applejack replied. She wiped her muzzle with a hoof.

Pinkie sat down on the edge of the bed. “W—” Her voice did a funny croaking thing, and she had to swallow before speaking. “...What did the doctor say?”

Applejack turned her head to stare out the window. Her chest shook with a cough. “Doc says... Doc says it's just a cold.” She turned and gave Pinkie a smile. “A little bit of bed-rest, an' I'll be right as rain.”

Pinkie squeezed Applejack's hoof, breathing a tiny little sigh of relief. Maybe Applejack did get sick a little bit, sometimes. But she never, ever lied.

*

Next Prompt: Patience.

1692622 Ow, my heart!

Also, claimed

1684581 Fus Ro D'awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Edit//11:15pmEST//Four hours have passed... I am quite torn between wanting to claim the tag and not wanting to be the first person to ninja someone else's tag >_>

Well I'm gonna write something, and if Midnight isn't back by the time I finish it, I'm gonna post it. So, conditional claim, I guess.

Aaaaaand I ninja'd it.

------

“... Ambd da’z how I burmbed my tumbg.” Pinkie said, her eyes watering in a manner that Applejack recognized as being very similar to Winona’s whenever she was begging for food at the dinner table.

Applejack chuckled despite herself. “Really, Pinkie, you know better than to do that. Why do ya think th’ cookbooks say to let it sit fer an hour after ya take it out of th’ oven?”

“Bud it loogd zho good!” Pinkie pouted as best as she could with her tongue halfway out of her mouth, and immediately appeared to regret it as her lower lip slid up to the burn, bringing forth a quick yelp of pain.

Applejack shook her head. “Seriously Pinkie, you’ve gotta learn some patience. Good things come to those who wait an’ all, right?”

Pinkie gave a frustrated huff and flopped onto her stomach, all four limbs outstretched and flailing against the ground. “Abblejack, id huuuuuurdz!”

“I feel for ya, Pinkie, I really do, but what am I supposed to do?” Applejack snickered. She felt bad laughing at her marefriend’s pain, but Pinkie Pie seemed so immune to consequences 99% of the time, it was pretty funny to see her actually inconvenienced by her actions.

Pinkie suddenly turned bashful, rearing up onto her haunches and tapping her front hooves together. “You coob kith id amb make id bedder?” she asked, blushing a little.

Applejack chuckled, “Sure, why not?” as she approached Pinkie and leaned in.

“Ow! Ow! Nob bedder, nob bedder!”

Next prompt is: Mane-do

1695920
D'aww! That was wonderfully adorable

Also, claimed!

Mane-do

“Now, now darling, don’t you worry about a thing. You look fabulous if I do say so myself and I do. Go on, have a look and tell me what you think!”

Applejack shuffled nervously as she turned to look in the mirror. For the hundredth time she wondered why she had subjected herself to this, and for the hundredth time she remembered what it was for. If somepony had told her even two days ago that this is what she’d be, she’d have bucked them in the teeth. Finally lifting her head to get a good look she gasped, the mare in the mirror looked as though she was ready for Manehattan high society.

Gone were the signature mane ties, the golden tresses spilled delicately over her shoulder and curled at the ends. Rose blossoms the same color as her apple trio cutie mark were woven into the strands, enhancing it’s waterfall like appearance. Gone was her beaten up stetson, in its’ place sat a laurel crown. Her coat was immaculate, and her hooves polished till they shone. She looked...lovely.

“Darling you look amazing! I really am quite good. Now, was there anything else you needed done? This is you and Pinkie’s one year anniversary, I want to help make it special.”

“Nah Rares, I think this’ll do right nicely. Pinkie is sure to be surprised.”

Walking with the fashionista to the door, she still couldn’t believe what she looked like. She imagined that this was what the princesses felt like, and almost expected to look back and see her mane floating in an unfelt breeze. Hopefully Pinkie would like it. No, she hoped Pinkie would love it.

Next prompt: Sugar

Claimed.

"Pour Some Sugar on Me"

Applejack had always assumed that Pinkie Pie would taste like sugar. Goodness knew she’d thought about it often enough--days working on the farm, alone in the fields with her foolish daydreams and silly hopes. Days spent imagining what it would be like to actually kiss Pinkie and to taste the sweet, sweet sugar on those endlessly moving lips.

Foolish. Silly. Something fun to think about during long hours sweating in the sun but nothing that would ever or could ever actually be reality.

Besides, too much sugar wasn’t good for a pony.

But that was then, and this was now. And right now, Applejack was on the Pie family’s rock farm, sitting in the drawing room of the farmhouse on a settee with Pinkie right by her side. The rest of the family had retired to bed at least an hour ago, but the crackling fire and warm blanket had kept Applejack and Pinkie downstairs. At least, that’s what Applejack had told herself.

“Thanks again for coming home with me, AJ!” Pinkie’s eyes were dark, almost violet, in the dim light of the fireplace. “I dunno what Mom and Dad would’ve done without having some extra helping hooves with the emerald harvest this year!”

Applejack chuckled. “Well, I was happy to do what I could to pitch in. Especially with all the apple bucking seasons you been a part of.” She found herself grinning a big, dopey grin. She couldn’t help it. “Us farm ponies gotta look out for one another, don’t you reckon?”

Pinkie grinned right back and scooted a little closer. “Yeppers!”

“Well, don’t you fret none, ‘cause I’ll always look out for ya.” Applejack felt her cheeks burn. That hadn’t come out right--or, at least, it hadn’t come out as she’d meant it to. “Er, that is, I’ll always look out for my friends and my fellow farmers, y’know, ‘cause that’s just what--”

Pinkie Pie kissed her.

It was a soft kiss, surprisingly so, but it was not a subtle kiss. It was not a kiss that could be mistaken for platonic, that could be mistaken for mistaken. Applejack froze for a moment, half disbelieving and half terrified, before leaning forward, sighing quietly into Pinkie’s mouth as she kissed Pinkie back and a pair of pink forelegs wrapped tightly around her neck.

It wasn’t until Pinkie had pulled back, still grinning as broadly as ever, that Applejack realized Pinkie Pie didn’t taste like sugar. There’d been a hint of something spicy on the other mare’s lips, a slow, sultry heat that Applejack hadn’t expected in the least. Applejack was pretty sure she liked it, though.

But just to be sure, she leaned forward to kiss Pinkie again.

Next prompt: Seconds.

Well, I'm quite glad I didn't claim Sugar, because my idea for it was definitely not as good as that.

I may claim Seconds at some point tomorrow, because I think I kind of have somewhat of what could possibly be construed as an idea for it, (I wish it was a The Hours parody but that'd be way too long and require way too much work even if it would be awesome) but I'm too tired to write it right now. So if somebody else gets to it first, da's coo'.

By the way, is anyone thinking about compiling these into a fic like many of the other groups do? If no one else wants to, I'd be willing, I suppose, if that's something people want to see happen, but it may be better if someone with a little more... Uh... Renown, shall we say, did it?

1728022
Aww, heh, thanks.

I'm all for doing a compilation. I'm happy to be the one to post the fic, too, if other folks wouldn't prefer to do so.

1736695 I say go for it. You're welcome to use art from my DA gallery for a cover, if you'd like.

Also, I think I'll claim "Seconds." There's gotta be something I can do with it.

Prompt: Seconds

*

Seconds. She'd missed her by mere seconds. Applejack arrived at the platform just as the train pulled away. If she had arrived a moment sooner, she could have shouted, or leapt on the train, or have at least done something. But she was late. Late by seconds, and those seconds had cost her the one chance she had to tell her...

Applejack stamped her hoof against the wooden floor, thinking of all the ways she could have saved herself those seconds. She could have rolled out of bed a minute earlier. Skipped brushing her mane—it was under her hat, anyway, what did it matter if it was brushed? She could have eaten an apple on the go instead of sitting down to a bowl of oats for breakfast. She could have galloped to the train station as though timber wolves were after her instead of tiptoeing up to it like it was a sleeping manticore.

Hay, if she was going to indulge in could-haves and should-haves, she could have gotten over herself and said something weeks ago when Pinkie had announced she was leaving for rock country with no real idea when she would be back!

The train's whistle blew, and it sounded like a taunt to the farm pony's ears as it carried Pinkie away. She wanted to howl back at it, chase after the danged thing like a madpony. But she wouldn't catch it. Already the train was fading into the morning mist, racing toward the bend in the tracks that would take it out of sight on its way to far off places.

Applejack fell back onto her haunches, cursing herself for a stubborn fool. She'd just had to hang onto her pride til the last second, hadn't she? She couldn't have let herself realize what she could have had until that last moment it had sunk in what she was about to lose.

Seconds. Sun-and-stars-damned seconds, and they might as well have been years.

“Applejack?”

Her ears didn't want to believe the voice they heard. Applejack looked up, and there was Pinkie Pie, standing on the edge of the platform.

“Pinkie?” Applejack sprang to her hooves. “Pinkie, ya missed your train!”

Pinkie grinned and shook her head. “No, I caught it. But then my hoof got all tickly, and that usually means somepony really needs to talk to me.” She held up her hoof, as though expecting Applejack to see ticklishness somehow. She glanced at the train as it rounded its distant bend. “It wasn't anypony on the train, so I figured it must be somepony out here.”

Applejack felt a lump build in her throat.

The morning sun shone in Pinkie's bright blue eyes. “Applejack, do you have something you needed to tell me?”

Applejack did not let any more seconds slip past her. Tears gleamed on her cheeks as she smiled and nodded. “I surely do, hon. I surely do.”

*

Next Prompt: Everfree

1771121 All the d'awwws. Pinkie Sense is like, the best plot device ever.

That makes two I'm really glad I didn't wind up claiming.

I ain't got squat fer Everfree though. >_>

Claimed! I would love to see all this put together (I'm moving and am waiting for the internet to get installed or I'd have done it myself).

When Twilight had suggested she knew the perfect spot to surprise Pinkie Pie for their anniversary she was skeptical. Not that the new princess was untrustworthy, but the Everfree Forest was less than ideal for any sort of romantic endeavor. Applejack had gone to check it out and after one glance, knew that it was where she’d want to be with Pinkie when the time for their date came.

Pushing back the foliage to clear a path for her marefriend Applejack grinned at the smile spreading across Pinkie’s face.

“Ooh Applejacky, it’s beautiful!”

“Well shucks, I sure am glad you like it Sugarcube. Thought it’d be the perfect place for a picnic.” In the center of the clearing was a natural lake with water as clear and blue as her mare’s eyes. It was naturally shaded from the bright sun and she had taken the time to ask Fluttershy to have her bird friends provide some light music as well.

Spreading the blanket draped across her back she began pulling food out of her basket, motioning for Pinkie to have a seat.

“Before we get started on this here picnic Pinks, there’s something I need to tell ya’.” Pinkie shifted so that she could get a better look at Applejack’s green eyes.

“The reason I brought ya’ here today is more than just our anniversary.” she reached further into the basket and pulled out a small velvet box. “I brought ya’ to the Everfree because we both know that we have dangers in our lives bein’ elements and all. I want ya’ to know though...I’ll always protect you. I’ll always be by your side, and I’ll always love ya’. Pinkie Pie, will you marry me?”

An earring with a perfect representation of her cutie mark sat on the small cushion.

All Pinkie could do was nod through her tears.

Next Prompt: Business

1787354

Claimed!

1800431

Applejack sighed to herself. Today wasn't going well at all. For some reason, one she couldn't explain if she tried, today was just not a good day for business. She had no clue why; she wasn't doing anything different from what she usually did. She was selling the same products, in the same place, with the same ponies coming around. So what, exactly, was the problem?

"Hi Jackie!" Pinkie said cheerfully, bouncing up and giving Applejack a smooch on the cheek.

"Well hay there, Pink Lady," AJ responded.

"Why the long face?" Pinkie asked. AJ raised a brow, not even having realized she was frowning.

"Uh...well, I guess it's on account of my sales ain't looking too good today," AJ responded. Pinkie giggled and gave her a nuzzle.

"That's cause you're all gloomy!" she responded, smiling.

"...So I'm frowning cause I ain't making sales, and I ain't making sales cause I'm frowning?" Applejack asked.

"Yup!" Pinkie said. She tossed an apple at the farmer, who caught it. She inspected the apple, only to see that Pinkie had painted a big "22" on it with edible paint.

"What's with the 22?" AJ asked. Then she shook her head. "Actually, nevermind. So do you really think smiling will help?"

"Of course!" Pinkie bubbled, still holding the paintbrush she'd used. "Here, watch!" The pink pony whirled around Applejack's cart, painting on all the apples.

"Pinkie! What do ya think you're doing?!" AJ shouted.

"Oh don't worry, it's edible paint!" Pinkie giggled. She then showed an apple to AJ. A big smiley face had been painted on it.

"...You painted smiles on my apples," AJ said.

"Yuppers!" Pinkie responded. "Now they're smiley apples! Or SMAPPLES! Ouh, smapples is really fun to say! Say it! Say it!!"

"...Smapples," AJ said, rolling her eyes with a smile.

"It sounds even funnier when you say it!" Pinkie said, nuzzling AJ's cheek.

"Thanks, Pink Lady," Applejack replied. "But do you really think this'll increase sales? I mean, it's just..."

"Ooh, is that apple smiling?" came Bon-Bon's voice as she trotted up to the cart. "I'll take four!"

"I want some too!" Cheerilee exclaimed as she stepped up. "They're adorable!" Before Applejack knew it, her cart was flooding with customers. She looked at Pinkie incredulously. Pinkie just smiled back at her.

AJ made a mental note to herself as she took care of all of her sudden transactions. She knew she shouldn't have doubted Pinkie Pie.

Next word: Kumquat

1801055 Claimed!

Updated the collab and it's current, don't forget to go like/fave/pimp it! Story Page

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Ugh, sorry, I pulled one of my disappearing acts. Glad to see the collab posted!

kumquat:

"One of my favorite words is kumquat. I didn't make that one up." Pinkie couldn't help herself. Her mouth opened and more pointless words spilled out. "I would work in a kumquat orchard just so I could say kumquat all day. Kumquat, kumquat, KUMQUAT!"

Applejack never looked so grim as she did now, turning and slamming her strong legs into a cherry tree, so hard she left splinters where the bark had been. Applejack was always careful with apple trees. Maybe 'cherries' wasn't fun to say. Or maybe, just maybe, Applejack missed her friends just as much as they missed her. Applejack had already beaten the next cherry tree out of all it's fruit by the time Pinkie realized her mouth was moving again.
"And pickle barrel! That's another fun one. Pickle barrel, pickle barrel, pickle barrel." Applejack grit her teeth on the handle of the basket she was carrying and Pinkie panicked. It wasn't supposed to go like this. Pinkie was silly, and then ponies laughed. Pinkie dumped flour on herself, and the twins stopped crying. Pinkie zapped herself, and Rainbow felt better about being pranked. It wasn't supposed to make Applejack angrier.

"C'mon, say it with me! Pickle barrel, kumquat, pickle barrel, kumquat, pickle barrel kumquat, chimmi-cherry-changa!"

"NOOO," Applejack moaned, sinking to her knees. "Make it stop!" Pinkie's mouth kept running on autopilot, even through Rainbow's dusty hoof. More and more words, more and more nonsense spilled out of her, even though all she really wanted was to give Applejack a hug. Even though the words she wanted were Are you okay?

And finally, Applejack's panicked eyes softened as her other friends talked things through. "I'll explain everything at breakfast," she said, her voice as steady and somber as it ever got. "Pinkie Promise."

Pinkie's heart unclenched and she smiled gratefully at Applejack. She'd know what was making Applejack so sad, and then she could fix it, right after breakfast. After all, Applejack had promised. And she never, ever, ever broke her word.

Next prompt: Gifts

It took forever, but I finally followed up on my claim. Maybe this can be not dead now?

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Ack! I finally sat down and wrote out my idea for Kumquat, then I check on the thread and find out I'm too late to ninja it by just two days! After months of dormancy, that's incredible timing!

I'd still like to post what I wrote, if that's okay. Obviously, we'll abide by Midnight's prompt for the next entry, but I'm kinda proud of the rhyming scheme I used here.

***

Kumquat

My love, she is an apple mare,
Pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-air,
Orange of coat and mane so fair.
Pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-ay.
She works her apple trees every day,
Pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-ove,
Those apple trees she's so proud of,
Yes, apples are the life of my love.
Pickle-barrel, kumquat, pickle-barrel, kumquat, pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-ay.

With a song on her lips and a twinkle in her eye,
Pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-aye,
My love baked me an apple pie!
Pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-oh!
Alas, my love, she did not know,
Pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-dee,
Alas, alack, oh woe is me,
For I have an apple allergy!
Pickle-barrel, kumquat, pickle-barrel, kumquat, pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-oh!

Ah, my heart! 'Tis so unfair,
Pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-air,
That I should love an apple mare!
Pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-ooh!
What's a poor baker to do?
Pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-aye,
I wish to have her apple pie,
But if I did, I'd surely die!
Pickle-barrel, kumquat, pickle-barrel, kumquat, pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-ooh!

So plant those saplings, plant them wide.
Pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-ide.
Plant them for my future bride.
Pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-un.
Make sure that they get plenty of sun,
Pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-all,
Treat them tender, water them all,
Let them each grow strong and tall.
Pickle-barrel, kumquat, pickle-barrel, kumquat, pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-un.

And then I'll ask the love of my life,
Pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-ife,
If she will let me be her wife.
Pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-oot.
And we can laugh and share our fruit,
Pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-ease,
We'll live together as happy as we please,
Under the shade of our kumquat trees!
With a pickle-barrel, kumquat, pickle-barrel, kumquat, pickle-barrel, kumquat, chimi-cherry-oot!

Claiming the prompt gifts, should have it finished when I get out of class

Prompt: Gifts

“Are we there yet?”

“Almost, just a few more steps sugarcube.”

“Are we there now?”

“The last hundred times you asked the answer was no, this time it’s yes!” Removing the blindfold she’d placed over her marefriend’s eyes, Applejack beamed proudly.

The two stood at the highest point of Sweet Apple Acres, a small hill just at the edge of the property near the Everfree. Celestia’s sun cast it’s fading golden light over the tops of the fruit laden trees, giving the appearance of a green and red sea. Applejack had taken the liberty of setting up a picnic for the two. A red checked cloth had been carefully spread across the ground with one large laying pillow set to the side. Plates and cups were already carefully arranged and a large covered basket sat to the side, the delicious aroma of freshly baked apple pie scenting the air.

“It’s amazing Applejack!”

With a chuckle the farmer led her mare to the cushion, their coats brushing each other pleasantly as they settled. “I know Rarity’d have a fit if she knew that this is what we’re doing for our two year anniversary, but I thought you’d like the idea of being here where it all started.”

Pinkie beamed with joy. “It’s perfect.”

Removing the cloth from the basket AJ began to remove what she’d agonized over packing. Two homemade apple pies, a chilled bottle of fresh cider, and a few roses dusted with powdered sugar completed the meal. Leaning into her mare AJ took a moment to appreciate the view. The fading light was the perfect counterpoint to Pinkie’s soft smile. The gentle rustle of tree leaves and the sounds of nature made it all the better. There wasn’t ever going to be a moment better than this. Looking out at the fields she tended everyday, she took a deep breath and began.

“You know we’ve been together for a while now sugar cube, and I don’t know a better time than now to ask—”

“Mmf, thish ish delishish!”

Applejack paled. She really hoped that sound wasn’t what she thought it was. Slowly looking over at her sweet lovable pink menace, she couldn’t fight the shudder that made it’s way through her body.

“What’s wrong Jackie? That was great!” Reflecting like a beacon of hopelessness, was an empty pie tin.
“Pinkie, did you even chew that pie?”

“Nope! Why?”

With a gulp, Applejack tried and failed to calm her racing heart. “Because in it was Granny Smith’s wedding earrings…”

“You mean, you were gonna…?”

“Eeyup.”

“And I just…?”

“Eeyup.” Applejack wasn’t prepared for the tackle the pushed the two rolling over the blanket.

“Oh yes Jackie, yes! I’d love become an Apple! This is the best anniversary gift ever!”

With a chuckle AJ helped Pinkie to her hooves. “I’m glad you like the gift, now let’s go get it outta ya’.”

Next prompt: Slap

2657462 Oh, why must you tempt me so with a prompt so dripping with potential angst?

...I am weak and cannot resist. Claimed.

((Prompt: Slap.))

Applejack froze. An electric tingle ran up the back of her apple-bucking hoof. She turned her head, a dangerous glint in her eye as she looked at the pair of colts snickering on the corner.

“You wanna repeat that?” she rumbled.

The colts glanced at one another. “We didn't say nothin',” said one.

“Yeah, keep walking,” said the other.

Pinkie Pie put a hoof on Applejack's shoulder. “Come on, we don't wanna be late to our party! Well, I mean, it won't be our party until we get there, so it's not like we can be late, but if we take too long getting there, the cake will get crusty and the soda will go flat!” Her voice was as chipper and pink as it ever was, but there was a strain at the corners of her lips as she smiled.

Applejack wheeled around to face the colts. “I don't take kindly to liars,” she snarled, advancing on them. “I heard exactly what y'all said. Somethin' about my marefriend's head an' a box of rocks. That sound like the highlights of the conversation to you?” Her tail swished left to right in irritation.

Pinkie tugged more insistently on Applejack. “Come on, A.J. Leave them alone.”

“These boys are bein' disrespectful of ya, Pinkie,” Applejack said. “I ain't gonna stand for it. They need to apologize.”

“C-come on,” sputtered one of the colts. “It was just something funny! You like funny things, don't you, Pinkie?”

“Funny?” bellowed Applejack, rearing up. “You think insultin' somepony behind her back is funny?”

“Applejack, stop,” cried Pinkie, but her plea went unheeded.

Applejack spun around, cocking back her hindleg just the way she did when she was bucking trees. “I'll show ya just how funny a box of rocks can be when you're eatin' the cobblestones!”

A hoof connected with a face, but it was neither the hoof nor the face Applejack expected. She fell backwards onto her haunches. She felt a warm throbbing in her cheek. “P-Pinkie?”

Pinkie Pie gave the two colts a fractured, unhappy smile. “If you go to Sugarcube Corner right now,” she told them, “and tell Mr. and Mrs. Cake I sent you, they'll give you both a free cupcake. Okay?”

The colts exchanged looks and ran off in the direction of the bakery.

Applejack numbly rubbed her swelling cheek. “W-why, Pinkie?” Confused tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. “Why'd you hit me?”

Pinkie knelt down in the street and threw her forelegs over her. She buried her muzzle deep in Applejack's mane. Applejack could feel her marefriend's chest rise and fall against hers.

“I just want to make ponies happy,” Pinkie said quietly. “If they're laughing at me, they're still laughing. That's all I want.”

*

Next Prompt: Inconceivable

Inconceivable claimed!

EDIT: Oh, I guess I will lose internet in 40 minutes before I have this finished. So I'm not squatting, if someone, unlikely as it is, wants to take this, go for it, but otherwise, I'll post a flash story on it tomorrow.

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What the blueberry F**K is this?! Eight weeks, you guys?? That makes me a sad, sad, aardvark. Let's keep the dream alive, people!

Prompt: Inconceivable

All Applejack had to do was say 'no'. It was supposed to be simple. Sure--when in came to Pinkie Pie--every phrase, motto, and meaning behind the word 'simple' was drowned, thrown into a trash compactor, and blown up. Twice.

Maybe that's why seeing the bouncy girl with an old straw hat, hip-hugging shorts, a checkered button-up shirt and new gloves put an odd smile on AJ's freckled face, and not outright laugh Pinkie off the farm.

"You sure you're up for this, Sugarcube?" Applejack asked. "Last time you 'helped out' at Sweet Apple Acres--"

"I killed most of the crops, busted the water spout, starved the pigs, and nearly snapped my leg off on a tree!" Pinkie chirped, practically vibrating into the grass. "Good times!"

All Applejack had to do was say no, and she'd never have to relive that day.

"The farm's seen worse days, I guess," Applejack said, leaning against a tree.

"Besides, I went about the apple-farming business totally wrong!"

One simple word. That's it. She needed only say it, and they'd never speak of this day again. Ever.

"At first, I totally thought I could handle it, being a rock-farmer and all!" Pinkie said, tipping her straw hat. "But I was too gentle. Too nice! Now I know just what this farm needs: more muscle!"

Applejack leaned against a nearby tree, and turned her head toward her distant brother, plowing the fields with nothing but his pants, sweat, and sun-kissed bulk trudging him through. Her eyes returned to her own trimmed shoulders and forearms.

"Um..." A gloved finger swiftly pressed against AJ's lips.

"Shh! I'm about to be brilliant!" Pinkie squawked.

No. She could feel he word on the her tongue. No. No. No.

"Sweet Apple Acres gets flooded all the time. Even with minor drizzles! Nobody wants all that extra work when there're apples to farm!"

Applejack tipped her own Stetson. "Wait, you ain't talkin' about the flood from a year ago, are ya? And wasn't that Discord's fa--"

"Sooo, I can build you a dam! With rocks!" Pinkie cheered, somehow beside Applejack with an arm draped over her. "No more floods, no more mud, no more gargling trees, and you'll STILL have the water stream for your crops!"

Press tongue to roof of mouth, and make noise while puckering lips. So very simple.

"Well, that does seem mighty helpful, Pinkie--"

The pink-haired girl leaned forward with a smile that could make an ostrich fly.

"But..."

The moment she saw that smile break into a crooked shell of its former self, Applejack forgot what 'no' even meant.

"W-well, it ain't that I don't appreciate the thought, hon. It's just..." AJ's eyes roamed over Pinkie's untanned, undefined, clearly underworked physique. "Well, you've been hitting the sweets a lot since Cheese Sandwich left and--"

Pinkie's gasp thinned the air, shifted the earth, and realigned the stars by that point.

"You think I'm fat?!"

Applejack pushed herself harder against that tree. "Well, I, uh--"

"You think I weak and out of shape, don't you?!"

No. No, no, no, no! If there was ever a time listening to the brain decided life or death, it was then and there. Applejack knew exactly what she needed to say: the truth. And with a blank face and flat tone, she did just that.

"Yyyyes..."

Surely, the twinge in AJ's head was her brain packing its suitcase and slamming the door on the way out. Pinkie's eyelids halved, and her brows rolled down into two dangerously edged lines. Before AJ could even gulp, Pinkie crouched beside a stray boulder buried deep by hardened soil.

Her gloved fingers literally buried into the cracking stone. She lifted it from the ground like a weed by its roots, and whipped it to her other hand, held close to her chest.

She crushed it. Like it was dried clay.

"Three-hundred tons of rocks, a bottle of water, and week, tops. You'll have your dam."

By now, Applejack didn't even know what she was gawking at, but she was gawking. Oh, by the hazy eyes, hanging jaw, and saliva trailing her chin, she was gawking. So much so, she completely missed the half-lidded glare come inches toward her until a finger pressed her chin and mouth shut.

And in that moment, Applejack had never, in her entire life, thought that a simple 'no' would get her killed.

"When can ya start?"

Dedicated to this mare.

Because, evidently, rock-farmers are from Krypton.

Next Prompt: Rage-quit

3229419 Eight weeks? Why, that's inconceivable!

Thank you for rescuing the thread, Craine. And with a very lovely entry, to boot.

I'm not claiming Rage-quit... yet...

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Why, that's inconceivable!

Oh, you.

Really, I've been prowlin' around the last two months reviving dead prompts because awesome-sauce. Couldn't leave ApplePie hangin', now could I?

Craine...

3230862 Okay, now I'll claim Rage-Quit.

Rage-Quit

“That's it, Pinks. I'm out.”

“What? Applejack, wait! You can't just call it quits now.”

“I can, and I'm gonna. Goodbye, Pinkie.”

“B-but Applejack... we were just starting to get somewhere.”

“Were we? Because to me it feels like we're just runnin' around in circles. I'm tired, Pinkie, and I don't have the time.”

“Just give it one more try. Please, Applejack.”

“No, Pinkie. I'm done playing this game with you. I'm sorry, but you'll just have to find somepony else.”

“What about the fillies? What am I going to tell them?”

“It weren't my idea to bring them into the picture. You'll have to think of something.”

“Applejack, please! Just give it a chance, I'm begging you!”

“Now c'mon, Pinks, don't make a big scene over this. You know I'll still see you around. But I'm just... done with this. It was fun at the start, but it's starting to feel like a chore now. I've got enough chores.”

“I... okay. Okay, Applejack, you win, you can go. But... can you do just one favor for me? Just one more. It's okay if you don't mean it, I just want one more round with you. Pretty, pretty, super sorry-eyes please?”

“...Fine. I'll play one more round of Pie-ball with you. But this is the last one, got it? I've got chores I need to do.”

“Yippee! The first mare to cover six wickets gets two extra paces in the filly race!”

“I still think you're just making these rules up as you go along...”

Next Prompt: Forever

3244169 Eight weeks? Damn...
Claiming 'Forever', then.

Forever:

Pinkie sighed in satisfaction as her last customer of the day took the last strawberry-lemon cupcake out of Sugarcube corner. It had been a good day, but a long one... Pound had come down with Feather Flu, so it had just been her and Mrs. Cake running everything today so Mr. Cake could take Pound to the doctors' office. And clean up all the barf in the upstairs bathroom. And make sure Pound could eat something. Lunch had been failed attempts at light broths and yesterday's bagels. Pinkie's tummy rumbled again as she fished around in the closet for the wipe-down rag and bucket.

"Pinkie? You around?" Pinkie nearly dropped her bucket in surprise. It sounded like Applejack had just walked into the store. Which was fine, but usually Applejack knocked. The door was never locked, not until everypony was asleep, but Applejack still knocked. It was a very Applejack thing to do, but today ... When Pinkie trotted back to the counter, she really did drop her bucket. Barely any water sloshed out.

"H-hey, Applejack," Pinkie said, trying her best to sound casual. Applejack didn't look very Applejack-ey today. Her eyes were nearly as puffy and bloodshot as the time she tried to do everything at once during harvest season, and her mane didn't look like it had been brushed in days (which, even though Rarity didn't think so, was weird). But most importantly, her hat was nowhere to be seen. And Applejacks always had hats on, even when they were silly, runaway Applejacks. Or even Discorded, lying Applejacks. Something really bad must have happened for Applejack to not be wearing her hat. Or for her eyes to look as tired and guilty as they did right now.

“You know what you said, ‘bout losing a friend’s trust?” Applejack half-cantered in place. “You could lose that friend forever?” Pinkie nodded silently and gave up on any pretense of washing down the counter. Applejack needed all of her, all though Pinkie wasn’t sure quite why yet. Applejack swallowed and dipped her neck over to half-whisper, urgently, as if she feared the words about to leave her mouth. “Would you say that’s, y’know, forever-forever?”

“I dunno, Applejack,” Pinkie mused. Not ‘AJ’. Not ‘Jackie’. Applejack’s problems were too big for nicknames. “I think it depends on the friend.”

Applejack nodded silently. “And how do you think it would be with … with a whole town?” Pinkie frowned deeply and moved softly around the counter to sit next to Applejack. Shen she leaned into Applejack’s side, she could almost feel the tiny tremors running through Applejack’s muscles.

“I think Ponyville’s a pretty forgiving place,” Pinkie finally murmured. Applejack’s tension didn’t melt like she expected it would, not even when she threw in a little nuzzle. “You wanna tell me what happened?” Pinkie offered with another nuzzle.

“Ever since the whole Flim Flam tonic mess, nopony looks at me the way I’m used to,” Applejack began. Pinkie heard the little hitch in her voice and leaned even harder against Applejack. She was strong enough to take it, and Pinkie needed to let Applejack know she was there. “An’ then, today, well,” Applejack’s jaw twitched and she breathed slowly through her nose, “Harvest wasn’t great this year, with the fireblight we got in the East Orchard. I had to raise Bon Bon 5 bits a bushel, an’ when I explained why, she wouldn’t believe me. I gave her five ‘r six reasons, but she just went on not believin’ me, ‘til I had to bring Mac by to tell ‘er the exact same thing. She believed him straightaway. Didn’t give me a ‘sorry’ or a ‘beg your pardon’ or nothin’.”

Pinkie sighed and nuzzled Applejack’s neck again because she needed it. “Sorry that happened to you,” she said, because Applejack needed that, too.

“The worst part is, I think she was right to treat me like that,” Applejack choked out. Pinkie could feel how hard Applejack was trying to not cry, so she pulled Applejack into a tight hug, tight enough to keep her shoulders from shaking with her muffled sobs. Pinkie could feel something wet trickling into her poofy mane, but she pretended it was nothing. eventually, Applejack stopped sniffling, and Pinkie’s head stopped getting dripped on. Pinkie let applejack go and scooted backwards so she could see Applejack’s face.

“Applejack, why’d you talk to me?” Pinkie asked, cokcing her head a little. “Why not Twilight? Or Fluttershy?”

Applejack coughed a few times. “Well, I figure you’re the gal to talk to ‘bout friendship and promises an’ all that,” she said gruffly. And then something changed, and her eyes showed a strange tenderness Pinkie had never seen before. “And I reckon… I reckon I ain’t the only pony this town has expectations for,” she continued, lifting a foreleg nervously before remembering she had no hat to tug on. “Applejack doesn’t lie,” she murmured, that same strange tenderness growing deeper, “But Pinkie’s never sad, ain’t she?”

A sudden warmth started in Pinkie’s chest and spread out to her cheeks, to her hooves and tail, kept spreading until she was sure she might explode. She managed a quivering, shy smile at Applejack. “You know what?” she said, scooting slowly back to where Applejack sat. “I think by next stampede season, everypony’s just gonna remember the Applejack who always helps out, and who works hard, and tells bedtime stories to her trees. Ponyville’s a good town full of good ponies, and they’ll remember you’re the best pony in town soon enough.”

Applejack’s shoulders lost the tension that hurt to look at, and a hopeful little smile made her face look ten years younger. “You really think so?”

Pinkie let herself grin and hoped it didn’t look as sneaky as she felt in the tips of her ears. “Cross my heart,” she promised, pulling Applejack into a tight, warm hug.

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((A/N: I tried to do something light-hearted and sappy like a wedding, but my muse wasn't having anything like that. Oh well...))

Next Prompt: Super-Spy