Pinkie was preparing some hay salad for dinner. Cupcakes and muffins where great for dinner but you can’t eat healthy every day and some nice junky hay salad would be a nice treat for her kids for once. Ace and Ven where still playing in the main room with Fluttershy, flying around, zipping back and forth. Fluttershy was hovering around, light on her wings. Not flying, but simple gliding with an occasional flap to keep her aloft.
Applejack had been standing just outside the door for a while now, looking in making sure she wasn’t seen. Big Mac was standing near the edge of the small set of tables laid outside of the store. Twilight and Rarity arrived not long ago as well; they were worried but at least knew why Applejack had run off now. She had to talk to Fluttershy, apologize to her! But she’d been standing there for quite some time; it was starting to get dark.
Applejack didn’t understand. Fluttershy was hovering. It was something she’d only ever seen the pegasus do a few times, in her happiest, most joyous moments. She’d only ever done so five times in her life, and four of those where with her. AJ couldn’t help but remembering back to the first time she’d seen it.
~ ~
It was just a normal day. Applejack had been into Ponyville that morning and seen her friends. As usual Fluttershy had stayed with her as they headed back to Sweet apple Acres and her cottage. It was the norm. That was until the completely unexpected happened. Fluttershy just came right out and said it. “Applejack. I, I think I love you.” AJ didn't know what to do as she stopped dead in her tracks and turned to face her friend. She’d been quite homophobic towards other ponies in the past, mostly due to the whole ‘AppleDash’ thing her friend’s had come up with.
She didn’t want this, not from Fluttershy, not from any mare. She’d been raised thinking this kinda thing was wrong. But she couldn’t hurt her friend. It must've been so hard for Fluttershy to even say it and if she didn’t handle the situation well, AJ knew she would lose Fluttershy as a friend. Only problem... even though she knew she’d have to let Flutterhsy down softly, what she actually did was just stand there for a few moments before simply running away.
The next day she went to Fluttershy’s cottage to try and make amends. AJ knocked on the door but got no response. She knew Fluttershy was home thought, she had to be this this early in the morning. Fluttershy just didn’t want to see her and AJ couldn’t blame the filly. “Fluttershy, ah know you don’t wanna see me after what happened yesterday. Ah’m sorry for it, ah really am. And… and ah came here to uh, ask you out.”
Fluttershy meekly replied through her closed door. At least she was talking to her and not just secluding herself away as AJ had expected. “Th-thank you Applejack but, I know… I know you don’t mean it. It’s kind of you really. But I don’t want your pity.”
“Ah know why ya think ah’m doing this… but please Fluttershy. Look, ah’ll be under the biggest tree in Sweet Apple Acres at noon, you know the one, ah've seen ya there a few time. Ah’ll bring a picnic; if you want, you can come.” Applejack WAS self-admittedly doing this for Fluttershy out of pity, but she had to.
Luckily though, a few hours later, Fluttershy did show up. They talked a little, ate some daffodil sandwiches and then just lay against the tree for a while. Lying there, a good deal of time passed before Applejack had gone to get up and realised that Fluttershy had fallen asleep against her. AJ didn’t want to wake her; she looked so cute up against her like this. All she could do was put a hoof around her friend. She didn’t know how long would pass and she didn’t care as a smile crept onto her face while she slowly drifted to sleep beside her.
When Fluttershy awoke she wasn’t sure when it was or how much time had passed but the sun was low in the sky creating and orange hue. She started crying. Applejack quickly woke up to the sobbing mare lying against her. “What’s wrong Sug? Ah thought this was what ya wanted?” As she asked, AJ couldn’t help but noticed her hat had fallen off of her and now lay on Fluttershy’s head. It seemed to suit her.
“It is, I mean it’s not… it’s just, I fell asleep. I didn’t mean too, you must think I was bored with you. I wasn't, I just...”
“Not at all Fluttershy, ah don’t think that.” she put her hooves around Fluttershy and gave her a hug. “Listen, Fluttershy, you were right. Ah was just taking pity on you, but then… ah, ah really enjoined myself taday. Honest truth. And… ah’d like ta do it again sometime.”
“Oh, it’s ok… I, I know you couldn’t ever really love me... I’m just… happy to spend time with you.”
“Not another word Sug, ah'd love ta do this again. But this time, ah want you ta choose where we go next time.” Fluttershy didn’t say anything and as usual, just tried to hide behind her mane. When she did however AJ’s hat fell from Fluttershy’s head. She hadn’t realized she’d been wearing it at all.
She fumbled for a second as she reached for the hat, now lying on AJ’s stomach. “Oh, um, your hat, I…” was all she got out before AJ picked the hat up an with her mouth and placed it back atop Fluttershy’s head.
“Please Sug, where would you like ta go with me?” until hearing those words from AJ, Fluttershy had doubted she’d truly meant any of what she’d said, but she’d never know AJ to lie, why would she start now? and her hat? Fluttershy didn’t know for curtain but she had always thought it had been special to AJ because it once belonged to her father. The fact that she’d placed it upon Fluttershy’s head instead of her own spoke even more than words.
“Here.” Fluttershy said, looking upwards at the tree. “I can’t think of any place better than right here. This has been my favourite place to go and think for years. It’s peaceful.”
“Fluttershy… it’s ma favourite place too. Actually Sug… it’s not my favourite place.” Fluttershy had been glad to hear the first part but was let down by the second half. Until AJ added “It’s ours.” before she leaned in and gave Fluttershy a small quick kiss.
Applejack had never been very romantic, but she had just said the most beautiful thing Fluttershy could possibly imagine. They just lay there for another hour, holding each other. It was one of Applejack’s happiest memories. When they finally got up it was getting close to sun down. AJ insisted that she show Fluttershy home, unintentionally playing the stallion in the relationship but neither of them noticed. They simply enjoyed the moment.
Fluttershy kept her head against AJ’s neck most of the walk to her cottage. There was something a little odd though and AJ didn’t notice until they were almost back to Fluttershy’s home. What she realised, was that Fluttershy wasn’t walking. While she occasionally made walking motions that made no contact with the ground, she was clearly gliding alongside her. She didn’t think much of it at the time but she had certainly remembered it and was very glad she did.
Fluttershy didn’t invite Applejack in and Applejack didn’t push the issue. She was sure Fluttershy wasn’t after that. Not at this time. As far as Applejack knew, Fluttershy had never even been on a date before, even with a colt. All she did was give Applejack a long soft kiss. “It was really nice today. I had a wonderful time.”
“Me too Sug.” AJ admittedly said. Though it surprised her, it was true.
“’Sug’?” Fluttershy asked, slightly confused.
“Um… yeah?” Applejack replied, not quite understanding
“You, you always call ponies ‘Suger’ or ‘Sugercube’. W-why are you calling me ‘Sug’?”
“Ah don’t know… ah just am, or have been ah guess. Tell ya what, ah’ll call nopony else ‘Sug’. That name’s only for you.” Applejack only just noticed it but she’d been calling Fluttershy such since she’d woken up. She’d given her a pet name before she even knew it.
To this day, she never used that name on anypony else.
~ ~
It was almost two years later the next time she’d seen Fluttershy hovering the same way, shortly after Applejack had proposed to her. It was personally Applejack’s happiest day herself. She’d been nervous Fluttershy wouldn’t agree. It was a stupid fear in retrospect, but it had only been a few months before that Applebloom had finally accepted them being together. She was just as homophobic as Applejack had been before this whole ordeal, the only difference was that AJ thought it not so much as homosexuality, as just love.
Applebloom eventually came to see this, though Granny Smith still didn’t agree with the idea. The Apple Family‘s roots where planted in the past, though its life was changing fast. Who Applejack is, is who Applejack wanted to be. A simple mare who works to hard, who loves her family and would never stop. With gentle hooves and and a heart of a fighter. She's a survivor, and could take what those who didn’t approve of her union would say, and protect Fluttershy from them in turn.
Sadly though, her wedding was what forced her to adopt that survive and protective attitude. She’d invited all her family, as was tradition. All 117 of them. However, not all had shown up, less than half in total, opposing the filly-fooler's marriage. Worse yet, even some of those who had showed up had been against it too. Big Mac had even kicked somepony out of the church. Literally! Red Delicious stood up when the minister called 'If anypony would object to this union, speak now or forever hold your piece.'
Even if the wedding had been a disaster, Fluttershy was still happy to join her new family. Sadly, that family soon got one member smaller. Granny Smith’s health soon took a turn for the worst. Her kidneys started to shut down in her old age, nearly eighty as she was. And even though she was a match for with all of her family, she refused an organ transplant. She had lived a long, full life. She’d even outlived her own son and refused to shorten anypony else’s life so she could get maybe another year or two.
It had been about a month since her kidneys had started failing and about three days ago they had completely given out. Her old, dull green fur and taken on a sickly brown-yellow hue. This was the last night she would live. When she went to sleep that night, she wouldn’t wake up. In her last minutes she told them, all of them. Fluttershy, Applejack, Big Mac and not so little anymore Applebloom, who was the most distraught by her death.
"Ah’m sorry for all the grief ah caused you two. Ah never really approved of yur union and in truth ah still don’t… ah know that sounds like an awful thing to say ta you as some’a my last words. But if ah was anything in life ah'd like to think it where honest. But Applejack, Fluttershy, ah’m sorry. ah know you love Fluttershy. And Fluttershy, ah know you love ma gran-daughter… ah’d like to say a few things in private.”
"I understand." Fluttershy had lowered her head and turned to leave.
That was until Granny Smith called out “Where are you going… ah wanted to talk ta you darlen.” none of the Apples had expected that and Fluttershy seemed to be the most surprised... and nervous. The three siblings left the room and closed the door behind them. To this day Applejack still didn’t know what Granny Smith had said to Fluttershy but when Fluttershy had called them all back in she wore a smile on her face.
Granny Smith only lingered for a few moments after they returned. “No matter what happens, love her…” she managed to get them out before she fell asleep and shortly after stopped breathing. Applebloom was the first to start crying and Fluttershy comforted her, staying up the whole night by her side, even long after Applejack and Big Mac had fallen asleep beside them.
She continued to comfort Applebloom for many weeks after as the little filly seemed the most broken up over her gran-mother’s passing. She had never experience loss like this before. AJ and Big Mac had suffered this before when their parents had died but Applebloom didn’t even remember them. Granny Smith was practically her mother. Eventually, as time heals all wounds, Applebloom started feel better. Fluttershy had spent so much time with her over the last month or so and it nearly made her heart explode when Applebloom had one day said “I love you sis.” to Fluttershy.
Applejack only caught brief glances, but for the rest of that day Fluttershy didn’t take a single step as she moved around the farmstead following Applebloom as they helped each other do their choirs around the farm.
~ ~
Even if Granny Smith had accepted them at long last before leaving, that didn’t change how rest of the family still treated the couple. They had given a few other members of the large family the courage to come out but this also lead others to come out against it. The arguments went on for another five years and every so often Fluttershy would feel she was the cause of it all. But finally at a full family reunion, after one too many remarks, Fluttershy had had enough. She burst into the sky and yelled as loud as she could, something Applejack had only seen a few times before from then normally calm, quiet and incredibly shy pony.
Her speech surprised everypony, even those who had been on her side. “All of you are just pathetic! Half of you hate me just because I love somepony special to me! All of you need to just accept this. Stop fighting, you’re a family! You’re MY family!” her yelling started to drown out as her courage faded the longer she talked. She slowly started sinking from the sky. “I don’t want to see you fighting like this. Please… I just don’t want to see so many ponies hurt because of me…”
When she landed on the ground Applejack quickly put her hooves around her. “All’a y'all should be ‘shamed of yurselves! This family used to be so close! Ah love Fluttershy, and ah love all’a you! Why can’t you just accept it n’ move on!?” they here both distaught by the moment and everypony could visibly see the pain in both their faces.
But as heart felt and moving as the speech had been to many at the reunion, it hadn’t worked. Not right away. A good amount of the family left that day, even though the reunion was a week-long event. But slowly, over the next year, they started healing. Apology letters came in one by one to Sweet Apple Acres. Each one made Fluttershy cry, not from sadness but of joy. She’d done so much damage since she’d became a member of this family. Her family. And now she had finally started to help.
It wasn’t long before they were invited to the first other same-sex marriage of one of their family members. Golden Delicious, AJ’s uncle’s wife's’ sister’s cousin was marrying a stallion name Twistfire. They had expected not too many ponies to show up but where surprised at how many had. Almost all the family had shown with a few exceptions, there were still a few hold outs. But there where those who also just truly couldn’t make it as well and they had all sent letters biding good will. There were even five other ponies where with same-sex dates.
Red Delicious, the same pony who had objected to their own wedding so long ago, stood beside his brother Golden on the alter as his best stallion. When Golden, said “I do” and kissed his new husband Twistfire, the entire crowd cheered. And as they walked down the aisle out of the church, Golden stopped by Fluttershy and Applejack, turned to them and simple said “Thank you both so much.”
As they both rose to follow them out of the church Applejack noticed Fluttershy was hovering once more. It was then that she figured out what it meant. That Fluttershy was truly happy. This may not have been Applejack and Fluttershy’s wedding day, but it was the wedding Fluttershy had wanted. Applejack wished she had a way to express her happiness like Fluttershy did. She looked at Fluttershy and gave to a short kiss.
No. She did have a way to show her happiness, it happened every time she looked at Fluttershy.
~ ~
A few days later, when they had got back to Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack asked "The other day Sug, at the wedding, ah aaw you kinda just floating, hoverin’ in place. Barely needing ta keep yourself in the air at all.”
“Oh, I didn’t notice. Yes, I, I guess I was.” Fluttershy replied, happily remembering the moment.
“Can only say ah’ve ever seen it happening a few times. Ah was wonderin, what’s it feel like?”
“I don’t really know. It doesn’t happen to often.”
“It’s just that, the few times ah have seen it, ya always seemed… so happy.”
“It feels like... like... a perfect moment!” Fluttershy said. The most courage in her voice that AJ had ever heard. Even just talking about such wonderful times lifted the spirits of this mare.
“That’s wonderful. Ah’m, ah’m so happy ta hear that!”
“How come?”
“Because, every time ah’ve seen it, it was because you where becomin’ a part’a my family, Sug.” AJ said, a small tear starting to well up in her eye. She leaned over and gave Fluttershy a kiss. it was short but meaningful. “I love you Fluttershy.”
“I know. I love you too Applejack.” Flutterhsy said as she leant back towards her lover and gave a much longer, stronger kiss. It was almost funny that Fluttershy was usually the stronge, more dominant one in the relationship but AJ didn’t mind. She loved everything about her. Long moments passed and they finally broke the kiss. A trail of saliva hung between their lips. This almost ruined the moment.
Fluttershy had always found that when kissing if a strand lingered on their lips to be one of the grossest things there was. How ponies found it romantic was beyond her comprehension. She quickly removed the line from her mouth with her hoof and tried to clean it off against the ground. She had been happy a moment ago and now it was fading fast. AJ knew this would soon send Fluttershy into a small shame spiral and had to act fast to stop that from happening.
“Sug, have you ever hovered like that before you met me?”
This stole Fluttershy’s attention from trying to wipe her hoof clean. “Oh, um. Yes, once. When I fell from Cloudsdale and was saved by a swarm of butterflies. I was flown through one of the most beautiful places in all of Equestia.” Fluttershy began to sing at the memory of the moment.
“It didn’t lasted to long though. The moment was ruined by Rainbow Dash’s Sonic Rainboom. But… it wasn’t a bad thing though. It startled the animals and I just had come to aid them. I learnt my true talent that day, to love and care for others.”
The story was beautiful to Applejack. Fluttershy was the most wonderful creature in all Equestria. Even Celestia seemed almost mean compared to this beautiful, amazon, wonderful filly.
~ ~
The final time Applejack has seen her hovering was one and a half years ago. The weather pegasi had made a big storm as needed by the events of recent weather and draught. Fluttershy had stayed with Applejack at the farm like she usually did. She’d lived there fully for years now but occasionally they would sleep at Fluttershy’s cottage. After the storm had faded they found the cottage had been destroyed and Fluttershy blamed Dash for it.
Dash knew it wasn’t her fault and knew Fluttershy likely didn’t think it was hers either. She just needed somepony to blame. Either way, Dash took Fluttershy to Cloudsdale for a small week-long holiday. Unfortunately, she just ended up making things worse by constantly talking about the wrong thing. Fluttershy had had enough and just left early one morning, well before Dash would wake up.
When she got back to the farm, she saw something she never expected. Her cottage: rebuilt around a tree. No, not just a tree. The biggest, oldest tree in Sweet Apple Acres. THEIR TREE. Applejack had somehow moved to the tree to the main farmstead. Something that would’ve been impossible without the help of the at least fifty ponies who were working on it right in front of her. All of them members of the Apple Family. It had been only three days since she left and yet it was almost completely built, they must’ve worked around the clock to build this place befo…
It hit her. She was meant to return in two more days time. On Fluttershy and Applejack’s ninth anniversary. It was beyond words that Applejack would do this for her. Fluttershy went over to labouring ponies, who were still ignorant of her presence “Applejack… this is…”
“Fluttershy! What are you doing back!? Where’s Dash?”
“She’s still in Cloudsdale. This is beautiful Applejack, thank you. Thank you so much!” Applejack’s eyes began to water. “Oh, I didn’t mean to upset you, I, I don’t mean to see this so early, I’m sorry.”
“It’s not that Sug. You’re hovering. Ah’m… just so glad I could make you so happy.” then Fluttershy landed. Something had happened. “What, what’s wrong sug?”
Tears forming in Fluttershy’s eyes as well now. “It’s just. You did all this for me. I didn’t do anything for you… you made ME so happy but I can’t…” Fluttershy was cut off when Applejack kissed her.
“There’s something you can do to make me as happy as can be…. smile. Ah love you Fluttershy. I learnt that long ago Sug, just being with you is a bigger gift than this could ever be.”
Fluttershy gave Applejack a kiss back. “I love you too Applejack” tears still flowing freely from her eyes. She didn’t even notice she had started hovering again. It was truly a perfect moment in both their lives.
~ ~
That was the last time she’d seen Fluttershy hover. Until now…
She couldn’t go in. If she did she was sure she’d ruin whatever was so perfect to Fluttershy right now. It was well and truly after dark now. She didn’t know how much time had passed since she started standing there. Pinkie had finished the hay salad and called them over to eat. The kids rushed over to the table but Fluttershy just slowly floated over towards it. Before sitting down she went over to Pinkie. And gave her a kiss.
That was it… the kids Fluttershy wanted, a pony who Applejack had known to have feelings for her. She’d kicked Fluttershy out of her family and now she’d found another. It was clear why Fluttershy was so happy right now. ‘I can’t ruin such a moment for her.’ she thought.
She hung her head turned around to walk away. She wanted to just head back to Sweet Apple Acres and just sit in Granny Smith’s chair. She looked up to see Rarity standing in front of her, Twilight and Big Mac behind her. She knew what Rarity would say. “Ah can’t go in there, ah’d only hurt her more. An’ ah just can’t do it to her.”
“You need to talk to her darling.”
“Ah already said ah can’t…”
“Please Applejack. It hurts me to see you like this.” Rarity’s mascara was running. She’d been crying, or at least sobbing.
Applejack didn’t know why but she couldn’t say no right now. She’d hurt Fluttershy, she’d hurt Rarity too. She was fine with when she thought Twilight had been hurt by Big Mac so why was this different? All of it felt so wrong. She would have to talk to Fluttershy eventually. “You’re right Sugercube, but… ah’ma wait 'til the kids go ta bed. Ah don’t want them to see this, and Flutterhsy’s so happy with them right now. Ah can’t do it just now.”
“It’s ok Applejack,” Twilight said stepping past Rarity “We’ll be here for you.”
“No Twilight. Please, go. Go on yur date with Big Mac. Ah ruined one relationship a’ready. Ah don’t wanan ruin yours.”
“It’s ok sis, ah’ll be here for ya, me and Miss Twilight.”
“No. Please, big brother, go with her. Ah insist. Please, do it fer me.” Applejack turned from Big Mac to face Twilight, eyes begging her as much has she had just begged her brother.
“If, if you insist Applejack. Big mac, should we?...” Twilight said, looking to him for reassurance. He nodded, walked over to her side and his neck around hers, pulling her away. She didn’t like leaving Applejack but if her brother thought it was for the best then it probably was.
~ ~
They’d finished their dinner, the kids played a bit longer before Pinkie took them upstairs to bed. Pinkie usually stayed up a few more hours after doing this. She came back down stairs to Fluttershy, peicefully lying on the couch. She’d stopped hovering after they’d finished dinner but she still seemed happy to Pinkie. For all the kids hyperactivity, they went to sleep almost instantly when put on their cot.
Pinkie went and sat down beside her new marefriend, putting a hoof around her. Even through the ups and downs, it had been a good day for Pinkie as well. Sure she’d had her heart broken, and nearly fell to her death but that was all in a day for Pinkie. She loved being with Fluttershy, even before they were together. She and Dash had been the first ponies Pinkie had become friends with in Ponyville and always held a special place in her heart. A place that had been recently emptied before then.
A knock on the door came, waking them both from their not-quite-asleep state. Fluttershy looked up and her happy demeanour quickly faded. She knew she’d have to speak to Applejack sooner or later but she had hope for later. Pinkie had gotten up and answered the door and even though Applejack was clearly visible through the door’s window, Pinkie seemed surprised when she opened it.
“Oh hey Applejack, hey Rarity!” Pinkie yelled. Fluttershy hadn’t noticed Rarity, though she too had been clearly visible, she’d just been to focused on Applejack to notice. “Come in!”
Fluttershy sat up from her lying position on the couch. “He-hello Applejack… I um…”
Rarity had stayed outside, she’d cleaned up her mascara somewhat but it was quite obvious it had been running still. Pinkie yelled to her “Are you coming in Rarity? Ooo, have you been crying? What happened?”
“Oh, it’s nothing Pinkie, but I think we should let Applejack talk to Fluttershy in private.”
“Oki doki loki. You can help me prepare tomorrows eat-ables in the back!” Pinkie said as she bounced off into the kitchen and Rarity followed.
Applejack took a seat on the couch next to Fluttershy. Fluttershy pulled away as she sat, almost looking scared. Had AJ really hurt her that much? Of course she had... “Fluttershy, ah’m sorry for what ah said and what ah did. You didn’t do anything. Ah shoulda known you didn’t.”
“I, I don’t know what I did wrong…” Fluttershy said, still tucked as far away from Applejack as she could on the couch.
“Nothing, Sug, you did nothing! Ah was wrong! Ah know you wouldn’t do that ta me. Ta Twilight, or yurself.”
Fluttershy’s look turned form scared to angry “Wh-what did you think I did!?”
“Ah… Ah though you were pregnant…” Fluttershy’s anger faded. She looked like she had been hit. Tears instantly started pouring down her face. She had been surprisingly set this whole conversation until now. “and that Big Mac was the father.”
“Applejack… I would never do something like that to you….”
“Ah know you wouldn’t… it’s just that… you’ve been talkin’ about a baby fer so long now. And tryin' so hard ta make me think of Big Mac fer the dad. Ah just… ah don’t get why ya where so set on it?”
“Applejack…” Fluttershy’s tears flowing more than she’d ever seen, even from this easy crying pony. “wh-when I told you I wanted a child… I’d been keeping it a secret for so long… since before Angle Bunny left us… left me... I just wanted… too… not be broken… I’m… I think… I’m b…” Fluttershy’s voice trailed off to the point it couldn’t be heard.
“Ah’m sorry sug?”
“I’m...” she trailed off again. She turned to AJ, Fluttershy knew AJ still hadn’t heard her. “I don’t think I can have, have a baby. I’m… barren. ”
“Fluttershy.” Applejack hadn’t known about this at all. How long had she been like this? How long has she been holding in the pain of this? “Ah’m sorry. Ah don’t know… look, it doesn’t matter. Ah want you ta come home. Ah want you ta come back with me. You’re a parta ma family. ah never meant what ah said. Please… forgive me?”
“I… I can’t… I just can’t.”
“Ah understand...” AJ sighed.
“No, no you don’t, it’s not you. It’s me… I, I’m with Pinkie Pie now. I couldn’t do it to her.”
Applejack did understand that. She hated it, but she understood. “No… no, ah understand Suger…”
Fluttershy felt what just happened. The very moment when Applejack’s heart broke. She’d called her ‘Suger’, not ‘Sug’. She hadn’t done that in over twelve years. “Pinkie and me…”
“Don’t explain, ah know. She loves you, maybe as much as ah do. She told me once. Ah felt terrible about what ah did to her.” She was referring to when she’d kicked Pinkie and broken her muzzle, still hoping Fluttershy didn't know that part.
“I love her.” Fluttershy sobbed. Applejack knew it by now, but hearing the words just made it hurt more than it already was. Pinkie walked out of the kitchen crying heavily, in her overly dramatic, almost fake way that she did, though this time, the tears were most likely genuine. She come up to the couch and hugged Fluttershy.
“Me, too Fluttershy, I'm in lesbians with you too!...” Applejack didn’t exactly know why she said that but knowing Pinkie it somehow made sense and assumed she meant Love, the other ‘L’ word. Rarity followed out behind Pinkie and put a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder. Rarity knew AJ would want to leave, but if she didn’t have an out she would stay there all night. “Darling, it’s time we where off. I heard everything. Its best we just… leave.”
Applejack just looked at Rarity for a short time before nodding and standing off the couch. “Ah… ah…” she couldn’t say anything more, she’d said everything. Everything except ‘I love you.’ Rarity pulled her towards the door. Pinkie still hadn’t stopped hugging Fluttershy, as she lent her head back and gave Fluttershy a small kiss under her chin. Pinkie wanted so desperately to cheer Fluttershy back up and stop her crying.
Applejack walked out the door first followed by Rarity who magically closed it behind her. AJ hadn’t cried at all during the conversation but was slowly crying now. Head hung, she just started walking back to the farm. “Applejack, I’m sorry, but I heard all of that. Please, come to my boutique, I’ll… I’ll make you a dress, give you a make-over, make you feel wonderful about yourself.”
“That’s a’right Rarity. Ah just wanna head home now.”
“Darling, I’m worried about you. Please, Applejack, for me!”
Rarity inviting Applejack to her boutique was, well, a rarity. “A’right Rarity. But please, no make-over.”
They walked in painful silence for a few minutes before reaching the boutique. Rarity unlocked the door and let AJ in before her. She turned the lights on with her magic and went to get her guest a drink. Grabbing one of the bottles of Sweet Apple Cider she saved from last year’s cider season, she opened it and poured two glasses. One much larger than the other.
She returned to Applejack who was crying into a cushion on Rarity’s chair. Rarity put the glasses on the table, the bottle as well and then sat in the chair next to her, leaning over its arm to say “Applejack, I know that must’ve been painful to you but please darling, have some cider. And at least let me give you a facial.”
Applejack hated facials, make up and whatever else Rarity would probably make her do. But it was Rarity’s way of making her feel better. She hated the process but she wouldn’t argue with the results. Afterwards her skin always left nicer and it made her feel pretty. It was something she would probably need now more than ever. Dried tears down her face, mane all ruffled from the run. She hadn’t noticed it until now but her usual ponytailed mane had come undone and was just hanging around her neck.
She took the glass of cider and downed the crystal champaign glass full in one gulp then proceeded to pour herself another glass, completely full this time. This wasn’t the first time she’d drunk her problems away, hay, she practically had it down to an exact science of how much she could have when it came to Sweet Apple drinks. This stuff? Three quarters the bottle should do the job very well.
Rarity had gotten the mud mask ready; AJ drank another half glass before letting Rarity start applying the goo. Sorry, imported goo... Rarity took a sip of her own drink, giving Applejack a chance to finish off her own glass as well. Rarity knew if she waited any longer AJ would simply pour herself another glass. While she understood why she wanted to get drunk she didn’t quite want her to and felt that grabbing the bottles may have been a mistake.
Rarity dipped her hoof into the bowl of green slime and got a large glob. AJ prepared for the feeling of it going on her face. Slimy, cold and overly fragrant. This particular batch smelled to her like bacon, why they always smelt like health foods she didn’t know. Oddly though it actually felt rather nice for once. Still slimy and cold but it was nowhere near as bad as she had prepared for.
Rarity had about covered AJ’s whole face when she said “I know how you must feel Applejack, I really do…”
“You do, do ya?” she replied snidely, though more angrily than she had intended.
Rarity knew what AJ was getting at. And while she didn’t want to offend at this moment, she had to defend herself to have any hope of talking to her properly. “Yes, deary I do… Eli broke my heart remember.”
“Ah remember. But that was four years ago. I know it musta hurt just as much but time heals all wounds, ah doubt ya can remember it as fully as ah remember this.”
“Actually, I talked to him a few days ago. Though I suppose you didn’t know, I asked…” she stopped in her words, she’d told Fluttershy to tell AJ, but should she bring that up?
“So you told Fluttershy ta tell me didn’t ya? Ah’m sorry Rarity, ah woulda been there to kick his flank right ‘long side ya had ah known.”
“Actually, I almost forgave him… I didn’t of course, but I did feel for him a small amount.”
“Wait, wait, wait! You felt sorry for him!?”
It had worked. Rarity may not like talking about Eli but if it kept AJ’s mind from Fluttershy then it was worth it “Yes. He said none of it was true, among other things. I’m sure it was all lies but I did feel for him at moments.”
“What did he say?”
‘Perhaps it had worked to well…’ she thought before saying “I asked him why he thought I would ever forgive him, he said that he hadn’t been the one who took the photographs, that he had found them in Sweetie Belle’s room. It is possible… but no. he’d been spending so much time with… but his explanation for that…”
Rarity seemed to be considering that the monster had been telling the truth. No, he couldn’t be! “Rarity, there is no way any of it was true, what possible reason could there be? You just said it yurself, he’d been spending so much time wit' Sweetie Belle before ya found him out.”
“He said, that the reason he was… was because they’d been planning how he’d… propose to me.”
It actually seemed to make sense to Applejack. But then again “He’s lying Rarity, if that were true why would Sweetie Belle and Applebloom say that he’d taken pictures of them? It’s a lie!”
“Yes, I suppose that’s tr… wait, ‘of them’?”
“Pardon?”
“You said Applebloom said that the pictures where of her?”
“Well, yeah, that’s what she told me. Weren’t they?”
“No, Applebloom wasn’t in any of them. It was Sweetie Belle and Diamond Tiara. Are you absolutely sure Applebloom said that she was in them?”
“Well yeah but… you don’t… why would she lie?”
“Diamond Tiara. That poor filly’s completely unstable, I had to go over there a month ago and help get her out of her room. Nopony even knew what had set her off but she had been in there for days. If photos of her and Sweetie Belle got out… she’d be destroyed.”
“Ah suppose, but that doesn’t explain why Appleblom said she…” AJ’s ears fell against her head, she sighed as her face fell grim-annoyed “she took the pictures…”
“Can’t only unicorns use cameras though?”
Annoyed for a moment before returning to normal “Na, there’s an APP-le fer that. But there’s one last thing. If all’a this is true than why would it take him four years ta tell ya?”
“That… is my fault, I’m afraid, I told him I had a restraining order, and I did. However it was redacted when he was realised… and... he was realise! Sweetie Belle had gone to testify… she really went and told the truth…”
“Well that’s enough fer me! Ah’ma find those two and get the story straight frerm their months.”
“No Applejack, leave it be… it was four years ago like you said. I don’t know why your sister did it but I’m sure she had her reason, as mine did.”
Somehow Applejack had gone from angry back to sad. “Ah’m just mad is all. I pride maself on being honest and ma… sister’s told one’a the biggest, longest lies ah ever heard of.” Applejack finished and then poured herself another glass of cider. She was starting to get tipsy, but she was still nowhere near where she wanted to be.
Rarity took a sip of her own glass and then put the final touches of mud onto Appleajcks face and re-applied some to her upper lip where some had been washed away by the cider. It had surely tasted horrible but Applejack didn’t let on, finishing her glass and then refilling it again. “Deary, do me a favour and leave me some by the time I finish my own mask? Thanks.” It was the only thing she could think of saying that wasn’t ‘Stop drinking.’
Rarity applied her own mask and Applejack filled her glass yet again, nearly half the bottle was gone already. If Rarity hurried she could get the cucumber slices over their eyes and that would make it harder for AJ to continue drinking. That wasn’t the case however as even once they were on, AJ continued to drink.
Rarity started to drink a little faster herself, if only to make it so there was less for AJ and had probably about a third of the bottle. She wasn’t a light weight when it came to drinking but she wasn’t as heavy as Applejack, sadly though she had grabbed a rather good bottle and while not completely drunk she would soon start feeling rather light.
~ ~
An hour had passed now, and Applejack had finally slowed down. Hers and Rarity glass still full with maybe half a glass left in the bottle “Can I tell ya something Rarity?” AJ asked, her accent completely gone at this point. Had Rarity been more sober, she'd have gone back to her old theory that AJ was faking it.
“Oh course darling, anything.”
“Well, it sounds stupid but when I was a foal, before I went ta manehatten with my Aunt and Uncle Orange, I used to dream about what my family would be like one day and well, I always saw myself with a child of my own. I hadn’t fought about it for years now but when Fluttershy brought it up at our tenth, it came back. Problem was. I didn’t really want a kid any more. And Fluttershy… she can’t… um… did, did you hear about...”
“Yes I heard. Poor Fluttershy.”
“She probably knew that even if she and Big Mac had, she wouldn’t have been able to have a child. I guess she was just… hoping against hope. I wish she’d told me…”
“Did she even truly want a child or just feel as if something was wrong with her? She seemed so happy today with Ace and Ven. I’d never seen her fly like that before.”
“I ha-have…” Applejack voice broke on the word. “She says it happens in ‘a perfect moment’ and it’s only ever happened five times before.”
“I see. I didn’t mean to bring it up then… she was playing with the children when I saw it and Pinkie had said something about Fluttershy saving her life. She must’ve been…”
“I can’t blame her for being happy. She deserves to be and Pinkie’ll treat her right… I wonder if Dash gave her the same speech she gave me? Then again… if she remembers that speech she’ll owe me a trip to the hospital for sure.”
“What was the speech?”
“Something about ‘If you EVER do anything to hurt my oldest friend, I will do something! And you won’t like what that is!’ " AJ mocked in her best Dash voice before reverting to her normal, sadder voice. "And I hurt her… I hurt her really badly, Rarity…”
“Applejack… I, I think it’s time we took these masks off.” Rarity got off her chair and grabbed a towel; it delicately wiped each section of her face in a smooth motion removing the mud. She then walked over to Applejack and repeated the process, making sure to not miss any as she moved her hoof across her face.
Applejack wasn’t sure what made her do it but when Rarity had finished cleaning her face off, AJ leant forward and kissed Rarity. She lingered there for a moment before pulling back “I’m sorry Sugercube, it’s just…” she said as she turned, not able to look at Rarity now.
“I quite understand…” Rarity said, beginning to blush, unlike most ponies it clearly visible through her white fur. A part of the flushness was from the drinking, which didn't help in the situation.
“I know you’re not interested in me, not even in mares… I just…” Rarity took Applejack’s face in her hoof and turned her face to hers. She returned a kiss and Applejack happily obliged. AJ wrapped her arms around Rarity and pulled her onto the chair with her. They lay there still kissing as Rarity slowly wrapping her hooves around Applejack as well.
~ ~
They had headed off, walking for some time before having a small meal at an outdoor restaurant. It was quite late now, far too late to return to Sweet Apple Acres so Twilight had asked Big Mac if he wanted to stay with her tonight. He had said “Eeyup” as always. Arriving at the tree-house, the door was open, they’d forgotten to close it when they’re rush out, apparently Rarity’s date… err, whatever his name was hadn’t locked up after he left.
Twilight turned the lights on and said “Would you like some tea?”
“Yes ah would, thank ya.”
“What type would you like? I have… blueberry, raspberry… you know what, I’ll just choose for you.” she knew that Big Mac didn’t particularly like tea and he was just being courteous accepting her offer.
She returned a few moments later with two cups of tea, green tea with honey and lemon for him and for herself. She felt that his was the least offensive to those he didn’t drink tea much. Not that she could imagine how tea could even be considered offensive but somehow some ponies thought this apparently.
They sat and talked for a while. She brought up the time that she had lost Miss Smartypants and how he had been so kind as to not only return her, but have Rarity fix her up somewhat before-hoof. She wasn’t sure if it was him making a move on her, all the way back then or if he had simply been being kind. Even his sister seemed to have problems reading him most of the time.
Big Mac had been one of the very first ponies she’d met when she moved here. Well, she’d ‘met’ Pinkie first when she had said hello and Pinkie screamed and ran off. For any other pony it would’ve been a weird first impression but for her it seemed to fit well. The second was Applejack who had then introduced him along with nearly the entirety of her extended family. Big Mac however stood out among them. She’d seen Prince Blueblood as the tallest pony, other than Celestia herself but Big Mac dwarfed him.
She hadn’t been instantly attracted to him. She really wasn’t to anypony but she had to admit she did have a few fantasies about him every so often, his size and all would surely translated. Come to think about it. They’d been going out for a while now. Perhaps now was time to make some of those fantasies come true?
Owlicious has doing his nightly chores but he was just an owl after all, nothing to be too concerned about what he might think. Looking at him she couldn’t help but think ‘Uh, just do it you coward!’ she didn't normally speak in such a manor, even to herself but she was right. Why not?
“It’s getting late. Perhaps we should hit the hay. But we only have one bed so I guess we’ll have to share.”
“That’s ok Miss Twilight, I don’t mind sleeping on the couch.”
He’s joking... right?
Twilight sighed… “Do I really have to spell it out for ya?”
Big Mac looked at her, gave her a kiss and said “Nope.” thank Celestia, he was joking… she thinks.
They walked up the stairs and got to the side of the bed. She kissed him and magically turned the lights off. They fell into the bed together… “ARRGGHHHHH!!!”
Twilight jumped! She flicked the lights back on. “Spike!?”
“Oh uh, Twilight… uh, Big Mac?… oh…” he realised what he had just ruined… or nearly been a part of.
“What are you doing here?!”
“Well you see…” Spike looked at Twilight, her face turned from annoyed to concerned when he looked at her. “Sweetie Belle dumped me.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Was it at least…”
“I told her I loved her… she didn’t want to hear it. Thing got worse from there and well… now I’m here.” he looked at Big Mac, then back to Twilight “Is it… ok if I stay here?”
Twilight looked at Big Mac, who was still completely unreadable. If he was disappointed he didn’t show it. “Yes, Spike, you’re always welcome here.” she wanted to add ‘I love you’ but while normally comforting, it would probably do more harm than good at the moment.
~ ~
It was morning, the light hurt her eyes. Her head hurt mildly. She was slightly hung over still. She hadn’t had as much to drink as Applej… Applejack! She rolled over to see AJ in her bed. Oh, what had she done? She didn’t have any feelings for her, she wanted to help but this would just make things worse. She could pretend to like her… no that would just make it more painful when the truth came out later. She’d have to tell her now.
Rarity nudged AJ, who stirred and gave a loud pained sigh. She had drunk a lot more than Rarity. “Morning Fluttershy...” she drowsily said. The words making it seem oh so much worse to Rarity.
“Applejack… we need to talk.”
“Oh… yeah, I guess we do...” Applejack said, facing away from her.
“I need to tell you, last night was…”
“You don’t have to explain. Ah know what it was. A one-time thing, you were drunk and ah needed somepony.” She finished the sentence and rolled over to face Rarity. “Ah know ya must be feelin’ guilty ‘bout how ah must be feeling but it’s fine. There is one thing though. Ah wanna tell ya. All that talk about Fluttershy and Elusive and truth and stuff las’ night. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom lyin', and children and what not. Well there is one thing that I’ve lied about. I’ve been lying about it fer years now.”
Rarity started to feel nervous ‘Please don’t tell me Applejack has had feelings for me… this love triangle is getting far too convoluted…’ she thought
Applejack could read her friend well. “Ah know whach’yur thinkin’ and it ain’t nothing like that.” she leaned in and whispered in Rarity’s ear. She then pulled back and added
“Yur the only pony who knows that…"
