The ringing of an oven timer filled the now empty Sugar Cube Corner. Rarity, having emptied the building with the shake of a flank and a seductive, authoritative voice, checked to see how her apple pie golden brown. The air in the bakery, usually filled with the aromas of sugars, candies and any other sweet, was now filled with the satisfyingly sweet scent of apples.
Applejack,head against a table, sat up drearily. The pony who was usually fueled by earth pony stamina had lost her vibrancy. Her bright green eyes no longer a bright spring green but a matted, dull dark version of themselves, much like the first Autumn leaves. Her coat no longer the full maize tone had also taken on a darker hue.
“Rare...”
The lavender maned baker hadn't noticed the other pony, much less heard what she had said. Applejack spoke once more, slightly more pronounced.
“Rare..”
Her voice was weak, sad. The absolute epitome of melancholy.
“My apologies darling, I could barely hear you.” Rarity's voice was little more than a whisper but could be heard through the empty bakery as clear as a bell. She brought over the the small pie and sat down next to her distraught friend. Running her hoof over the farm mare's mane, looking deep into Applejack's now shallow and nearly lifeless eyes.
“What seems to be the matter dear?”
Rarity's voice was brimming with concern. She knew better than to think that Applejack was okay in all of this, she had no idea what her friend was upset about though it was obvious that she needed somepony to talk to, even if she wouldn't admit it. Applejack sat in silence, holding on dearly to what she was about to say. She struggled to find the words she wanted, struggled to find a way to explain what she had felt.
The orange pony, tears streaming down her face. “Ah don't have a spec..”
A resounding gasp echoed in the bakery.
“Applejack, darling, you don't need some special pony.”
At which point Applejack interrupted.
“Hay. Seed.” Applejack's words were short, tart and laced with venom, then she continued, “It's easy enough for you ta say, since every pony in Equestria stares when you walk by.”
The hurt in her words only made worse by the tears streaming down her face. Desperately clinging to what little resolve she had left the earth pony managed to keep her words clear enough to be heard, though just barely through her sobs.
“No... pony wants me. Ah'm just a simple mare an don't need nopony special but...”
Her words became inaudible sobs. Slamming her hooves on the candy cane pattern table, she left cracks and chipped paint. While one of her best friends looked on the farm pony was falling apart like an undone seam she quickly unwound and lost her self in reminiscent memories. Rarity walked towards her friend, nuzzling her mane, her own tears running into Applejack's mane. Much more composed than the farm mare, Rarity spoke her kind and gentle words warming the room.
“Applejack, I know there is somepony out there for you.” Her voice took on a motherly tone, “ Shhhhh, it's going to be okay...” Her voice trailing off as she stroked the mare's now dull amber mane.
“Ah'm no pony special.” Applejack spoke softly, “ Ah just wish that for once in mah life Ah could have somepony to really be with. You an the girls are great, Ah love ya'll ta pieces but it just ain't the same as a special somepony.”
Applejack was slowly gaining her composure, looking up at Rarity she drooped her head once again. Having seen the tears streaming down her friend's face, running her makeup and leaving her sapphire eyes red and puffy. The room became silent.
“I had no idea Applejack....” Rarity's voice held it's usual grace, even as tears continued their relentless travel dropping lightly on the bakery's floor.
“Aw hay, Rar.” Applejack lifted her head to look at the fashonista, “Ya shouldn't cry on account a mah problems, Sugarcube.” Applejack said, nearly masking all of her previous sadness and obviously concerned for having upset her best friend.
Rarity was flushed red from holding back her sobs. She put her hooves around her friends neck and squeezed the other mare tight. Applejack was shocked, Rarity was actually shaking. The unexpected embrace lasted for a good ten minutes before either pony tried to move. Helping her friend keep her balance, Applejack leaned against the other mare for a minute. It was nice for Applejack to actually be this close to another pony, it was not something she was usually accustomed to. It wasn't something she had even considered.
Here it was, happening right now. Applejack couldn't move, she was frozen in her place. It was sensory overload. Rarity's soft, white coat leaning against her. Her slow yet stifled breathing pressing against her gently. The warmth, though unexpected, was very welcoming to Applejack knowing how cold some lonely days have been.These little sensations were a small blessing to the farm mare but neither of these things compared to something she had never expected to enjoy.
Rarity's scent.
It was a mixture of exotic aromas, things that Applejack couldn't even begin to name. Two scents, however, stood out starkly against all others. The first was the smell of apples. This was nothing new to Applejack but it still stood out clear as day to her. The other scent took the earth pony a moment to name, it was something that Rarity had sworn by since they had met. Applejack stood a moment longer, enjoying the contact and the scent that she had never before noticed. It calmed her nerves, she was relaxing. Something about the situation, the smell and just being close to this pony calmed Applejack's nerves like never before.
“Lavender...”
“Applejack?” Rarity had barely heard her friends whisper.
“Lavender...” Applejack said again, “Ya smell like lavender.”
The room was quiet again. Each pony leaning into each other, neither moving to separate themselves in anyway. Enjoying the moment as time stood still for a brief period of time. The only audible sound, the breathing of two mares, was faint and unnoticeable.
“a-A-Applejack.” Rarity's voice had lost its usual calm tone, in favor of a hushed and bashful timbre.
Applejack had no idea how to respond to her best friend. She had seen her in many situations over time and had never once seen Rarity stammer like this.
“Something must be wrong...” Applejack's mind raced clearly.
“What's the matter, Sugarcube?” Applejack took a step back and looked up at her friend.
Rarity was blushing. Applejack knew that much was the honest to Celestia's truth. She had just to figure out what in all of Equestria made this mare start blushing like school-filly. She searched her up and down, noticing all of the finer details of her friend. Her bright white coat was rather mussed by the hugging and leaning against one another. Her mane was also a slight tussled mess. Then she noticed. Applejack swallowed nervously when she met Rarity's Sapphire eyes with her own. She had seen that look before, with the same bright red streak across her face.
It was the same look that every other pony had given Rarity when she walked into the bakery. Applejack had never really been the subject of any admiration before, she felt her face heat up, taking on the same flushed expression that the white mare wore.
“I... I wanted to know...” Rarity paused for a moment, “I wanted to know what you think the best part of having a special somepony would be.”
Applejack was a bit stunned, she hadn't expected a question from her friend but she did her best to answer it. She started to speak but it was much louder than the orange mare had intended.
“The best part would be helpin' me make it through those days that er dark an lonely.”
“It would be helping me make it through those days that are dark and lonely.”
Rarity echoed her best friend nearly word for word. The two of them stood there for a minute trying to comprehend what had just happened. Each mare slightly confused, yet still left in a maddening, blushing daze. Locked eye to eye, Applejack's green eyes took on their spring green shine as she peered into the pure blue eyes of Rarity. Stepping closer to her friend, Applejack could feel her cheeks reach a near scalding temperature as her hooves were set down just in front of the other mare. Their snouts just an inch apart, begging for something neither understood.
“What in the world am Ah doin'!” Applejack screamed in her head still unable to break her gaze away from her friend. “This is Rar' infront a me, not some gorgeous stallion, why can't Ah look away?”
“Do Ah want ta look away?” Applejack's thoughts raced again, trying desperately to get a grip on the situation before her. Even if she wanted to, there was no way to break free from this moment.
Applejack felt her tears building up in the corners of her eyes. There was no sobbing this time, no crying or hoof-slamming. Just tears, which had started to roll down her cheeks. A steady rhythm of drops hitting the floor gave this moment its own clock. Time didn't matter anymore, hours, days, months, years. Applejack was here, in this moment. She knew that this mare in front of her was somepony special to her. Her heart fluttered and the burning blush's heat filled her entire body as her dull coat regained it's natural bright orange color. Yet the tears kept rolling down her cheeks.
“Rar...” Applejack spoke, which caused Rarity to shiver as her friend's warm, apple-cinnamon breath brushed her lips.
“Ah just don' wanna be alone anymore...” Applejack leaned in slowly, not quite sure what she was about to do, knowing that this felt to be the best thing that had happened to her in her life. She could feel Rarity's breath passing her lips, it was amazing. She hadn't been this close to another pony in years, reveling in the moment Applejack closed her eyes as Rarity had done the same. It was a surprise now, waiting or the inevitable. Waiting for their lips to meet and absolve the tension, to melt away the despair and fill each other with hope.
“HEY APPLEJACK! I'M BACK!!!” The sugary high-energy voice of the pink party pony filled the bakery.
Slipping forward Applejack landed next to Rarity, missing her goal entirely. Pinkie Pie bounded into the kitchen and saw the farm mare on the ground next to Rarity, who against her will, was still blushing madly.
“Oh hey Rarity!” Pinkie's voice had shattered the mood of the bakery that just seconds ago had everypony's heart a flutter. “When did you get here?” The pony all but squeaked.
Regaining her composure, “Oh, well, Pinkie... Darling... Aj here had seemed a bit overwhelmed with the mid-afternoon rush and I suggested that she take a small break and have a bite to eat. “
“Rarity, are you feeling okay?” Pinkie asked quizzically as she peered at her friend.
“I feel fine, dear, what makes you ask?” Rarity had hidden her blush slightly.
Pinkie waited for a minute, still looking at the fashonista with a detailed eye. While Applejack stood up the party pony finally spoke again.
“Well, silly, you never call Applejack, Aj!” Rarity and Applejack could feel their hearts skip a beat, Applejack quickly interrupted the party pony's conversation.
“Ah know we gotta a lot ta do here Pinkie, after all it's not even dark yet. We still got a lotta ponies needin' chocolates an such, we oughta get busy.”
Pinkie stopped for a second, and knowing that Applejack was telling the truth responded in her usual manner.
“Ohmigosh you're right!” Pinkie Pie bounded over to the counter and started mixing yet another barrel of Brownie mix.
Applejack simply let out a sigh of relief and looked over at Rarity who had since stopped blushing and had completely recovered from the ordeal.
“I will leave you two at it then.” Rarity turned to leave and when she reached the door, she heard Applejack's voice call out.
“Hey Rar'!” Applejack's voice held slight contempt for the departing mare, “Ah was wonderin' if after Ah finished up here that Ah might stop by and discuss somethin' with ya.” She finished her sentence shifting uncomfortably behind the counter.
Rarity responded with a smile, “I don't see why not Dear, I'll have some tea on when you get there. Or would you prefer Cider?” She smiled and winked at Applejack.
“Ah don't rightly care Rar' I just wanted ta stop by...”
Turning to leave again, Rarity opened the door to the bakery and exited make sure to saunter, moving her hips and snapping her tail to the side.
Applejack smiled and turned to Pinkie Pie who simply stared at her friend in disbelief for a moment. The farm mare cleared her throat and spoke to Pinkie.
“Why, might Ah ask, are ya starin' at me for?” Applejack's tone one which was slightly annoyed.
Pinkie smiled her usual grin and said with a slight blush, “Okie dokie loki Aj, I was staring because when Rarity left, you gasped louder than I normally do!”