Applejack stared at the spot in Berry’s Bar that was usually occupied by her otherworldly friend. She stirred the cider in the mug and took a swig. “You look pretty down this evening, Applejack,” Berry said as she cleaned the counter. “Want to talk about it?”

The farm mare looked from the empty bar stool over to Berry, who was smiling at her. “It’s just... It feels wrong somehow, Melody not being here. It was like a ritual.” And maybe it was a little more to her. Melody was a unique character and not only because she was a human. She was special, and Applejack knew that. She was fun, smart, and beautiful. A pony would have to be blind or an ignorant plothole to not acknowledge the fact that the human was an exotic beauty. Her ears were a little weird with how stiff they were, and her feet were a little creepy, but besides that. Those long legs, ending in a well-toned flank. Her slender figure, worthy of a model. No, models dreamed to have a stomach like hers. Maybe it was because of her different build, but it was still what the modern pony thought of when the word sexy was mentioned. And her teats, always on display and so big. Like a second flank right on her chest.

With a chuckle, Applejack remembered how she thought Melody was pregnant the first time she saw those. In her defence, the teats of a mare only became noticeable if she was pregnant, after all.

“You still have feelings for her,” Berry stated the obvious.

“Of course I do!” Applejack said, emptying the mug in her hoof. “Just because she doesn't feel the same, mine will just go.”

Berry nodded. “I know what you mean. Was rejected by stallions often enough when I was your age.” Applejack rolled her eyes. Berry was what, only five or six years older than her? “The point is, I thought you’re seeing Rainbow Dash these days.”

Applejack snorted. Her life seemed to be a comedy lately. “She isn’t into mares. Go figure. She likes chasing my tail in a friendly competition just fine, but her tail only lifts for stallions. For a certain stallion, actually.” She remembered the day a few weeks ago when Rainbow had crashed into her family’s house and told her that she had finally gotten a date with the stallion of her dreams: Soarin. Of course, she was happy for her friend and all, but at the same time her heart had twisted slightly. At least she hadn’t slept with her before, like she did with Melody. The poor thing had been confused, probably a little drunk at the time, and Applejack felt like she had used her.

Melody. Applejack had already pictured it: coming home from a long day in the fields, stepping into her home to her marefriend – girlfriend –cooking dinner and wearing an apron. She would be greeted with a kiss on the muzzle that promised more of that when the foals jumping around her legs were tucked in bed. Applejack knew Melody well enough to know that the girl just needed something to come to her senses, to start a steady life. And it had happened. She had gotten pregnant, and just some weeks later, her life started to sort itself out. Twilight came with her job offer. She met the stallion she was currently seeing. It all fit so nicely together. Applejack just wished to be part of that.

But she wouldn’t hold it against Melody. Even if she didn’t return her feelings, she was still her friend, and she would continue to help her in any way possible. “Have you ever told Melody that you love her?” Berry asked suddenly. “Does she even know that your night together was more to you than quick and cheap sex?”

“…and then he said, ‘Oatmeal, are you crazy?’” The human next to Applejack laughed. It was a nice laugh. The kind of laugh Applejack could hear all day.

Suddenly she coughed and hammered her fist against her chest. “Aw man, that went down the wrong way,” she said, chuckling again. “That’s a good one, Applejack.”

“I know,” the mare replied proudly. “A Pinkie original.”

“Eh, should have guessed that.” Melody took a swing from her mug of cider. Her face was flushed red, either from laughing or from the alcohol. Applejack couldn’t really tell.

“We can’t all be geniuses.” She smirked. Her gazed wandered over to the human, then down her body. It was a nice body. “So, any luck with this finding a stallion thing of yours?”

Melody groaned. “No. I think it’s hopeless. It’s like some divine entity said, ‘No, Miss Melody, no stallion for you.’”

Applejack had to calm herself down a little. She didn’t know what Melody thought about the topic. Maybe she had never even considered it. In any case, she knew a mare had to be eased into the topic. “Maybe you’re looking at the wrong place.”

The woman looked at her questioningly. “What do you mean?”

“Aw, well…” Applejack cleared her throat. “Well, maybe you look for the wrong gender. Maybe there isn’t the right stallion, but the right mare?”

The eyes of her friend widened. “I’m… I… I’m just looking for some action, Applejack. I’m not a monk or anything. And I’ve never been with another woman. And I don’t think—” Applejack interrupted her with a sudden belch that escaped her mouth.

“Sorry. Anyway. If it’s action you want, I’m your mare.”

“What?”

“Look, we’re both adults. You want some action, I happened to like what I see.” If Applejack happened to have had a few mugs of cider less, she probably would have noticed what kind of situation she was putting herself in. But she didn’t. “That said, you’re my friend, and I wouldn’t say no to a roll in the hay with you right about now.” The mare studied the face of the human next to her. There wasn’t outright disgust, which was always a good first sign. Also, she wasn’t looking away from her. She even looked right into her eyes.

With a giggle, Melody fell into the bale of hay. “When you said a roll in the hay, I didn’t think you meant that literally,” she joked and threw a bit of hay at Applejack. “I feel like I’m visiting the colonies and landed in Texas or something.” Applejack was lost at the joke, but whatever made her smile was right for the mare. “And now I’ve got my handsome farmer.”

Applejack blushed a little. They had been drinking buddies for a long time now, but Melody had never told she was handsome. Maybe it was the alcohol talking, but she appreciated the sentiment nonetheless.

Carefully, the mare stepped over Melody, bringing most the women’s body under her own. Her muzzle brushed against her neck, then pushed her hair aside to nibble at her ears. “Oh! That’s nice.” Melody hummed under her. Applejack had experience with mares. Some of that experience she had gotten in this same barn she was in right now. But none of them smelled like Melody. She couldn't find a word to describe that smell, for it was too alien. It was just Melody.

With a little tug at the end, she let go of Melody’s earlobe and slowly nibbled her way down to her neck, kissing every inch tenderly in between. The woman’s hand wandered around her neck, brushing through her coat. The farmer had to stop at the sensations. It was one thing when a hoof brushed through your coat, but these fingers…. They tugged in her flesh only barely, not even a real scratch. For the mare, it was heaven. Her sore muscles thanked Melody for every second her hands kneaded her neck. But she still had work to do.

She pressed her muzzle against the lips of the human. Gently at first, then pressing harder as Melody’s hands grabbed her flesh even tighter. Instinctively, her tongue presses forward, parting the lips of the human without resistant. They both hummed the tune of lovers as their tongues danced. For a moment, Applejack thought Melody tried to say her name, but her concentration was broken as one of the hands of her friend grabbed her flank, her fingers digging into the tender flesh. This sensation was new to Applejack. Never had she felt something like this. Ponies nibbled, but this was almost like a predator was about to tear her apart. Still, it felt so unbelievably good to the mare since she knew she could take this predator down.

Their lips parted, but Applejack didn’t give Melody time to recover. Her hooves pressed against her shoulders, burying her even deeper in the bale of hay. With the knowledge of how sensitive the teats of a mare could be, Applejack went for those big two right in front of her. Opening her mouth as wide as she could, she put at much of the shaking flesh in as she could and started licking, sucking, and nibbling.

With the new position, Melody’s hand lay on her neck again. They scratched lightly just on the right spot, driving Applejack wild. She wanted to tell Melody to finally tug at her mane, but it would mean to stop what she was doing now. A musky scent wafted up to her sensitive nose, inviting her downwards on the alien body that was at her mercy. Applejack nibbled a bit more, switched to the other breast, enjoying Melody’s soft moaning reaching her ears. “Applejack…” she whispered and took a hard breath.

‘Still got it,’ the mare thought to herself and finally took the bait. She licked the breast one last time and went downwards, her tongue never leaving Melody’s skin. She would show her what a mare could do.

One short stop at her belly button, Applejack found the source of the musk that reached her nose. The hay was slightly damp, just like the marehood in front of her. It looked a little different, a bit smaller, but she knew what was what and what to do. Her tongue wandered on, trailing over the moist outer lips and even further down. A little squeak escaped Melody as she made contact with her other hole. She slowly circled around it before moving up again and trailing over Melody’s vulva again. This time, she added enough force to part the lips a bit and lure out the little button hidden under a patch of pink skin. Melody moaned so loud that Applejack feared for a moment that her family might show up.

“Tone that down a little, sugarcube. The last thing I need is my little sister or my brother finding us. Would ruin the moment.” She pressed another kiss on Melody’s lips.

“I’ll try,” she said, and Applejack went back to business. Her tongue trailed over her belly again before she dug in. With the knowledge of where exactly the little nub tried to hide, she got to work. She gently bit it and started to massage it with her tongue. Melody’s reaction followed instantly. Her legs wobbled behind Applejack, and her hand pressed down on her head. Melody wasn’t strong, so it wasn’t like she couldn’t resist. It was more like Applejack didn’t want to. She let herself be guided by those heavenly hands and buried her muzzle in the warm folds that was Melody’s marehood. Like before, her tongue went out instinctively, parting the folds a bit more and digging deep into the source of the moistness that coated most of her face now.

Melody cried again, but Applejack couldn’t really hear it. Her legs tried to close shut and trapped the mare in this position. She didn’t care. The musk, the succulence, it was too much for the farmers senses, and all she did was burying her tongue deeper and deeper in the human. Then she felt even more pressure as the walls clamped down on the mare’s tongue, and a fresh wave of moisture spurted into her open mouth. She gulped down as much as she could.

Melody went limp, her legs releasing the mare’s head. Her hands fell down and her marehood freed its grip on Applejack’s tongue. “Woohee! What a ride, girl. You weren’t lying when you said you needed some action,” Applejack said as she took a good breath of air. “Ready for round two?” The human, still out of breath and lying under her, just nodded. “Well, since this a two player game…” Applejack turned around, her tail now over Melody’s face. “… You’re very welcome to join in.”

Using her long neck, Applejack leaned down and started to clean up from the last round. Melody shuddered briefly. The mare felt her friend grabbing her tail at the base and tugging it aside. The tug forced a little moan out of Applejack, which vibrated into the flesh in front of her.

She felt Melody trailing a finger over her own marehood, which was drowned in her own juices. As her finger went in, the mare felt herself wink a few times. The finger left her marehood, and just as Applejack as about to look to see if everything was alright, a tongue parted her folds. Moaning escaped both, mare and woman, as their tongues danced over the most sensitive part of each other’s bodies. A finger joined the tongue again, brushing over her pucker before…

“Applejack!” The mare jolted awake from her daydream. No, not a daydream, but a memory. She was still in the bar, Berry behind her counter and next to her was…

“Rarity?” Applejack asked, surprised. “What are you doing here, girl? I thought a place like this ain’t fit for a lady.”

Rarity shook her head. “None of that now, darling. I think we have a little trouble on our hooves. You are friends with that human mare, right?”

“Ah, yeah. We drink, or rather drank together nearly evening for a few years now. Why?”

The mare in front of her looked worried. Had something happened to Melody? “You see, I think she is using Twilight.”

“What!” Applejack exclaimed and threw down her mug on the counter. “That’s ridiculous. Who told you that nonsense?”

“I was there, Applejack, this afternoon. First she was this shy mare with a truly amazing body. I think she reminded me of our dear Fluttershy just a tiny bit, but obviously far more outgoing.”

“You’re talking about Melody?” Berry asked from her position behind the counter.

“Yeah, Rares here thinks she’s trying to play one on Twilight.”

“Shame on you, Miss Rarity. Melody’s a very sweet mare. She has some issues, but who doesn’t?” Berry said, a bit angry. “And if you want to talk trash about her, do it outside. None of that in here.”

Rarity was about to respond, but Applejack held her hoof up. “I’ll take ya outside, sugarcube. I had enough for one night anyway.” She threw a sack of bits on the counter. “Put the rest on my tab.” Berry took the sack of bits in her mouth and nodded as Applejack left her barstool and led Rarity to the exit. “So, what’s got your tail in a knot, Rares? I know you don’t judge that quick on the first look.”

“I don’t judge!” she exclaimed, looking offended. “I just build my own opinion.” Applejack just nodded. “Anyway, Twilight ordered a whole wardrobe of clothes for the girl.”

“Wow, that’s mighty nice of her.”

“Oh, I agree! But she told Melody the Crown paid for it!”

By now they stood just outside of the bar. The sun was long gone, and Luna’s moon illuminated the outlines of the buildings around them. “Well, that’s most likely how it is. Twilight employed her in the name of the Crown or so.”

“That just it! If the Crown paid for something like that, the money would come from the royal bank account. But it came from Twilight’s private account.”

“Uh, you just lost me. Isn’t Twilight also paid by the Crown? Maybe they thought it was easier if Twilight just gave her the money.”

Applejack could hear Rarity’s teeth as they grinded before she sighed. “No. Every employee has to be accounted for separately, mostly for taxes and so on. I should know – I’ve been hired several times by her Majesty.”

“Well, that’s all fine and dandy, but what has any of that to do with you thinking Melody tried to pull a fast one on Twilight?”

Rarity looked around, evidently checking if they truly were alone. “I think Twilight has a little crush on the human, and she knows that!” Applejack could only stare at her friend. “How she hugged her. How she grabbed her… She pressed all the buttons. She’s using Twilight.”

“Hold your horses a moment. Twi is crushing on who now?”

“Melody.”

“Uh huh,” was all Applejack could manage.

“Look, I know I could be wrong. But Twilight just spent a lot of money on her. I just want to make sure she is the sweet mare like you and Berry just said.” But Applejack was already somewhere else with her thoughts. Pieces fell together in her head, and so much suddenly made sense.

“You know what? I think you’re right.”

Rarity looked at her with a surprised expression. “Pardon?”

“With Twi’ having a crush on Melody I mean. I’ve seen that look in her eyes a few times.” Mostly when she looked in the mirror. “But I don’t think she’s doing any of that on purpose. Melody is a real smart ma— woman. She had all these books and… All she wants is to fit in. Maybe she’s just trying too hard.” Rarity bit her lip. Applejack knew the expression on her friend’s face. It was saying she knew something important but it was a secret. Or she really just shouldn’t say it. “If it’ll make ya rest easy, I’ll talk to her. Okay?” Rarity nodded.

I practiced English a lot lately and well, this is the result. This is the first chapter to only exist in English.

As I said, this is the start of the Applejack part. More will follow.

Thanks to JBL for editing this chapter.