//------------------------------// // Sore Heart and Tired Hooves // Story: An Apple a Day for Hearts and Hooves Day // by SilentEchos //------------------------------// Hearts and Hooves day was always incredibly busy for the Cakes, and of course Pinkie as well. Today, however, was the single most profitable day in the bakery's history. What had started out as simple assistance to a friend became an entirely different and now complicated task. Brownies, cakes, pies, strudels, cookies and cupcakes all sold faster than the ovens could bake them. Pinkie and Applejack had spent the morning preparing doughs and mixes for hundreds of different desserts and as their supply dwindled the mares realized they had not made enough. “Heya, AJ!” Pinkie sounded more like a deflating bubble than her usual self. “Yea, Pinkie?” The farm mare sounded exhausted, the morning had quickly become evening and the late gift rush had just started. The pink mare finished mixing a leviathan sized vat of brownie mix, pouring it into several dozen trays, “I'm gonna go see if I can round up another pony for help, I'll be superduper quick, I Pinkie-Promise!” With that the party pony bounded over the counter and bounced through the door leaving Applejack to deal with the customers filling the store. “Ah need just a minute everypony.” She called out over the crowd, “I know ya'll want yer deserts and whatnot for yer special somponies but Ah'm gonna need to...” A voice from the crowd spoke and most everypony was stunned. It wasn't often that Ponyville ever experienced a tone quite so elegant, or so pronounced. “I do believe I heard her say that she needed some time, Everypony.” The suddenly hushed crowd quickly shuffled, letting the speaker through. Some most stallions were visibly distracted by the source of such a refined voice, often looking at their hooves being sure not to make eye contact. Applejack watched even some mares in the audience avert their eyes and some yet still fixated on the graceful movements of her friend's flank as she walked towards the register. “Ah'll be, you sure do know how ta quiet down a room Rar'.” The stunned farm pony could see why the audience was so... stricken. Rarity was quite done up. She sported a dress fit for the Grand Galloping Galla, if it permitted shorter dresses. Her royal purple tail had white and red ribbon laced through it, accenting the colors of the dress which covered just more than her flank. The themed dress was frilly, obviously made for Hearts and Hooves day but Applejack hadn't known Rarity to be so... revealing. “Oh darling, you know I simply couldn't stand here and watch my friend be so overwhelmed, I just had to do something.” The purple mare said flicking her tail off to the side, eliciting several gasps from the crowd behind her. “Well, Ah' appreciate the help, but uh, Ah have a lot to do here right quick. Ah can't really be stuck chattin' like this Rar.” Applejack's tone was a barely audible whisper, in part to hide the slight excitement in her voice and to insure that the audience couldn't hear. The Element of Generosity looked to the crowd and back to her friend. “I can certainly help manage this crowd for you...” She paused, “If you'd like.” She added with a wink. Applejack thought to her self, closing her eyes to focus for a minute. She wasn't sure why she was so flustered, whether it had been trying to manage the crowd on her own or if it was just that the mare in front of her happened to be the single most sexual pony in Ponyville. Either way she knew she needed the help, but just what was it that Rarity had in mind? “Well, Rar, Ah' could use the...” The purple mare quickly interrupted. “Say no more! I completely understand.” Rarity turned towards the crowd with a twist of a flank. She started speaking to the crowd, in the same refined voice that nicely demanded the attention of everyone in the room. “ Evening, Everypony.” The crowd, still silent, murmured in response to the mare. “As you can see, Sugar Cube Corner is just a slight bit overwhelmed.” Gesturing to the organized chaos of the bakery behind Applejack's register. The collective response from the group was mixed with nods and groans, “I would ask you all to come back in half an hour,” Looking back at Applejack with a nod, “So that we can get all of you your desserts for you Coltfriends and Marefriends.” She stood shoulders broad, showing off her slender frame which her dress hung to, colts and mares bashfully shuffled towards the door. Most waiting until the last possible minute to turn away from the sudden seductress. One poor colt was being scorned as he left the bakery, his Marefriend quiet upset with him over looking at the white and purple horse, though Applejack wondered why she dragged out the “H”. The room now quite empty, aside from an orange and pink mare, was a relief to both ponies. Applejack sighed in relief that she had a moment or two which weren't filled with whining ponies complaining that their snacks were sold out. “'Ey Rar,” The orange mare said, slightly more focused than before , “Thank ya' kindly for helpin' me out there.” Another sigh from the farm mare, “Somponies are in just such a rush over this silly,little holiday, actin' like their special-somepony is gonna run away er somthin'” Applejack's thoughts raced. “At least ya'll have a special somepony to be with today. I'd be thankful for that much.” She thought for a while longer, about how she would spend Hearts and Hooves day if she'd have had some special pony. About a pleasant day spent in their company, laughing, joking, cuddling... and, she stopped her self, blushing furiously. How long had it been since she'd been with somepony? Realizing just how much of her time was taken up on the farm Applejack stifled back a small sob. At least she had tried. “No wonder nopony wants to be with me.” She thought to her self, “I ain't never free to do nothin' Ah live on a farm and Ah'm workin' from sun up to sun down, an even my day off Ah'm sittin' here slavin' away fer a friend.” She stood with her head bowed, trying to hide tears streaming down her face. “Why can't Ah just be pretty like Rarity?” Applejack sobbed audibly, leaning back on her hind legs she fell onto the floor head down, sitting behind the cash register. “Ah know Ah'm not a pretty mare, but Ah'm so tired of bein' alone. It seems like everpony else has somepony in their lives, but not me, nah Ah ain't good enough fer that.” The farm mares sobs turned into broken cries and streaming tears, she couldn't hold it back anymore, it was to much. The whole day had been crazy and yet again she had spent the whole day working and never spent time with anypony. The sound of a hoof hitting the floor and a dull throb cascaded over the distraught mare. A hoof was thrown over the orange mare's shoulder, a series of soft whispers started though Applejack could only hear parts of them through her tears. “...okay...we can...don't worry...” Rarity did her best to console her friend. Rubbing a hoof over Applejack's back, pulling the other mare's head against her own shoulder. “Applejack... sweetie...” Rarity was speaking softly enough to make Fluttershy's voice seem like a roar. Sobs turned into short, dry heaves as Applejack began reigning her emotions back in. “Ah'm sorr... Rar'... I just... Alone... nopony...” Her pleading and sad tone, broken up by her still present sobbing said more than enough to Rarity. “It's okay Sweetie, I know, I know.” she said, finally helping Applejack escape her own emotions. “You are a phenomenal friend and I know you'll find somepony special, but it isn't the worst possible thing, now is it?” “Easy fer you ta say,” Applejack's tone, quiet indignant. “Especially when ya walk in ta a room and evverypony starts mumblin' and blushin' cause yer so darn gorgeous!” Applejack was angry, but it wasn't Rarity that she was upset with. “Hey Applejack, I now, let's get you cleaned up a bit.” Rarity helped the heap of a mare up off the floor and stood her by the sink. Applejack splashed her face with cold water, an attempt to hide swollen eyes and tracks of tears. She turned back towards her friend. “Rar... I'm sor..” “I know Applejack, it's okay.” Rarity knew she was going to apologize. It wasn't like the orange pony to be so callous. “Nah, it ain't Rarity, none o' that was.” Applejack said with a rather stern tone. “You were upset AJ, I understand, I've been upset too and plenty of times, I assure you.” Rarity ended her sentence with a hint of a smile. “Ya really are generous Rar'.” A rather obvious complement coming from another Element of Harmony. “Thank ya for bein' here, I obviously needed the help.” AJ bowed her head again, only for it to be met with a gentle hoof. Lifting Applejack's eyes to hers Rarity spoke softly, “ We still have some work to do here, why don't we take a quick break and let me make you something delicious” Rarity smiled, “After all, we are in a bakery” she added quickly with a wink. “Ya know what, Ah think I like the sound o' that.”