Cider Season

Barrels and barrels of cider were stacked atop each other, every one filled with delicious apple family cider. Why, just thinking about it made the earth pony below lick her lips but she knew she couldn’t have any. As disappointing as it was, no matter how hard they worked, there was never quite enough cider for the whole of Ponyville, with the exception of the Flim Flam Brothers scenario. Oh well, no use crying over spilled milk, as Granny Smith always said. Applejack shivered as a cold breeze tugged as her coat. She glanced up at the dark sky, a reminder as to how late it way.

“Stop yer lollygagging, Applejack!” Granny Smith trotted slowly past. “We need to get some rest fer tomorrow.”

“Will do, Granny,” she glanced once again at the sky, the first twinkling stars beginning to appear. “But ah think ah’m jus’ going to stay here fer a bit.”

“Suit yerself.” Granny Smith continued on with Big Mac.

Applejack sat down on the cool grass, admiring the night sky. It was sometimes quite nice to do so, alone in front of something so big and magnificent. She tilted her head towards the stand with a slight smile only to stop. There was something there, something bright. A zap apple? But those weren’t in season!

Applejack trotted over to the stand, peering over the edge. There, lying on the ground, was a blue Pegasus with a rainbow-coloured mane, snoring quietly in her light sleep. She blinked. Rainbow Dash? She didn’t know why she was there, but she did look quite cute sleeping like that… she shook her head.

“Dash! Hey, Dash!” Applejack said loudly, causing her to stir and moan. When she called her name again Rainbow Dash finally awoke.

“Ugh,” Rainbow Dash muttered, sleepily lifting her head. “What’d ya want, AJ, I’m trying to sleep.”

“Why are ya’ll tryin’ to sleep here on th’ dusty ground?” Applejack trotted round the stand to help up her friend.

The Pegasus shot into the air. “I’m going to be the very first pony to get any cider! I’ll be here before even Pinkie Pie!”

“That’s it? Ya’ll gonna sleep on the floor just to get some cider?” she shook her head. “Dash, it’ll be fine. Head back to yer house, ah’m goin’ to bed.”

“No way, I’m staying right here,” she sighed. Of course she would refused. Suddenly, Rainbow Dash perked up. “Hey! You said once you had some cider in that cellar of your’s, didn’t you? I can have some of that.”

Applejack stopped mid-step. She twisted her head to glare at her. “No way. That’s hard apple family cider, not fer selling to ponies who can’t take it.”

“You’re saying I can’t take it?” suddenly a furious Pegasus was in her face, jabbing a hoof at her belly. “I can, and you know it!” a smirk crossed her face. “That’s it, isn’t it? You can’t take it, and you don’t want to lose face in front of me.”

“What?” Applejack leaned backwards, frowning angrily. “Where’d ya’ll hear a darn fool thing like that?”

“I just guessed,” Rainbow Dash boasted. “Unless, if you’re really not afraid, you’ll let me have some?”

The farm pony groaned. She could already see what was going to happen. Rainbow Dash would tease and goad her until eventually she gave in. Well, better get it over with. “Fine, ya’ll can have one little mug.”

“Yes!” She whooped, leaping in the air and doing a few quick, tight barrel rolls and loops.

Applejack rolled her eyes, forcing back an amused smile. “Keep quiet, mah family’s goin’ to bed.”

“Whatever, let’s just get to the cider!” And with that, Rainbow Dash was gone, with Applejack chasing after her.

Rainbow Dash landed neatly by the trap door, folding her wings and bending down to open it. She tugged, then stepped backwards in confusion when it didn’t open. Applejack chuckled at that, drawing up alongside her.

“Ya’ll need a key,” she took off her hat, revealing the silver object. “And ah got it.”

“You keep a key under your hat?” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow.

“Eeyup,” She pushed the key into the lock, twisting it then stuffing it under her hat again. Applejack pulled open the door, revealing a dark flight of steps. “Watch yer step.”

It was dank and dark, the cobble steps slightly slippery as she continued down. Her friend’s warm breath on the back of her neck was uncomfortable and comfortable at the same. Still, she was glad when she reached the bottom and turned on the light.

Wind buffeted her mane as a pony zoomed past her, stopping above a small table in the corner with two chairs. “Nice setup.”

“Thanks, ah guess,” she grabbed two tankard and a tap from the side. Choosing a barrel of cider near the table Rainbow Dash was sitting at, she stuck the tap into it, pushed down and filled the tankards with cider. “Drink up, RD.” She slid a tankard to her.

Rainbow Dash grabbed the cider, tipping her tankard upside down, gulping and swallowing. Thin dribbles of liquid leaked out the side of her mouth, down to her chin. Applejack ignored her friend’s antics, opting inside to take a gulp of her own cider. She shivered in delight at the warm, bitter taste she loved so much.

“Oh my gosh,” Rainbow Dash slammed her empty tankard down. “That stuff’s amazing, AJ!”

“Glad to hear it.” She tipped her own tankard back, emptying it in a single gulp.

“Can I have some more?” Rainbow Dash asked hopefully, a big smile on her face. It was hard to resist that look, but she did it.

“Ah said one mug.” Applejack reached towards her friend, holding out hoof for the tankard. With a sigh, Rainbow Dash tipped it back to receive any last drops, proceeding to lick her lips slowly for the last hint of the taste. Applejack felt her cheeks go warm. It was so sexy, seductive… firmly pushing those thoughts away and yanking Rainbow Dash’s tankard.

Applejack trotted numbly onwards. Rainbow Dash's tongue slowly swiping across her lips hypnotically... Still the thoughts stayed with her as she lifted the tap and let the golden liquid pour into the tankards. Where had those thoughts come from? It must have been the cider, she wasn’t even tipsy but it could be effecting her mind.

“Another mug?” Rainbow Dash said as her drink was slid to her. “I thought you said I wasn’t getting anymore? Ah well, I’m certainly not complaining.” The Pegasus drank slowly this time, savouring it.

Oh great, ah forgot. “Well this is certainly it,” Applejack said, fixing her with a stern glance. “No more cider!”

“And then… and then she said that oatmeal, are you, like, crazshy?”Rainbow Dash flopped across the table like a fish, knocking over two tankards at the same time, but neither pony cared.

Applejack tilted back her head, pushing off the table as she let out a high, breathy stream of laughter. Losing her balance, she toppled backwards, landing hard on the cobble stone floor and back of the chair, but she ignored the pain, laughing till her sides hurt. Rainbow Dash leapt of the table onto her and they rolled across the floor.

“Apple… Applejack, Applejackass,” Rainbow Dash fumbled over her name. “Let’s do it!”

“Yer so dashing,” she laughed at her own pun. “Dashing Rainbow Dash, ah’m gonna give ya a dash,” she hooked her arms around her drunk friend’s neck. “A dash of apple, cause ah’m Applejack and, and ah’m the dashiest apple ever.”

“Oh yeah, you dashy apple, I’m going to make you… apple… dash.” Then their lips met in a hot, passionate kiss tasting bitterly of cider. She pushed Rainbow Dash on her back, forcing her tongue inside her mouth with vigour matched by her victim. All of a sudden it was over, the world blurring before her, Rainbow Dash disappearing from view. Her hind hooves dangled above the ground and, even through her drunken haze, she could tell there was somepony lifting her. Namely, a big red stallion with an apple cutie mark.

“Lemme go!” she struggled against his strong, restraining arm. “Ah’m doin’ it with a cute dashy filly!”

“Applejack, yer drunk,” he said before turning to look at the mare lying on the ground. Oh she looked so vulnerable, so hot, covered in all that cider and sweat. If only Big McIntosh would let her go. “Go home. But no drunk flying.”

Stumbling, Rainbow Dash made her way up the stairs, with no small amount of trips and bashes. Applejack reached out her hooves, but she couldn’t reach her. Against her will, she was drank through the night and into the barn, up the stairs and down the corridors. She didn’t really know what was happening, but it certainly what she wanted to be happening. Finally, she was dropped onto a soft, spring bed and the stallion’s arm was gone.

“Now stay there Missy.” Big McIntosh said before leaving, closing the door behind him with a click.

Applejack rolled over angrily on her bed to see a familiar face pressed against her window, tongue lolling. Giggling, she reached forwards and flung open the window, allowing Rainbow Dash to wonkily fly in and drop atop of her.

“Now we can get dashing.” Rainbow Dash slurred, once again leaning forwards and claiming her lips.

***
The first thing Applejack was aware of the worst headache she had ever had. It felt like Pinkie Pie was inside her skull, firing party cannons and boogying on down with her friends with some seriously loud music that really needed to be turned down before she died. The second was that her arms were wrapped around a cyan mare with a multi-coloured mane. Her friend, Rainbow Dash.

The Rainbow Dash she’d just slept with.

Applejack groaned, freeing her arms and rolling over onto her side, causing a larger spike of pain in her head. She didn’t really remember much, apart from getting more, and more, and more cider, kissing Rainbow Dash, who later flew threw her window and… ugh.

What have ah done? She thought, massaging her temples. Looking out her window, she could just about make out a small line of ponies already beginning queue for their cider. So now she had to get up with a killer hangover, leave her friend who she’d had a bit of ‘fun’ with and go sell cider?

“Buck.”