The ringing in her ears had yet to disappear, as had the dizzy, lightheaded feeling Applejack had experienced when Fluttershy whispered those three words into the fur of her shoulder. She shook her head slightly in an attempt to regain her senses. Sure, she had guessed her friend might feel this way about her… but hadn’t been able to convince herself fully.
Perhaps too soon, she attempted to respond with words.
“Uh… Ah, uh…” Her ear twitched nervously. “You did just say… uh… what Ah thought you did?”
“Hmmm?” The pegasus lifted her head slightly, her eyes halfway closed, and a serene look on her face.
As the earth pony’s gaze met her friend’s, the dizziness and ringing faded away – though her heart felt like it might burst out of her chest. In those gorgeous, shimmering eyes, she could see trust, respect and, yes, the love she had just professed.
Applejack took a deep breath to steady herself.
“Ah love you too, sugarcube,” she breathed, nuzzling her friend gently.
She felt the pegasus freeze as she flinched away slightly, eyes wide. Fluttershy’s breathing had become erratic, and a hoof had flown to her mouth in surprise.
“I… d-did I… say that out loud?” she squeaked.
The farmpony let out a quiet chuckle as she felt herself relax, a languid smile spreading across her muzzle.
“That you did, sugarcube.” She nudged her friend playfully. “An’ don’t try t’ tell me you didn’t mean it, neither. Can’t fool this Element o’ Harmony!”
“B-but… you… aren’t mad?” she queried in wonder.
Her reply was a snort accompanied by the squeeze of a foreleg around the pegasus’ middle.
“’Course Ah ain’t mad!” Applejack removed her leg from Fluttershy’s back, considerately trying to avoid mussing her wings. “Ah gotta be honest with you, sugarcube. Ah took a likin’ t’ you way back when we were trekkin’ up that mountain t’ get that dragon t’ stop snorin’ smoke everyplace.”
The pegasus’ hoof had made its way back to the ground, and her face had morphed from an expression of terror and shock to one of astonished disbelief.
“Oh my goodness,” she murmured, a very sight frown on her face. “That was ages ago!”
“Yeah…” The farmpony scratched the back of her neck bashfully. “Guess Ah never felt quite right about comin’ out with it – ‘specially if you liked stallions or somethin’. Never thought you’d feel th’ same way ‘bout boring ol’ AJ.”
“Boring?” Fluttershy’s frown was very nearly a scowl – the cutest scowl the farmpony had ever seen, but a scowl nonetheless. A yellow hoof touched her face, gently guiding it so that she was looking at her friend instead of the ground.
“Applejack, you are the bravest, strongest, and most heroic pony in all of Equestria!” She dropped her hoof from where it had been supporting Applejack’s jaw. “I mean, I’ve seen every single Element of Harmony in your words and actions! You… you’re… amazing,” she finished with a sigh.
“Shucks, sugarcube.” The orange mare was now blushing furiously. “Ah’m plumb speechless now.”
Fluttershy smiled up at her friend, drew her face close and murmured, “Then don’t talk.” She then delivered the softest, sweetest kiss Applejack imagined anypony anywhere had ever experienced.
Through the searing, happy blaze that consumed her entire being, the farmpony felt herself smile.
“Talking ain’t ever been so overrated,” she heard herself say hoarsely before kissing the beautiful pegasus again.
“I see them!” Rainbow called from a few groves ahead of the rest of the group. “Follow me!”
“Why are we sneaking up on them?” Twilight grumbled breathlessly, trying her best to keep up with the energetic athlete, a sugar-high ball of pink fur and the fashionista spurred on by the sheer romantic possibilities.
It seemed nopony had heard her, because the mad dash to find the missing Elements continued.
Until she ran face-first into Rarity’s flank.
“Ugh!” the purple unicorn huffed. “What now?”
Her jaw dropped as her eyes took in the two missing ponies, obliviously enjoying much more than just each other’s company, against a navy backdrop with ever-increasing numbers of winking stars.
The princess felt a vibration next to her, which jolted her senses just in time to cast a spell.
Rarity’s smirk dimmed only very slightly as she watched Pinkie Pie, encased in a sound-proof magenta sphere, jumping, twirling, pointing, and seemingly shouting with joy at the top of her lungs.
“You’re quite efficient with those spells of yours, darling,” she mused to her friend, with a quick glance at the happy couple a half dozen metres away. “Which is likely for the best.”
“I can’t believe this actually worked,” Rainbow muttered, just loudly enough for the others to hear.
“Tut tut, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said with a flip of her mane. “Did you truly doubt the expertise of Pinkie’s tail and myself?”
The blue pegasus rolled her eyes. “Yeah… let’s remember who kept Applejack from bailing from that prissy restaurant in the first place.”
The white unicorn made an offended noise, but chose not to respond.
“Um, girls?” Twilight interjected, eyes widening by the minute. “Do you suppose we should maybe give them some space?”
The two bickering ponies looked up and, upon glancing over, immediately agreed and began trotting quietly and quickly away from the scene.
Pinkie Pie bounced around Sugar Cube Corner, surveying the state of the party she’d prepared to honor the extra adorable new love of Applejack and Fluttershy. She glanced happily at the colorful banner she’d hung above the food and beverage table that read “WE LOVE YOU AND YOUR LOVE, APPLESHY!”
The two guests of honor had eventually shown up, as they’d learned was their plan from the start. Surprisingly, they were completely unsurprised at the subject of the party.
Pinkie shrugged as she approached Rainbow Dash with a cup of punch.
“Want a drink, Dashie?”
“Sure, Pinks,” the pegasus said with a smile. “But I think I might have to hit the hay soon. Big day of busting clouds tomorrow.”
“Aww, well thanks for helping us today!” Pinkie smiled as she turned to observe the rest of her friends.
Rarity and Fluttershy were quietly conversing at a table together, drinks near at hoof. The pegasus seemed to be blushing profusely – likely because Rarity wanted to hear every single detail of her evening.
Pinkie giggled as she imagined what it must sound like. She looked around for her other two guests, who were talking about less in-depth matters at hoof. The party pony trotted inconspicuously closer, just so that she might hear their words.
“…wasn’t too much?” Twillight was asking.
“Nah,” Applejack replied. “Ah mean, Ah wasn’t exac’ly expectin’ mah evenin’ t’ turn out this way. But Ah certainly can’t complain!”
“Well, I’m glad it turned out for the best.” Twilight still had a slight frown on her face. “I wasn’t exactly a fan of the methods they utilized. Or that they utilized them at all.”
The farmpony shrugged. “It didn’t do any harm – those ponies knew what they were doin’!”
“I suppose they did,” the unicorn replied grudgingly.
“Like Ah’ve told ya, Twi,” Applejack said, smiling warmly as she caught a glance from her new marefriend from across the room. “When Pinkie’s tail’s a-twitchin’… you better listen.”