Applejack relaxes on a pile of hay in the barn, resting after a morning's work of chores. She stares at her right foreleg. The whole morning, hay, all of yesterday, the event plays in her mind.

"Run." Shade told Applejack.

Of course, when Applejack saw the hydra she froze. All the heads were coming out of the water, their eyes, their height, their fangs, their claws Applejack's legs refused to obey her whims. Next thing she knows, she is dizzy and finds herself a hundred feet away. Shade teleported Applejack out of the way of the hydra's strike. She saw Shade blast the hydra's belly with magic which only angered the beast. A blink of red and Shade disappeared. A flash and pop in front of Applejack made her cover her eyes.

Shade pressed a hoof into Applejack's chest, "C'mon! We need to go!"

A roar shook the ground and snapped Applejack back to reality. Before she knew it, her hooves engaged and began to run back the way they came. The two of them ran through the Everfree Forest for three hours nonstop. When they broke out of the forest, Applejack felt like her heart was going to explode. She collapsed on the cool grass and tried desperately to fill her lungs with oxygen.

She watched as Shade walked over to her with a yellow glowing horn. A yellow aura enveloped Applejack and her pain is washed away and is filled with vigor.

"Magic sure does come in handy, huh?" Applejack commented.

"Yes. Although, just to be safe." Shade hooked a hoof behind Applejack's head and kissed her.

Applejack is taken by surprise, especially when Shade's tongue snakes its way into her mouth. A few seconds later that felt like an eternity, Shade broke away from the kiss.

"Take a shower and disinfect those scrapes," Shade said calmly with concerned eyes. "I'll see you later."

Then she just walks away, as if nothing happened. Applejack stood there at the edge of the Everfree Forest slack-jawed and stunned.

She touches her lips.

Just thinking about it makes her blush hotly.

"What did it mean?" Applejack wonders out loud. She decides to summon up all her courage and just ask Shade herself.

Applejack's heart drums in her ears as she waits for the door to open.

Death opens the door and smiles at Applejack, "The sign says 'open,' Applejack. You don't have to knock."

"I'm not here to buy anything, Miss Belladonna," Applejack says. "Is Shade here?"

"Nope." Death directly answers.

"Oh." Applejack digs her hoof into the stone absently, "Thanks anyways."

"What did you need her for?"

"Oh, uh, just to um, hang out." Applejack chuckles nervously.

Death smiles, "You are such a bad liar. Come in and let's talk."

Applejack walks in, and Death closes the door behind them, turning the "open" sign "close." Applejack sits at the table, and Death serves her a glass of water before sitting across from her.

"Tell me what is on your mind," Death says.

Applejack circles a hoof around her hat on the kitchen table. "I've known Shade for a year now," Applejack begins, "but I don't understand her. And, well, there are some things I want to understand."

Death stares at Applejack pensively. "She kissed you, didn't she?" The red face and blubbering is all the answer Death needs to confirm her suspicions. "Calm down. Fluttershy came here with the same predicament. We, Tricorns, have high immunities and our saliva has a high white blood cell count, healing factors, and is naturally minty." Death giggles when Applejack blushes.

"I can't say that Shade kissed you because she loves you as a lover; she probably kissed you to help you with your injuries after running through the Everfree Forest and did it because you are a valuable friend and did not want you to get sick. Hay, I'm surprised she didn't lick you all over your body! When she came home, she was covered in cuts and scrapes, and I don't imagine you fared any better."

"Okay." Applejack breathes a sigh of relief. "It would have been a little awkward, I mean, it still is, but now that I know it was to help me it makes it easier to understand."

"What are you talking about?" Death inquires.

"Well, a girl and girl liking each other just ain't natural."

"Why do you say that?" Death asks with a poker face.

"Because a female is for a male and a male for a female."

Death smiles. Her horn flashes pink and suddenly a book is floating in front of Applejack.

Applejack accepts the book, after receiving a nod from Death, and reads the title aloud, "The Ultimate Guide to Your Tricorn by Deathly Belladonna. What?"

"Read it. You will understand Shade and me a little better. The book has everything in there from anatomy to our philosophy to our zoology. Shade is still adjusting to Equestrian society which is not as different, but there are plenty of non-verbal and social mores she has trouble comprehending. For instance, Shade finds it awkward when random ponies walk up to her and hug her to be friendly. Tricorns are physical with our close friends and family, so she considers it an invasion of privacy and even threatening which makes her put up a guard. Read the book. It will help you and Shade might feel more comfortable around you."

"I will," Applejack affirms with a nod. "I'll be sure to bring the book back."

"Keep it. I have a lot of them I made for Shade's friends."

"If you'll excuse me," Applejack says as she gets out of her chair, "I want to get started "

"Ah ha!" Death exclaims. She jumps up from her seat and points a hoof at Applejack, "What you did just now? Completely unacceptable in Tricorn society!"

"Wh-what?" Applejack freezes.

"You got up before your host. Maybe I wasn't ready for you to leave. Maybe I still had more to talk about. If we were back in my homeland, you would have insulted me greatly." Death explains.

"Oh."

Death laughs and walks around the table, motioning Applejack to follow, "It's fine, Applejack. I know you meant no offense." Death walks Applejack to the door and opens it for her guest to leave. They wave and say their byes.

Author's Notes:

Should I devote a chapter to "The Ultimate Guide to Your Tricorn"?