Fallen Eagle

Chapter 42: What You Mean to Me

Oh...my...gosh. Welcome back everyone! Hope you all had a gut busting Thanksgiving!

Now this chapter took WAY longer than I thought it would. I had to revise nearly every scene because it didn't feel like like CouJack at all. From a chapter I thought would take a couple days took over two weeks, something I wasn't exactly thrilled about. But thanks to the many revisions, I'm confident you guys will find this chapter worth the wait. It was a little stressful, I'll admit, when I got past the barrier I personally set up, yet I kept reminding myself that J.K. Rowling didn't write The Philosopher's Stone in a day. And no, I'm not saying my story is as good. As a good friend also told me about the outcome of the first Sherlock Holmes novel, "Great haste makes great waste."

So, big things have happened in the past few weeks. Jeff Gordon ended his 23 year career in NASCAR with a sixth place finish at Homestead and overall third in the final point standings. Not what I was hoping for, but I'll take it. I actually didn't cry, but it did hurt a little to see him exit that car one more time. Also, it was a little sad for me watching the Season 5 finale last week. Season 5 was the first season where I got to see every new episode of the season. And no, I'm not going to fully review it here, but I will say that I thought it was very well done, beautifully animated, and well written. It also harbored a good lesson for people out there with strained friendships: Don't give up because things look bleak. Talk it out with your friends to see what the problem is and work it out. Sure, you might have some things in common which drew you together in the first place, but your differences make the both of you unique, something to enjoy about each other. Just because they like one thing you don't doesn't mean it's over. Which in turn was the lesson for the entire season.

Also as a whole, I believe Season 5 is the best seasons of MLP with Season 2 a close second. No other season had so many episodes that touched me like Amending Fences, Crusaders of the Lost Mark, Tanks for the Memories, Castle Sweet Castle, and of course, Brotherhooves Social. Tanks for the Memories and Brotherhooves Social are the only two MLP episodes that made me cry. A toast, to the writers for a DIAMOND season 5, and let's all look forward for Season 6 and EQG 4!

Before I get to replying to reviews guys, I want to request something of you all. With these two (soon to be three) chapters of going deeper into Ivan and Applejack's relationship, I really want to know what you guys think. I've never thought of myself as a romance writer, but I just want to know how I'm doing. So, instead of just complimenting the chapter, could you guys actually give a little detail about what you like or don't like about their relationship? Just so I can improve if need be.

SkullCrusher550: Thank you once again. And an 8.7? Well that's actually higher than what I think most people rate it. Hope to see you next time.

Lelouch-Strife: That's actually going to come up quicker than you think. I have big plans for that particular episode.

OBSERVER01: Actually, they play no part in this chapter, but I guess it's expected from how many shenanigans those three get into.

Jarius Black: Now that's an original comment for my story! And I recognize you from Get Your Rock On! Glad to see you enjoy different genres.

Sassymouse: Aw, come now. It wasn't THAT cute...but if you insist :P Have you tried doing that on your bed so you have something soft to land on? I see Granny of course as the wise elderly family member that loves to spout nonsense sometimes. Although (and this is unrelated) I do NOT like her Equestria Girls design. Be careful, Pinkie may be there to eat the remaining sweetness. Oh and one more thing. Twilight: Oh Spike, my sweet baby boy. Don't ever leave me, please!

Caleb200888: Well I wish you luck to your future endeavors.

cking1996: All right! A fellow Gordon fan! And actually, he's going to be commentating Cup races on Fox next year. But I digress, I'm glad I've been able to hold your attention this long.

MadnessAndInsanity: I have never gotten a review like this before. I'm glad I could (somehow) brighten you and your family's lives.

Dixie Darlin: Crotchety old people are always funny! And they can be sweet like Granny.

Aethnear: You say floater, I say another fan. It's okay if you don't review often. I've never really written romance like this before, so I'm really happy a lot of people like it.

KillerWow: Pinkie Pie went to a Def Leppard concert because she thinks the song Pour Some Sugar on Me means that the band drops sugar on the audience.

Okay guys, here we get to see what a CouJack date day will be like. Once again, please tell me what you think of their relationship. As for the next chapter, well, get ready; I have a feeling I'm going to get a lot of happy readers.

---

(Sweet Apple Acres Pond; Ivan's POV)

Plop, Plop, Plop, SPLASH

"Whoo-wee!" Applejack cheered and whistled, sounding impressed. "You got one heck of a wrist there, Ivan. That one nearly got ta the middle 'o the pond!" She added. Smiling, I picked up a small, flat stone from the pile behind us and tossed it into her hoof.

"See if you can beat that," I teased with a raised eyebrow. Taking on my challenge with a scoff and a smirk, Applejack cautiously balanced the stone in her hoof, narrowing her eyes at the once placid surface of the pond. Celestia's sun was doing it's job perfectly with no cloud in the sky. Even with our rocks skipping along the surface of the water, rippling to the outer edges, its light was able to penetrate through to the bottom. It was a beautiful pond to say the least; it even housed a few trout that hid when we began to just pass the time after our picnic feast was finished. After the two of us had finished our late lunch, we sat on the 'beach' of the pond with our feet submerged under the surface. Well, her hooves, my feet. It was rather relaxing with a fairly warm mid-fifties day temperature wise.

"Don't get cocky now, Ivan," she winked back at me, still concentrating hard. "Or Ah'm gonna have ta teach you a lesson," AJ warned. Sticking her tongue out, she slowly swept her foreleg back and threw it forward, snapping her hoof at the last second as hard as she could.

Plop, Plop, SPLASH

"Ooh, swing and a miss," I playfully taunted, placing my hand on her shoulder and shaking her a little. "Woah!" I exclaimed as the mare shoved me playfully in retaliation. I lost my balance and thrust my arm out, just barely able to catch myself before falling completely into the water. However, my arm was now completely drenched up to the bottom of my elbow, not that I cared. Luckily the black stetson that AJ made for my birthday didn't fall off my head and into the blue water.

"Hey, Ah warned ya," she reminded me and helped me right myself.

"I'll remember for next time," I chuckled, flicking some water from my fingers onto her face. It gave me an edge as it caught her by surprise and she jerked her head back a little. With my dry right arm, I wrapped it around her torso and pulled her in close, lightly smashing my lips against her cheek. When I pulled away, her orange cheek was during a darker shade of pink by the second.

"Oh, so that's how it is, buster?" She cleared her throat and adjusted her own stetson. I released her from my arm's grip with a grin on my face, letting her know I was still joking around with her. "Hey, Ah didn't complain," she snuggled back up against me. Not complaining either, I softly rewrapped my arm around her and lightly rubbed her foreleg. "Thanks for sharin' a picnic with me, Sugarcube," Applejack said sweetly after a few moments of just silently enjoying each other's company.

"Heh," I softly exclaimed, "thanks for not freaking out about what I like to eat," I turned my attention to the picnic basket behind us. Said basket only housed empty tupperware bowls, empty thermoses, and a pair of empty cider bottles. Among some of the items on the menu was some faux meat that Celestia and Luna would send me at least once a month. I tried to eat it sparingly in order to avoid freaking out AJ and her family or making them feel sick.

"Aw, that doesn't bother us anymore," she assured me. "Besides, this is a day for the both of us. Why should Ah get ta eat the foods Ah like 'n not give you a choice at all?" she asked me rhetorically.

"Fair point," I shrugged. "Though, you're still a heck of a cook," I complimented her just as a fish jumped into the air and flopped back into the water. AJ grazed her lips across my neck in reply. "So," I decided to try a little better small talk with her, "what do you think everyone else is doing for Hearts and Hooves Day tomorrow?" I questioned.

"Ta tell ya the truth, 'n when don't Ah?" She joked, "Ah don't rightfully know. Soarin 'n Rainbow Dash didn't 'get together' 'till well past Hearts 'n Hooves Day last year, so Ah have no idea what they would have planned. 'O Course Rainbow might put in an order for a couple pies before tomorrow. Then they might just fly around Cloudsdale or Ponyville."

"I get a feeling we'll be seeing a sonic rainboom sometime tomorrow," I looked upward at the sky.

"That wouldn't surprise me one bit," I could see AJ roll her eyes in the reflection on the water. "As for Twilight, she confused the heck out 'o poor Flash Sentry last year by printin' out an itinerary for the whole day," AJ explained. "They stopped by the farm ta see if we had any apple desserts ta spare, 'n that's when she showed me the schedule for the day. Ah know it's sorta like what we're doin,' but we only have a few things ta do; Twilight literally had the entire day all planned out from 9:00 a.m. ta when Celestia lowered the sun."

"Something tells me she won't try that again," I chuckled and cracked my toes beneath the water. "I'd understand though if she went by the 'unwritten' book and suggested a dinner at a fancy restaurant. I'm actually intrigued what those two can come up with."

"That would be a hoof step in the right direction for those two," Applejack rubbed her chin. "Ah know Twilight has tons 'o responsibilities now that she's a princess 'n all, but she should still consider tryin' ta find a good point in her relationship with Flash 'n possibly settle down."

"Like I think Checkered and Luna will," I softly blurted. AJ moved back a bit to turn her head to look at me.

"Did Luna tell ya somethin' she won't tell anypony else?"

"No, no," I assured the mare. "You saw the both of them in the dream world and every time we see them together in Canterlot," I remarked.

"Yeah, Ah ain't ever seen Princess Luna happier than with him. He's a good stallion too; always settin' good examples for young ponies 'n donatin' ta charities almost every day."

"I'd be willing to bet Luna's gonna take him on a star ride or make a constellation of the both of them tomorrow night." A slight breeze whipped past is, making the leaves behind us rustle. "So, what does Pinkie Pie usually do?" I tried to keep the conversation going.

Applejack let out a quiet laugh before responding. "Pinkie always spends the night before Hearts 'n Hooves Day makin' cards for just about everypony in town," she smiled. "Then she spends the next mornin' hoofin' 'em out ta everypony." Remembering how Pinkie sometimes invited us to parties, I couldn't fathom how she could sing to everyone in town all morning.

"Please tell me she doesn't sing a song to everyone," I quickly begged. Pinkie Pie was a great friend and good for a laugh, but that mare loves to sing way too much, even if her songs can be pretty catchy.

"Naw, she tried that one year, but she done lost her voice after about an hour," Applejack shook her head. "But she forged on 'n delivered like she always does. She couldn't talk again until that evenin,' and boy did she make up for lost time," AJ chuckled again. "As for Fluttershy, Ah don't rightfully know what she does," she shrugged. A sudden thought crossed my mind of Discord showing up with a bouquet of flowers and putting on the BS routine of 'Just a day for friends!' "Although this year, she might be foalsittin' Scootaloo for Rainbow 'n Soarin if their plans go well past sundown," AJ shrugged.

"And Rarity?" I shifted my position as AJ leaned back again and removed her stetson, setting it aside. She shifted herself as well, but stayed close to me and laid her head down on my lap. I gently placed my hand on her side and just rubbed it softly. She sighed happily and wriggled around.

"Well, if everythin' goes for her like always," Applejack grunted, "she'll get about half a dozen cards 'n a couple bouquets 'o flowers," AJ found a comfortable spot and stopped moving around, though she swished her tail back and forth. 'Just like I suspected,' I thought. "Ah know what yer thinkin,' Ivan," Applejack suddenly added when my expression changed. Her chin rested upon my lap, giving her a clear view upward at me.

"What?" I asked innocently.

"It ain't Spike that sends her all those cards 'n flowers. She has quite a few other admirers besides our scaly friend."

"I had a feeling the back of my mind," I admitted. "But you and I and everyone else knows how Spike feels about Rarity."

"That sweet dragon always makes sure ta not over do anythin' for her," Applejack explained, lightly patting my legs with her hooves. "Ah guess Twilight helps keep him in check from goin' overboard on gifts or cards." She hypothesized.

"Or you know, he could be the one telling himself to send one card or one flower, or maybe even both," I added to Applejack's thought. "I saw flashes of maturity out of him before the Gala."

"We all did, Sugarcube," AJ rose up her head, "he saved us when his comic book sucked us into its world, he stopped a giant icicle cloud from harming anypony at the Equestria Games, he took care 'o all our pets for a day, 'n he does all that assistance work for Twilight. Sure, sometimes he can crack immature jokes at inappropriate times, or try so hard ta impress me that he ends up makin' things worse," she started to ramble on. I lightly stroked her back to calm her down a bit. "Uh, anyway, Ah always thought 'o Spike like a little brother for all six of us; now he's Twilight's son, but still a brother to me, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash…" Applejack trailed off. "Ah really don't know how Rarity feels about him now."

"Well, all I know is that she thought about it, but doesn't want to break his heart or ruin their friendship if it goes sour," I explained, repeating what Spike had told me himself. "But in all honesty, Spike deserves at least a chance," I stated firmly, "if it's a little too awkward, they can stop after one or two dates and keep their friendship intact."

"Ah know they can, Ivan. But you know how difficult it was for us to admit how we felt about each other," she lifted her hoof and traced it on my chest, "they've been friends for a little over four years, 'n even though she knows that Spike has a crush on her-"

"He's in love; it's not a crush," I knew the risks of interrupting Applejack and correcting her at the same time. But if we were talking about Spike's growing maturity, we'd have to move past something as immature as a crush. Applejack bit her lower lip and even started to chew on it.

"Okay, Spike loves her," she admitted, lifting her head up, "but you know how sometimes the transition from friends to a relationship can be hard, right?" I nodded, still stroking AJ's back. "Ah want all my friends ta be happy 'n find their special somepony."

"I don't think Spike will ever give up on Rarity. Even if she finds her own special someone that isn't Spike," I said softly.

"Wait, if he won't give up on her, then how's he gonna take it if she finds somepony else?" Applejack cocked her head to the side. I chuckled, removing my hand from her back and gingerly swept her ear back, petting her golden blonde mane.

"He truly loves Rarity, AJ. He'll let her go if it ever comes to that."

"Where in the wide, wide, world of Equestria do ya know all this?" Applejack asked me incredulously. I knew she wasn't implying I was an idiot, but I did rarely ever come up with stuff like this. Thinking back, I looked back to the now placid surface of the pond that my submerged feet didn't disturb.

"I was sort of an English geek in school," I replied. "Where I was about middle ground in math and science, I always to write and read books, trying to interpret the world in my eyes."

"Hehe, my coltfriend the poet," Applejack flicked my nose a few times with her hoof.

"Oh whatever," I rolled my eyes with a laugh. Off in the distance the school bell clanged loudly, nearly startling the two of us. "Is Applebloom's class out already?" I asked.

"Hmm," Applejack looked around at the shadows cast over by Celestia's sun. "Naw, that's the bell tellin' the kids that final recess is over," she explained. "They've got about another thirty minutes."

"I guess time flies when you're having a picnic with your girlfriend," I joked. Applejack smirked and stood up from laying down on my lap.

"Or havin' ta round up all them sheep you accidentally let out makes time fly," she nudged my shoulder. I groaned, hated being reminded of my blunder earlier in the day. "Aw, Ah'm only teasin', Ivan," she chuckled as I stood up in the pond and took my feet out of the water.

"At least Big Mac came back at the right time," I grabbed the picnic basket full of empty tupperware and stretched.

"Eeyup!" Big Mac called from across the barnyard, heading in the direction of town.

"It's a little early ta go pick up Applebloom!" Applejack exclaimed. Big Mac just chewed on a stalk of wheat and took his sweet time walking off the property, not replying to Applejack or myself. "Just an excuse ta talk ta Cheerilee some more. Anyway, Ah do believe you ordered some lasso lessons," she winked.

---

(Applejack's Barn.)

Applejack grunted as she pushed a large bale of hay into the center of the barn. When she agreed to my idea of giving me some lasso lessons, that mare meant business. In fact, together we widened the large center space in the barn to make enough room for the upcoming lessons. "Applejack, are you sure we'll need this much room?" I asked as I pushed Big Mac's blacksmith anvil up against the back wall. Applejack held up a hoof, making me wait a little longer for a response.

"Just give me one more second, Ivan," she advised, pushing the hay bale up onto its side, making it taller. She took a step back, taking a moment to wipe some sweat from her forehead and mane. "Ah just wanted ta take the necessary precautions." With a grin on her face the mare studied the slightly larger area, temporarily standing on her hind legs and dusting off her hooves.

"Precautions?" I raised an eyebrow. "How bad do you think I'm gonna be?" I snickered a bit. Applejack turned to me quickly, patting my leg reassuringly.

"Aw, don't think of it like that, Ivan. Ah don't want ta risk ya hurtin' yerself, that's all," she explained softly. "Ah'm sure yer Air Force didn't thrust ya right into yer jet thingy right away?" She guessed. Keeping my eyebrow raised, I snapped my head down to meet Applejack's gaze.

"So, you're saying swinging a six foot rope is as hard as flying a multimillion dollar jet?" I joked, making her blush a bit.

"No, 'o course not," she tried to correct herself, but I didn't give her time to do so.

"At one and a half times the speed of Rainbow Dash when she creates a sonic rainboom," I added. Applejack bit down on her lip, trying to keep her focus on the task at hand.

"Forget Ah said anythin' all right?" she requested. "All Ah want is for you ta learn how ta use a lasso without bangin' somethin' on yer head." I knelt down, wrapping my arms around her and hugged her tight.

"I know, Applejack," I replied, "I'm only teasing," I kissed her cheek. Shoving me out of the way playfully, Applejack took one more look at what was now my personal training area for lassoing. Standing back on my feet with a grunt, Applejack grabbed her own lasso in her mouth and trotted back over to where I was standing, near the back wall of the barn.

"Okay, Ah think we're ready ta go," she exclaimed happily through the rope. "We got most 'o the dangerous tools outta this area, 'n all the valuables 'n flammable equipment are gone too," she added. The word 'flammable' definitely caught my attention. Maybe she wasn't being too safe after all. "Nervous, Sugarcube?" She poked my leg with her hoof, dropping her lasso at my feet.

"Maybe a little," I admitted, "but probably not in the way you're thinking," I grinned.

"Don't fret about anythin'. As long as ya listen ta me, yer gonna be just fine," she nuzzled my hand with her cheek to help calm me down. I wasn't nervous about hurting myself or failing per se. I just didn't want to make Applejack feel like she was wasting her time if I truly was as terrible as I feared I was going to be. And I didn't want to look like an idiot in front of her. "Now then, are ya ready ta learn the ways 'o the lasso?" She asked me, bringing me out of my stupor. I nodded confidently as AJ bent down to pick up her rope.

"I mean if you're as good as you say, I might manage to learn a thing or two," I winked. Applejack stopped just as she opened her mouth to grab the rope. Her eyes shot open as she processed what I had just said, slowly lifting her head back up in my direction.

"'Scuse me mister?" Applejack took a step forward. "You've seen me use this lasso dozens 'n dozens 'o times before," she exclaimed. "'N don't forget that you asked me ta teach ya," she added.

"Yeah, that was only a few hours ago." I agreed with her. "And it hasn't slipped my mind."

"So what's the problem, then?" Applejack demanded, getting closer to my face as she stood on her hind legs again, bracing her forelegs against my chest. "If you were willin' ta teach me ta fly in one 'o those jet things, Ah wouldn't question yer talent," she stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

"Oh, I know. I just love seeing you flustered like this," I grinned at her. Applejack's face fell into a bit of a frown; her forelegs slipped down from my chest. The next thing I knew, I was sucking in air through my nose and trying to suppress tears in my eyes as one of her hooves landed on my foot.

"Oops," she said sarcastically with a hint of playfulness. "Ah'm sorry, Ivan; you know Ah'm still gettin' used to bein' on two legs around ya," she bent down and clenched her lasso in her jaws.

"M-mistakes happen," I took deep breaths until the pain diminished. Applejack chuckled in the perfect 'payback' tone. I wasn't going to say anything; she knew how to get even when I messed with her like that. But that was one of my favorite parts of our relationship. We could joke around like that and we'd always know it was for a good laugh, never for malicious intent. "Oof!" I grunted as AJ flung her rope straight into my stomach. "Uh, what are you doing, AJ?"

"Show me what you got," she just threw out the invitation.

"What?" I had to do a double take. "Weren't you just gonna show me-" I soon found myself being interrupted.

"Ah was, but since you love seein' me all flustered, Ah'm simply returnin' the favor," she winked at me. "Go on 'n try ta lasso that there hay bale," she gestured with a foreleg to the object in the middle of the large room.

"Can't you just show me one-" AJ shook her head, only to point right back at the hay bale with her foreleg. I sighed in defeat, knowing that she wasn't going to change her mind now. Inhaling deeply again, I raised the looped end with my right arm and began to twirl it above my head, not knowing if it was the correct height or not. Looking back over at my girlfriend, I tried to show that I wanted just a little advice, but all she did was give me the go ahead. I twirled the loop a little faster, trying to guess what a good speed would be.

"Go on then," Applejack smacked me in the back, trying to get me to hurry up. I twirled even faster before casting my right arm out like I would a fishing pole, hoping for the best.

SMACK

"Ooh, swing 'n a miss," Applejack repeated what I had teased her with earlier when we skipped rocks at the pond. It was a good thing AJ was there; I had flung the lasso behind us, only to hit the red wall of the barn. Holding my forehead in my hand for screwing up so bad, Applejack said not a word. She trotted over to the rope, picked it up in her teeth and trotted over to me, spitting it out on the floor.

"Mmhm," she scoffed knowingly. "Maybe next time ya won't be too much of a smart aleck, Ivan," she hopped up and pecked my cheek. Now it was my turn to feel a little flustered, and Applejack took up every bit of her opportunity. "Yer cute when yer flustered," she flirted, picking her rope back up.

"Thanks," I mumbled as my girlfriend tied the end of her lasso to the end of her golden blonde tail. "So, where do we begin?" I asked her as she cracked the rope like a whip with her tail. Applejack then stepped in front of me, finally ready to give me a quick demonstration.

"Well, that depends, Sugarcube," Applejack's tail began to twirl the lasso, getting it close to my head. "What tricks were ya wantin' ta learn?" She asked me with a smirk. I hadn't mentioned exactly what I was hoping to learn from her, but I assumed she understood I meant just the basics.

"Tricks?" I stuttered before Applejack took a few steps away from me, still twirling her lasso even faster. She then raised her tail into the air and lowered the rope around her. The lasso nearly touched the ground, but AJ's expertise prevented that from happening. She was twirling it so fast I could feel a slight breeze blowing across my face.

"Eeyup," she replied with a wink. "You wanted to learn how ta use a lasso, right?"

"Yeah, but-" I tried to tell her what I meant, but she started performing other tricks. Leaning forward, Applejack put all her weight onto her left foreleg, effortlessly lifting her other three legs into the air. At the same time, she rose the lasso from the ground up above her tail, mimicking a helicopter. Though she probably didn't know that's what she was doing. Applejack touched back down with her other three legs and looked me straight in the eye again.

"How 'bout this one?" She swung her lasso to her right, still carrying that same confident smirk on her muzzle that just made her, her. While I was still concerned that we weren't quite on the same idea, I couldn't help but grin lovingly at her for her natural talents with a rope. Applejack continued twirling her lasso before yanking it toward her and hopping off her hooves. The move allowed the lasso to cut through the air seamlessly around her orange body as if she wasn't even there.

"AJ," I tried to get her attention. Doing the exact same thing as before, only in the opposite direction, Applejack swung her lasso from side to side around her body without missing a beat. She even started going faster, as if the lasso was becoming a part of her body until it became nearly invisible. Suddenly, the lasso shot out towards me and wrapped around my black stetson. AJ yanked the rope tight with her tail, ripping my stetson away. The cowboy hat landed perfectly on her outstretched foreleg as the lasso was released, lazily drooping down onto the ground.

"Like somethin' ya see, Ivan?" She teased as I was caught staring at the sweat glistening off her orange fur. Applejack rolled her eyes with a smirk, tossing my hat back to me like a frisbee where it landed perfectly on my head. I cleared my throat, unable to find the right words to reply. "Phew," AJ wiped the sweat from her forehead and shook the remaining sweat from her mane. "If ya wanna get that good, yer gonna have ta watch 'n listen ta everythin' Ah do 'n say," she jabbed my ribs with her hoof.

"I'm not second guessing you this time," I joked, glad to be thinking straight again.

"Good boy," she smiled, "now where do ya wanna start off?" Applejack grabbed a second lasso and gently set it into my open hands. Gripping the rope tightly, I knew I had to crush AJ a little bit, but I wasn't trying to mess with her again.

"Well actually, how about just the basics for today?" I asked. Applejack's smile fell to a wooden look; her ears even drooped low.

"Really?" She questioned in a deeper voice. "Then what was the point-"

"Hey, you're the one who started showing off," I said defensively, softly rubbing her cheek. "Not that I'm complaining," I added, wrapping my right arm around her neck and hugged her. "It was still a damn good show."

"Heh," she exclaimed when I released my arm from her neck. She sighed, knowing that I was correct about her showing off, but she pointed her hoof back at the bale of hay. "Okay, Sugarcube, the two most important things you need to remember about lassoin' are the speed 'o yer twirlin' 'n the timin' of yer throw," she explained, pointing me in the direction of the target she set up.

"What about concentration?" I questioned.

"Concentrate on those two things," she repeated, raising her tail up again to swing her lasso around. "Give me a little twirl so Ah can see where yer at," she instructed, moving to the side to give me more room. As I watched her twirl her lasso with her tail like it was nothing, I raised my right arm above my head and whipped the lasso around in the air. It wasn't too fast; my recent failure was still poisoning my memory, yet I gradually picked up the pace with each passing second.

"How's this?" I remarked, feeling like I was at a steady enough speed. AJ stepped forth, squinting her eyes from my arm to the rope in the air.

"Hmm, that's a pretty good speed, Ivan," Applejack smiled. "Yer gonna build up a good power with that, but Ah'd go just a little bit higher. You wanna make sure yer lasso is gonna loop over the top 'o yer target, not bounce off the side," she explained.

"But what if my target is actually taller than me?" I pointed out, still twirling my lasso.

"We're only focusin' on basics today, Sugarcube. Just like you asked," she replied, patting my back. "Ah'll show ya all about that another time," she promised, putting her hoof over her chest. Nodding in understanding, I kept my twirling the same speed, yet raised my arm up a few inches. "Yes!" Applejack exclaimed, "Just like that, Ivan. You shouldn't have a problem baggin' that bale."

"Should I toss it?" I prepared to cast my arm out again. Applejack immediately shook her head, snapping her rope in the air again.

"Not quite yet," she held up a hoof, "let me show ya one more time so ya know about the timin'," she advised. I stopped twirling my lasso, letting it smack against my wrist before drooping it down to my side. "Just keep yer eyes on me," Applejack's lasso began to mimic a helicopter again. Bending down low forward and raising her rump up, Applejack stuck out her tongue, staring down the hay bale. Her tail then cracked, flinging the loop up and over the top of the hay before she tightened the rope. "See that? Don't let the rope fool ya by throwin' it out right when yer lined up with the target. All you'll do is throw it off to the side again."

"So, should I release it when it's pointed to my right?" I pointed to my right.

"Essentially," Applejack flicked her tail, snapping the rope up and off the hay. "Lassoin' is serious business. Whether yer tryin' ta win the Equestrian rodeo or tryin' ta catch some cows stampedin'," she explained.

"Yes ma'am," I lifted my own lasso back into the air and twirled it yet again. Applejack smirked proudly as we both heard the swoosh of the rope slicing through the air.

"Whenever yer ready," she stepped back, looking excited for me. I could feel her emerald eyes staring at me, still making me feel slightly nervous about trying to get this perfect for her. Like I told Sweetie Belle so long ago about dealing with something like this, I imagined myself back at one of my favorite memories. I imagined Reaper and myself watching each other on the training simulators well before we were assigned our jets back in the Air Force. Sure we were nervous about our CO watching our every move, but pretending it was just us with each other melted away the tension. "You can do it," Applejack suddenly added, giving my back a pretty good smack.

"Here goes," I clamped my eyes shut, trying to get a better feeling for the lasso. Opening my eyes as just slits, I stared down the bale of hay like it were an enemy jet. I made one more pass on the lasso, feeling it whip around from pointing at the bale and coming around for another pass. Once I felt it reach my 3 'o clock, I cast my arm forward like a fishing rod. I opened my eyes wider, hoping to see at least the lasso hit the target.

CRASH

I seethed as I heard an old coffee can full of screws and nails clatter to the ground. "Ooh," Applejack seethed as well. My lasso had been ejected from my left hand and sailed far to the right of the target. It sat in a under a pile of the screws and nails below Big Mac's work bench, like someone tried to bury it. "No shame in not gettin' it done on yer first try!" Applejack tried to placate me as she galloped over and ripped the rope from under the pile and galloped back over to me, spitting the rope back into my hands.

"Your brother's going to kill me," I could barely feel the rope within my fingers from how stupid I felt.

"We'll clean up when we're done," Applejack assured me. "It was just an accident anyway."

"Applejack, I never thought this would be a cake walk, but this is harder than I thought," my fingers tried to tighten their grip. My knuckles cracked from the amount of strain I put on them.

"Just try ta relax. Don't let yer losses cloud yer mind," Applejack was starting to sound a little bit like Yoda, but it was helping me calm down. "Give it another go; we've got plenty 'o time before everypony gets back for dinner. Ah'm sure yer gonna start gettin' a better feel for it soon enough," the mare gave me a kiss on my hand to put a little more pep in my step. A tingling sensation vibrated throughout my hand where AJ had kissed it. The mare nudged the lasso with her hoof, pushing me to continue.

"Let's hope," I replied quietly with a half smile. Glaring down the bale with more intent in my eyes, I raised my arm again, ready to try this again and hopefully show off a bit for Applejack.

Like I had sworn to athletic and hard working mare I was lucky enough to call my girlfriend, the thought that lassoing would be as easy as breathing never once crossed my mind. Every skill took patience to master; every talent took time to get a hold of. I had crossed my fingers that with a master such as Applejack there ready to give me pointers on anything, then maybe I could get a consistent feel for the basics. Of course missing so dramatically bad my first two tries was discouraging to say the least, yet I kept thinking how this was time for both Applejack and I to spend together. I wasn't about to let my frustration take over and accidentally make me snap at her, especially with how patient she was being with me.

However, two tries turned to four, four turned eight, eight turned to sixteen, and eventually I stopped counting how many times I failed. No matter what I tried, what angle I stood at, what distance I was, or the tips Applejack showed me again and again, I just couldn't get the damn rope to loop around the hay bale. Applejack started feeling concerned when my frustration started to surface, causing my failures to magnify. But I made sure to not aim it directly at her. There were no clocks in the barn; I left my phone and iPad in my shack, but thanks to how low the sun was getting on the horizon and the fact that Applebloom had checked up on us after arriving home from school, AJ and I realized that we had spent at least two hours in the barn.

"SUPPER IN FIVE MINUTES!" Granny Smith's crotchety voice echoed from the farmhouse. I groaned yet again as the lasso fell within two feet short of making the mark. Applejack didn't sugarcoat things to me, but she still didn't mention how terrible I was. She continued her 'encouragement' act, but I could tell she wasn't as enthusiastic as before. It was tough, but I knew I had to face facts.

"I suck," I waved off going back to pick up the rope and marched over to the back wall of the barn. Crossing my arms, I smacked my back against the wooden wall, sliding down until my butt hit the ground with my hands on my knees. "Sorry for wasting your time, Applejack." The mare looked taken aback at my apology; her mouth dropped open and her eyes even looked a little hurt.

"Ivan," she said softly, walking over to me. She sat down like me with her back against the red wall, but with one hoof on my shoulder. "You are not wastin' my time," Applejack stated firmly.

"Look, I know you mean well, Applejack. But I expected a pretty good and fun challenge which it was at the beginning. I didn't expect to get my ass kicked by a six foot rope that I control," I explained, propping my chin in my hands.

"You didn't assume you'd get everythin' down on the first day, did you?" she sat her hoof on one of my hands. Looking down at her hoof and then up into her eyes instilled a sense of peace and trust in me, but it didn't help the fact on how I felt.

"To be honest, I assumed I'd be able to lasso one hay bale at least," I replied, taking off my stetson to rub the top of my head. "Celestia should make a law banning me from using rope."

"Just 'cause you failed a couple times?" Applejack asked.

"Applejack," I chuckled to myself in annoyance, "I managed to lasso or knock over everything in this area we cleared out except for you, me, and the bale of hay," I pointed my finger to the target.

"But we've only been at it for two hours," she countered my explanation, shaking her head. "'N ta be honest, hun, Ah don't really give two horseshoes if you are or aren't able ta get the hang 'o this today," she admitted. I felt her hoof touch my back before she lightly rubbed all over, comforting me.

"Why? I know we already have a lot of interests in common, but I thought this could be a special one for us," I explained, folding my hands together as my arms rested atop my knee caps. "Something along the lines of you teaching me a skill that only we can do together," I added.

"Ivan," Applejack discarded her hat and rubbed her cheek on my shoulder, "Ah think yer sweet ta want somethin' like that between us, but Ah just love spendin' this time with you. That's all Ah really care about." Softly laying my head on hers, I cuddled up to her like she did me.

"I know, AJ. And I only thought this up because I wanted to just spend the entire day with you but-" I knew precisely what I wanted to confess, but at the same time I thought it sounded extremely cheesy. Yet, I would have to tell Applejack eventually; she pulled her head from between mine and looked me in the eye.

"But what? What are ya tryin' ta pull here?" She asked me in her fun-loving tone with a chortle. There was no way I was going to BS my way out of this; telling her was the best option, no matter how lame it made me sound.

"I was hoping to get somewhat good at the lasso so I could…..impress you a little, okay?" I confessed, holding my head up with my hand to hide my eyes from AJ's.

"Hehe, is that it?" Applejack's hoof lowered my hand. "Sugarcube, you shouldn't worry about impressin' me at all. Yer already my coltfriend, faithful, 'n sweet as a caramel apple. Sure, it'd be neat ta see you twirlin' a lasso like a champ someday, but Ah'd much rather just see you every day just as you are all the time."

"It's a guy thing, AJ. Any time we see an opportunity to show off for our girlfriends or try to impress them, we're damn well going to take it."

"Girls do that all the time too, Ivan," Applejack helped me to my feet. "Why do ya think Rainbow desperately wants Soarin' ta know how ta do a Sonic Rainboom?"

"So she has an excuse to do it in front of him?" I guessed, putting my stetson back on.

"Exactly!" She exclaimed. While Applejack's attempts were making me feel better, the thoughts my dozens upon dozens of failures still weren't extinguished.

"But it really doesn't matter. I tried to impress you and ended up looking like an idiot because of it."

"Ivan," Applejack said much more sternly than last time, making me shut my mouth. "Let me ask you somethin' okay?" She requested. A slight nod from my head gave her the permission she desired. "Did you become a top pilot in the Air Force in one afternoon? Were ya able ta join the Ghostriders after only a week?" She narrowed her eyes.

"Well, no," I replied, rubbing the back of my neck.

"'Course not; you needed ta practice, right?" I nodded again, getting a better picture of where she was going with this. "Well, Ah'm sure you can agree that just 'cause yer a rookie at somethin' doesn't mean yer failures make you an idiot or a fool.

"I know that, but I want to be good enough to lasso with you one day like a team," I explained, wrapping my hand around her hoof.

"Okay then, just keep practicin' with me, 'n stop thinkin' that yer a fool; Ah don't think that in the slightest," she kissed my cheek.

"SOUP'S ON EVERYPONY!" Granny's shrill voice called from the farmhouse.

"Maybe we can put this on hold for awhile," I let go of AJ's hoof. "I'm getting kind of hungry. Plus it's starting to get dark out; Luna's start should be showing up soon," I winked. AJ, however, had other ideas. She galloped her way in front of me and stopped in my path, preventing me from leaving.

"Hang on a second. Ah think Ah know somethin' ta help yer lassoin', Sugarcube," she grinned.

"But Granny-" I began.

"It'll only take a few seconds no matter the outcome; trust me," Applejack tossed me the spare lasso. I couldn't say anything as she rapidly bucked the hay bale out of the way, taking its place in our special training area. "Lasso me," she pawed at the ground with her hooves.

"Is the hunger getting to you?" I asked, feeling really uneasy about what she meant.

"No, just try 'n lasso me, Ivan," she repeated. "Ah think we were goin' about this the wrong way." Still, the lasso hung loosely in my hands as my brain tried to analyze just what Applejack's new plan was.

"I'm gonna feel like I'm attacking you," I tried to explain before she snorted, making a bit of steam come out of her nose.

"Lasso me, NOW!" she ordered, pawing at the ground one more time before zigzagging all around the barn.

"Fine," I gave up trying to reason with her. Taking a look at the rope in my hands, I hoisted the loop in the air and twirled as fast as I can, keeping my eyes locked on Applejack's movements. I really had no clue where to begin on what AJ was trying to pull off. If I couldn't lasso a stationary hay bale, why did she think I could successfully lasso a moving pony? Was this just her own ploy to show off for me?

"Come on, Ivan!" She encouraged, changing direction again and again. She was beginning to move around like a bogey. Going in one direction and then breaking right or left, temporarily confusing me as I tried to follow her.

"Wait a minute," the thought then dawned on me at what she was trying to do. Zeroing in on her like I would an enemy jet in real life or on a simulator, I attempted to follow at least some sort of pattern or try to time where she would end up so I could cast out the rope. Using my arm as some sort of guide, I moved my aim a little ahead of Applejack and continued to follow her movements until I saw an opportunity. Imagining the sound of my tracking system locking onto a bogey, I cast out the rope near Applejack, hoping I would at least get close to her. The lasso sailed through the air, flying closer and closer to Applejack. Knowing that I at least didn't throw it behind me, I braced myself for the outcome.

"Woah nelly!" Applejack exclaimed as her hooves came to a screeching halt on the wooden floor. A proud grin spread across her muzzle as the loop of the lasso hung loosely around her shoulders. "You did it, Ivan!" She cheered, hopping up in the air on her hind legs.

"You sly mare," I smirked.

"Ah knew ya spent close ta ten years tracking varmints like that from those stories ya told me; Ah figured that might help kick in yer muscle memory," she explained, throwing the rope from around her shoulders. "How do ya feel now?" Applejack asked.

"Lucky to have an amazing mare as my girlfriend," I chuckled.

"Wasn't really the answer Ah was lookin' for, but it's definitely good enough," we hugged each other.

"And don't worry; I know I still need a lot more practice," I assured her that I wouldn't turn into Rainbow Dash because of one little victory.

"Anytime ya want, Sugarcube," she promised as we let go of each other.

Applejack's stomach then gurgled loudly, sending vibrations even through my body. "Hehe, how 'bout some grub?" She asked, picking up her lasso and tossing it onto a hook without hesitation. Feeling proud, I was set to do the same with my rope when an idea crossed my mind. Applejack was trotting away from me, so I had to act fast before she completely disappeared from the barn. I raised the lasso back into the air and fired a shot, landing it around Applejack's shoulders again. I made sure that I wouldn't accidentally wrap the rope around her neck. "Ivan?" She came to a stop from the lasso getting tight. "What are ya-" she tried to ask before I gently yanked her around to face me. I then pulled on the rope again, thrusting her toward me. "Ivan!" She exclaimed as I stood her on her hind legs, holding her front hooves. "Mmph!" came the shocked exclamation from her as I placed my lips on hers, giving her a passionate kiss.

She was stiff at first due to the shock, but she eventually softened up, moving her hooves from my hands up to my shoulders. We had normally kissed on the lips many times before, but something changed this time. Against my mouth, I felt Applejack's lips part, her tongue brushing lightly against my mouth as if it begged for entrance. Never having done this before, I tried to go with the flow and opened my mouth as well, granting AJ access. It was odd to feel another tongue against my own, yet it felt satisfying at the same time. Our tongues wrestled for a few seconds, just trying to feel the other out. We both started to breathe through our noses as oxygen was quickly running out.

"AJ, Cougar! Granny says if you two don't come ta supper-" a filly's voice interrupted our moment. Parting our lips, we discovered little Applebloom standing in the doorway of the barn, a light blush on her cheeks. "Oh, Ah probably should've knocked first," she pursed her lips.

"Tell Granny we'll be there lickety-split," Applejack quickly ordered.

"Are you two gearin' up for Heart's 'n Hooves Day tomorrow?" Applebloom's embarrassment gave way to excitement. "Ah'm so proud 'o you, Cougar!" the yellow pony zipped over and hugged my leg. "Don't let me interrupt ya; Ah'll tell Granny yer just busy."

"We're done here, Bloom," I cleared my throat as Applejack dropped onto four legs. "Don't worry, we're still coming to dinner," I picked up the lasso from the ground, chucking it somewhere behind me. Cocking her head, Applebloom stared at us for a few seconds, trying to figure out if there was something else going on.

"Okay then, Ah just don't want you two ta suffer Granny's wrath," she turned tail and trotted out the door. Applejack and I stood side by side for a few seconds more, still reeling from our kiss to the somewhat embarrassing moment of getting caught like that. Sure we liked to kiss each other, but that was the first time we'd ever kissed like that. And even though it felt really good and satisfying, we both felt strange. At least I did anyway, though reading off AJ's body language, she felt the same mix of uncertainty and satisfaction as I did.

"Ahem, supper?" I coughed, allowing AJ to leave first.

"Sounds delicious, Sugarcube," Applejack took the lead. Neither of us spoke during our short stroll to supper. The emotions of the past few minutes still clung to the atmosphere surrounding us, making conversation about as off putting as having to defuse a bomb.

"Don't worry, Granny," we heard Applebloom talking through the screen door of the dining room. "AJ 'n Cougar were just smoochin'." Applejack and I both groaned at Applebloom's explanation for why we were late.

---

(Later that night; Apple family pond)

"Yer just full 'o surprises," Applejack remarked as we stared into the inky black sky above. Billions upon Billions of stars twinkled down upon us as not even the chirping of crickets was present. No wind grazed itself across our skin or disturbed the grass around us. Nor were there any other late night noises to disrupt our stargazing. Visual distractions, however, were plentiful, but that's not to say they weren't bad. A few dozen fireflies danced around the pond, complementing Luna's stars above. Her moon, which was full, reflected radiantly off the now glass-like surface of the pond with the stars and fireflies. "You know that, right?" Applejack added, adjusting her head more comfortably on my shoulder.

"Hmm, what?" I grinned. Dinner had gone much smoother than I had foreseen after AJ and I heard her sister blabbing about what she saw in the barn. Thankfully she didn't go into detail about what she saw, but the first few minutes of dinner still housed the same awkwardness of the prior few minutes from the barn. Yet as we ate and talked about our day, everything returned to normal as our minds focused on other subjects. "I told you about stargazing earlier today," I replied, "it's not really that much of a surprise." My arm curled around her chest, simply holding her as we cuddled closer.

"You know what Ah mean," AJ scoffed with a chuckle. Of course I did; lassoing her like that and pulling her in for a kiss wasn't something I considered I could do. It surprised me probably more than it surprised her. "But don't you go apologizin' for it," she ordered, applying a bit of pressure with her hoof to my hand.

"Even if it did catch you off guard like that?" I continued stroking her chest as best as I could with her hoof still holding it down. I actually had no desire to apologize to her. She had shown no signs of regret or violation on my part. Applejack was just shocked, as I had been as well. Did I feel like I took it a little too far after we had been discovered? Maybe, even though she's the one who took the kiss further, it was me who roped her over.

"Ivan, now you know that Ah ain't the kind 'o mare that wants ta be swept off her hooves or be treated to a dinner by fancy candlelight 'n imported wine from Prance. But that doesn't mean Ah don't like surprises now 'n then, Sugarcube," she explained, craning her head back and softly kissing the nape of my neck. "Yer idea for a day like this 'n ropin' me like that are my kind 'o surprises," she added.

"Well," I managed to flip my hand over on its back so I could hold AJ's hoof, "we can't have our relationship grow stale, can we?" I questioned sarcastically. Applejack sighed happily, releasing my hand from her hoof's vice-like hold. She reached over to her side and produced another bottle of her family's cider, fiddling with the cork in the top.

"You, stale? Ha, yer funny, Ivan," she laughed. I couldn't help but smirk at my own joke as well. We've been friends for nearly a year now, and a couple for just under two months. If Applejack were bored of me, she wouldn't have have agreed to be my girlfriend or kissed me on Christmas Eve. Applejack gripped the cork in the bottle with her teeth and pulled as hard as she could. The object was finally freed with an audible pop, allowing some of the drink to fizz over the lip. AJ spat the cork out onto the grass, paying it little attention as she wrapped her lips around the top of the bottle and drank the tangy brown liquid.

"It seems a little weird to be drinking cider again," I confessed, drumming my fingers on Applejack's leg, watching her take in a few gulps before pulling the bottle away.

"Ahh," Applejack licked her lips before politely offering me a drink. "Want some, Sugarcube?" Accepting her offer, I took the bottle from her and took in a few sips myself. "Don't worry; our cider aint that alcoholic, unless you drink the amount that Pinkie Pie does in a day," she added.

"But I've seen her drink that much; she never gets drunk," I paused to lick my lips.

"Ah know, she should be, but Ah guess she's just Pinkie Pie," Applejack shrugged. "But Ah am glad ta see ya watchin' yer limit more closely," she snuggled closer to me and nuzzled up against my chest. I loathed being reminded of what I had done in Las Pegasus, yet being praised by AJ for keeping my promise almost made it worth mentioning, almost. I wasn't feeling too thirsty at the moment, so I set the still 3/4 full bottle off to the side.

"Luna really looks like she put in extra effort tonight," I commented as we lied back down. As much as I admired Luna for her masterful work on the night sky, I had not taken recent time to really look at it and admire it. "Have you ever just laid back and watched the stars before?" I asked.

"Not in a good while, Sugarcube," Applejack had to take a few moments to really think about her answer. "Ah guess Ah haven't had that much free time lately ta do so. Or that everythin' for my friends 'n family is goin' so well that Ah don't need ta sit 'n think about a lot 'o things," she added.

"Sometimes even while things are going great, it's good to get a little lost every now and then," I replied. A few shooting stars shot by overhead, entrancing the both of us for a moment. I had actually never seen one in real life, though I craved to my entire life. Even when doing late night patrols with my night vision visor, I'd catch myself looking upward through my canopy, praying to catch a glimpse of one. "Just to help you get away from your normal life and really step back to analyze it."

"Watchin' the night sky is really worthwhile when you have yer special somepony by yer side," Applejack pretty much added what I was thinking. Without a doubt, her presence made this moment even better. Just time to cuddle up with the perfect woman and share what's on our minds without fear of judgment. Finally, a slight breeze gently blew by. Just barely disturbing a few weeds surrounding the pond. The aroma of the apple pie AJ had brought along slinked its way around our noses. "Pie?" Applejack asked, holding up a pair of slices.

"Well, since it was you that baked it, I guess so," I jokingly grinned, taking one slice from her as she immediately gobbled hers down in one, possibly two, bites. We had planned on splitting the bottle of cider for our stargazing session, but I didn't know about the pie. Applejack had made a fresh one earlier in the day before we had our late picnic lunch. I assumed that it was dessert for our picnic, but Applejack had told me that she had a hunch Rainbow Dash would be by at some point for a pie to give to Soarin tonight. When there was no sign of the daredevil pony all day, I figured that AJ had probably guessed wrong and that we'd get to eat the pie at dinner or during the night. "I never should have doubted you," I admitted. "Soarin loves pie more than anything else; I should have known Rainbow would show up last minute too."

"Ah know our friends, Ivan," AJ bopped my nose with her hoof while barely sticking out the edge of her tongue at me. "Luckily we had a spare in the fridge just for us." I nodded in agreement, slowly savoring the piece of delicious albeit chilled pie. Hot or cold, the pie still tasted like heaven. For whatever reason, though it was probably because I was still chewing, our conversation had died down. The view was still breathtaking, yes, but Applejack and I enjoyed talking, especially with each other. The mare lying halfway on top of me sighed a few times as I munched away on the dessert. They weren't sad sighs, but they made her sound like she had something on her mind. Her body shifted slightly, going a little stiff, and caused me to look back down at her.

"Everything okay, AJ?" I questioned as she silently sipped the cider. Swallowing the last bite of pie and brushing the crumbs from my hands, I moved my hand down and gently caressed her cheek. In turn, my arm was enveloped around her upper body, holding her close. She loosened back up, lowering the bottle from her muzzle.

"Ivan?" she asked quietly, almost like she was ready to tell me a secret. She set the bottle aside, licking her lips of any cider residue before locking her eyes with mine. "Can Ah ask you somethin'?" I gave her permission to ask me whatever was on her mind, reminding her that she too had given me that same permission before. "Ah just don't know if this is too personal for ya," she tried to explain to me. Well, yes, there were still a few things I was uncomfortable with talking about, but I'd do my best to answer whatever Applejack wanted to ask me. "Earlier today, when we were washin' the dishes, you told me that you never celebrated Hearts 'n Hooves Day back home, right?" her eyesight shifted away from me a few times.

"Yeah, I never did," I didn't even bother correcting her on the correct name for the holiday back on Earth.

"Look, we both know neither of us are obsessed with romance," she stated firmly, seeming to loosen up even more, "but why exactly didn't ya celebrate it back home with anypony?" She asked me. I had to take a second to think about the question before she added something else. Something else that made me think even harder. "Yer a natural at it," she complimented me with a smile, finally getting more comfortable that I was fine with the question. The compliment brought a shy smile to my face, but that didn't last long as I wanted to answer her question.

"That's not going to be a short answer," I warned her, hoping that I wouldn't bore my girlfriend to death after the seemingly perfect day. Applejack shifted her body yet again, rolling over onto her side to rest her cheek upon my shoulder, still staring me in the eye. The look in those beautiful emerald orbs assured me that she was willing to listen to every word. "Well, like with your experience as a kid, I had to sit through so many Valentine's days in class, making stupid red and pink bags to stuff in overpriced cards with the most watered down and cheesy phrases adorning the covers," I explained. "That really killed any possibility for me giving a crap about the holiday," I added.

"Ya didn't make any 'o them?" Applejack questioned. I shook my head, only further proving my disdain for the holiday. "Well, can't say Ah blame ya; Ah just bought the cheapest cards Ah could find at the store 'n just signed my name at the bottom," she grinned.

"And that just carried all throughout middle school and high school," I continued. "Reaper had a few flings here and there, but not me," I slowly lowered my head to rest my chin atop Applejack's head. The mare took this gesture well, rubbing her cheek against my neck. "You're my first girlfriend, AJ." Applejack pulled back, a look of awe on her face.

"Ah have a very hard time believin' that."

"Well, it's true. I didn't even have a close friend who happened to be a girl," I softly put my hand on the back of AJ's head, pulling her back close to me. "I wanted one though, someone who I could talk to about anything, things I couldn't tell Reaper. Someone who could be a friend, but something more than just a friend. Someone that when I talked with them or just looked at them and saw that they truly cared about me, would help me forget all the negativity of our world. Someone like you," I whispered, kissing the top of her mane. I felt her body temperature rise a little suddenly. Hugging her, I could feel the rhythm of her heartbeat increase.

"Ivan," Applejack whispered as well, struggling to find words. I don't know what was going on with me; I'd never been so open like this before with anyone. Yet at the same time, it felt good, almost euphoric in a sense to tell her all of this. But somehow I had more to say.

"When Spike told me about Hearts and Hooves Day, I immediately thought of ways to show you how much I love you; what you mean to me. You're the woman I've ways wanted to…." Now the flow of words turned to a trickle, nearly making me choke. "Spend my life with," the words came out a little easier. "I just never knew you were going to be a pony," I finished. The next thing I knew, Applejack's lips were firmly planted on mine; her forelegs encased my shoulders, holding me still as she kissed me. She didn't try to use her tongue this time, but she held the same passion as in the barn. We sat there for God knows how long, just kissing each other until the need for air broke us apart.

"Ah was the same way, just about," Applejack said after catching her breath. Believe it or not, I had momentarily forgotten what we had just discussed due to AJ's surprise kiss on me. Luckily though, the conversation soon flooded its way back to me. "Yer my first coltfriend, Sugarcube," she added.

"Because the colts and stallions around Ponyville were blind?" I joked, trying to keep the cheesiness, if there was any at all, to the lowest level possible.

"Hehe," Applejack chortled to my joke. "No, it wasn't that. Thanks ta school work 'n farm work as a filly, Ah could just never devote enough time ta try 'n find a steady coltfriend. It didn't help that Ah tried ta be a Canterlot elite pony by movin' in with my Aunt 'n Uncle Orange after-" she paused, unable to say what was on the tip of her tongue. "You know," she skirted it. I nodded my head, knowing firsthand how difficult that subject was to talk about. "Even after Ah moved back ta Ponyville 'n finished school, Ah still had a small desire ta find my special somepony, but Ah just wasn't drawn ta any 'o the stallions in town. Ah guess Ah just never was meant ta be with a pony at all," she twisted what I had said earlier, though it held the same honest feelings as before. "Ah'm blessed ya fell outta the sky 'n into our lives, Ivan," she kissed me again.

"Applejack?" I asked softly when we parted again.

"Yes, Ivan?"

"I love you." I held her close, just rocking back and forth, feeling the warmth of our bodies encompass the both of us. Everything turned quiet; neither of us had anything else to say. Just enjoying each other's company was more than enough.

"APPLEJACK, COUGAR!" Applebloom's high-pitched filly voice screamed into the night. We both froze instantly, hoping she wouldn't catch us again and get the absolute wrong idea at what we were doing. "WE'RE ALL HITTIN' THE HAY!" Her yell reverberated throughout the orchard.

"WE'LL BE INSIDE IN A MINUTE!" Applejack gave me a few seconds to plug my ears so she could inform her sister that we were about done. "Tell Big Mac 'n Granny we said goodnight!" Applejack requested. Applebloom didn't say anything else; the slamming of the screen door let us know that she had retreated back inside.

"Well, this sucks," I grumbled after Applejack lightly pushed herself off my body. The mare helped me to my feet, a look of confusion on her face.

"Somethin' the matter, Sugarcube?" She chuckled as I dusted off my hands. Applejack found the cork to the cider bottle and jammed it back in before putting it under her stetson for travel. A feeling of guilt then washed over me as I looked at AJ's happy expression. Everything had been going even better than perfect, the both of us were closer than ever, and we were feeling at peace. But now that the moment was over, I was beginning to act like a sourpuss.

"Sorry," I sighed, "I just wanted to stay like that all night." Yes, saying that was borderline unoriginal, but it was the truth. Applejack was the one that made me the happiest I've ever been. It didn't pain me to not be by her side, but it wasn't exactly fun to be away from her. My thoughts were interrupted when AJ took off her hat, discarded the cider bottle, and then tossed her hat in my face. "AJ?" I questioned her motives.

"Now, who said our night had ta end now?" She stretched her legs out. With a wink, she reached up with one of her forelegs and took out the red tie at the end of her golden blonde mane. All of her hair completely opened up and out, swishing about as she shook her head to allow it to flow more freely. "How about we go for a little dip?" She offered, setting the hair tie on the bank of the pond. I felt my lower jaw opening little by little. In a sense, she just stripped in front of me.

"Uh…" Was the only noise that emitted from my mouth. Applejack chuckled again before doing a quick backflip into the water, creating a steady ripple that destroyed the placid surface. I simply couldn't move after witnessing that. Like I had shocked AJ in the barn, she had just shocked me. Was this her form of payback? If so, then I'm both really excited and really nervous. She arose from under the water, hair sopping wet and glistening off the glow of Luna's moon.

"Well, come on then," she beckoned to me. "Don't be shy, Ivan." Even with how bright Luna's moon was, all I could really make out was Applejack's silhouette; I couldn't tell if she winked at me or not. She started to swim around, doing backstrokes, diving under the water, and wringing out the water from her hair. All of a sudden, I found my shirt rising over my head and my hands tossing it to the side. My hands fiddled with my belt buckle before slipping my pants down to my ankles. I kicked off my shoes and kicked my jeans away, leaving me in just my plain blue boxers. Applejack wanted to go swimming with me; I wasn't going to say no to her.

I ran to the bank of the pond before leaping up and over, diving at an angle into the pond. The temperature was actually quite comfortable; I had expected it to be just slightly chilly. Refreshing wasn't even close to how good the water felt on my skin. Breaching the surface for air, Applejack and I were facing each other from a few feet apart, neither of us really moving. "'Bout time ya got in," Applejack splashed some water in my face. "How ya likin' the water?" She asked as I repaid her, splashing a good amount onto her head before swimming towards her.

As she shook the water from her eyes and dried her face with her hooves, I trapped her in a bear hug, pulling her close yet again. "This is perfect," I ran my hand down the back of her mane, referring to the whole situation rather than just the water.

"Ah'll say," Applejack concurred, placing her lips upon my neck. Something about floating in the water with my girlfriend just felt…right. We pulled apart; my hand immediately began to hold her cheek as I brushed a hair out of her face. "Hehe, what?" She asked as I began to just stare at her.

"Forgive me, AJ," I requested, "but you look so beautiful with your mane down like this." She didn't do it much, but due to my compliment, Applejack gushed, forcing the temperature in her cheeks to rise.

"If you get any sweeter, Pinkie Pie's gonna mistake you for a cupcake," Applejack playfully warned, putting both hooves on my shoulders.

"I'll take that chance," I leaned down as she leaned up, touching our lips together. The kiss felt even better than before with the water sloshing around us. Like in those cliche'd romance novels, I felt a strange warmth spreading throughout my body, making me forget that we were in a pond for a short while. While the kiss was simple and full of love, it quickly turned into our kiss from the barn. Instead of just AJ, both of up opened our mouths, forcing our tongues to wrestle once again.

"Mmm," Applejack moaned as I pushed her forward a little; my alpha male was starting to surface. The two of us cocked our heads around, trying to explore every inch of the other's mouth. I squeezed her tighter, making sure I wasn't going to let go of her, only for her to move her forelegs around my neck. I hate to admit it, but I yelped a little when I felt her rear legs wrapping around my waist, making sure she wasn't going to let me go.

"AJ," I said breathlessly, beginning to massage her back. I was rewarded with another moan of approval, and her forcing her tongue back into my mouth. Primal urges began to overcome my judgment. My hands moved further down her back until they reached the cutie marks on her flanks. I gave them a squeeze, making AJ squeal and 'claw' at my back with her hooves. The water was really beginning to make some noise as we moved faster, harder, and more passionately. I started to feel stiffer as AJ would occasionally grind her belly against, that, region.

"Oh, Ivan!" Applejack groaned loudly into my mouth. Her hoof then reached down and tried to tug at the waistband of my boxers, causing me to squeeze her flanks even harder. This was it, we were going to express our deepest emotions to each other. I loved her so much, and now we were going to-

Snap

When her hoof slipped off the waist band of my boxers, I yelped as even underwater, that can still hurt. We both opened our eyes, seeing not only love, but passion, primal urges, and animal emotions. We were both breathing hard as our breath caught back up. AJ was actually panting hard from the kiss, but she removed her hooves from the water. Our moment filled with white hot bliss and passion and took an immediate turn into another bout of awkwardness. We both removed our limbs from one another, floating away.

"I'M SORRY!" We both shrieked. I couldn't give an accurate description, but I actually thought I saw tears forming in Applejack's eyes. Fleeing the water on opposite sides of the pond, we both exited the body of water, but unsure of what to do next. AJ gathered up her hair tie, stetson, and bottle of cider before taking one look at me and galloping away back to the farmhouse. Feeling a heaviness in my heart, I slowly redressed myself, unsure of which emotion was going to come out.

"Did I make her cry?" I asked myself with my back against the tree. No longer was I feeling turned on, but guilt and sadness were currently drowning me. "Did I just….try to take advantage of her?" I said under my breath. No, I loved Applejack more than anyone I had ever known; I would never force her into something she didn't want. I hadn't a clue why she said she was sorry; she didn't do anything wrong.

Looking down at the ground, I spotted the little pile of rocks we had gathered earlier in the day to skip across the pond. I'd lost so much in my life before; I didn't want to lose AJ due to my animalistic needs. I wasn't even sure I was ready for a leap like that in our relationship. "What have I done?"

I was lost, all alone, with no one to help me, or so I thought. One pony's name sprang up in my mind, a pony who's speciality was in situations like this. All I had to do was go talk to her and..."Fuck me!" I cried out when I realized I needed Spike, Luna, Twilight, or Celestia to send Cadence a letter about this. But there was absolutely no way in Hell I was going to tell any of them about this. I'd rather tell Cadence alone in person, but I wasn't about to hop on a train all by myself and abandon my friends just to talk to her.

An alternative, that's what I needed. But who would want to help me with my love life (if I still had one of course) at this hour? I needed someone other than Cadence who had a fair grasp of relationships, what a good love life should be, and who knew how to read different emotions. "Yes," I said to myself, standing up from the tree. It was a long shot, but maybe she could help me. We both considered ourselves friends after all; hopefully she'd be willing to guide me back on track.

End Chapter 42

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Well, that's it for this chapter. Next time, I believe this is a scene a good majority of people have been waiting for. The next chapter is definitely a good reason why the story is rated M.