“There!” Rarity cheered as she finished braiding Applejack’s mane, wrapping the endings with a golden thread. “Finally done!”
“And now, Ah look silly...” Applejack deadpanned, looking at her reflection in the mirror. “Why can’t we go like we are?”
“Don’t be silly, Applejack,” Rarity sighed. “It’s the Grand Galloping Gala. We have to look our best for it...”
“But why?” Applejack tilted her head. “Remember what happened last time? We went through all that fancy-schmancy shenanigans just to get to the worst party of our lives... Hay; we could just invite the Princesses to one of Pinkie’s parties and have a blast!”
“Princess Celestia asked us specifically,” Rarity replied with a faint smile. “But she also asked if there is a chance not to destroy half of the castle this time around...”
“Well,” Applejack paused as she tapped her chin with the hoof. “Ah think, that she should talk directly to Fluttershy about that.”
The remark forced a giggle out of Rarity.
“And ya’ll be trying to find yerself a prince again, and Twilight will probably just hang around with Princess Celestia again...” Applejack replied with a sigh. “Two more reasons not to go.”
Rarity snorted. “No more looking for a pony like Prince Blueblood for me. Besides; I wanted to ask a special somepony that I hold deep respect for to accompany me as my date to Grand Galloping Gala.”
“Like Ah said; Not much for me to do in the Gala, anyways,” Applejack grumbled. “Ah would just get bored watching ya’ll having fun... But Ah think, that Ah’ll just skip it this year, so Ah'll just wish you the best of luck with your date...”
“But that’s just it,” Rarity spoke shyly, slowly dragging her hoof on the ground.
“What is?”
“I- I don’t know how to ask that pony out...”
“That’s really simple, Rarity,” Applejack answered with a smirk. “Just be direct.”
“V- very well then... Applejack, would you like to accompany me to the Grand Galloping Gala as my date?”
Applejack froze in shock with her face now flush red, eyes widening, and her mouth flying ajar. “D-did you just...? On a date? B- but—”
Rarity nodded. “I’ve been trying to ask you out for a while now, but didn’t know how... It-It’s okay, if you decline.”
Applejack smiled and nodded faintly towards the unicorn. “I would love to.”
“No, Applejack. You need to walk gracefully,” Rarity held her head high, her eyes almost closed, putting one hoof in front of another in a very calculated manner. “It’s all in the movement. See?”
Applejack shook her head upon seeing Rarity walk around like a stereotypical high-class snob.
“Oh, come on, Applejack,” Rarity sighed. “It’s just for a few hours... My parents are coming tomorrow, and I want the first impressions to be absolutely perfect!”
Applejack shook her head again. “I ain’t doin’ fancy. Why can’t I just be... You know... Me?”
“Please, Applejack? I’m afraid, that my parents might not be as accepting about these kind of... relationships as our friends are.”
Applejack stared at Rarity for a few seconds before lightly nodding. She took a step towards the unicorn, slightly bumping muzzles. “I promise I’ll try my best, Rares. But you’ll have to show me everything again...”
“Huh? But I’ve just showed—”
“Erm... I was kinda distracted by your flank, so I didn’t pay much of attention to what you wanted to show me.”
Rarity’s face flared up like a red carpet on fire within a heartbeat. “You’re incorrigible, Applejack,” she responded with a sickly sweet voice.
“Nah,” Applejack shrugged. “I like pies more.”
“But that doesn’t— Hmph. Look Applejack. Just watch me how I walk.”
“Mhm.”
“Applejack?”
“Yes?”
“Please stop staring at my flank...”
~*~*~
“Now, Applejack, do you remember everything that I’ve told you?” Rarity nervously shifted her hooves as the sound of a chariot approached.
Applejack nodded with heavy heart, putting her trusty hat onto the one of the mannequins in Rarity’s work room. “I will miss you, friend.”
She turned around, quickly breathed some air onto her hoof to take a quick whiff of it. It smelled minty fresh with a hint of Rarity’s perfume, which put a smile on her face, now determined more than ever before to make an ever-lasting impression on Rarity’s parents. This is not something that Applejack would do for herself, not even in a million years. But she would do it for her. She would do that for them.
Rarity flinched as the doors from the chariot now slammed shut, making her start sweating with anticipation and excitement as the list of possible reactions rushed through her mind, and with each scenario that she analyzed, she was getting more and more uncomfortable and anxious, now almost at the brink of running away instead of facing her parents with the news.
She could only faintly hear the yell of “Look out!” from the outside before a hoofball shattered the window, hitting a nearby mannequin and knock it off to the ground.
Rarity stood in the middle of the room looking in shock at the front door as they flew open, swiping the shards of glass from the path.
First to enter was Rarity’s dad; his shirt was now torn and dirty, his sombrero ruined. Close behind followed her mom with a ton of dirt on her face, her mane in a big mess. The last through the door was bouncing Sweetie Belle with specs of dirt all over herself.
“I told you that I can play hoofball as well!” Sweetie exclaimed. “O hey sis!”
“I—”
Applejack trotted in the most lady-like manner she could muster. "G-good evening," she said, successfully hiding her accent.
"Oh! You didn't say that you have visitors Rarity,” harshly interjected her father... “Why don’t you introduce us to this charming young lady?”
“I—”
“The name is Applejack,” she introduced herself with a slight bow, completely failing to hide her accent this time around, causing her to put a hoof over her mouth.
"Applejack? Oh; Rarity told us a whole lot about you in her letters, but she never told us where you’re from... Let me guess... Canterlot?”
“Hay, no. Sweet Apple Acres!”
“Sweet Apple Acres? The biggest farm in Ponyville and home of the Zap Apple Jam?”
“Yesire.”
“My grandpa told me about that when I was a filly. He also told me that Apples aren’t really into fancy things...”
“Well... you see... I... um... Rarity...” Applejack started to sweat and nervously look around for some sort of encouragement to speak her mind.
“What's that?”
“I um.... would like to... um... ask your permission to... m...“
“M?”
“mrglbh,” Applejack muttered unintelligibly.
“A what?”
“Oh I know!” Sweetie Belle squeaked as she managed to catch a part of the conversation. “Applejack wants to marry Rarity! I’ve overheard them talking about it when I was playing hide and seek with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.”
Applejack’s face was now redder than a ripe tomato in a red-hot furnace on the hot summer day. If there was a chance, Applejack would melt into the ground or run away, if her legs would carry her.
“Rarity!” her mother demanded from the still-shocked unicorn upon hearing Sweetie Belle’s slip of the mouth. “Is this how we raised you?”
But Rarity couldn’t do much more than just close her mouth and hang her head. She had more than a fair share of surprises for one single day. She wanted nothing else than a warm hug from her marefriend, telling her that everything is going to be all right or that this is just a very bad dream and that she’ll wake up in their luxury bed with warm and loving breaths from a sleeping mare on her neck.
But none of those came to be.
Rarity’s mother snorted again, snapping her out of her reverie. “Well?”
“But I—”
“Is this how we raised you? We have been here for ten minutes, find out without your help that you want to get married with a mare and all you do is just stand here with your mouth open and not even introduce her to us? Where are your manners, daughter?”
“But I— We— I’ve just—”
“Well? Are you going to introduce us to her or not?”
Yet another realization, that the proper introduction of her marefriend, even with unfortunate sequence of events that occurred, was far more important than the fact, that she dated a mare, made Rarity grin and collapse to the floor a moment later.
“Such manners.”
~*~*~
Rarity could feel soft taps of a hoof on her muzzle as she slowly opened her eyes, a crimson filly unicorn in front of her eyes coming into a focus.
“Good morning Silver Streak,” she spoke softly as she gazed into the eyes of the filly, making the tapping stop.
“Hey, mom! Can I go play outside with some fillies?”
“Sure. But introduce yourself politely first.”
“Sure, mom!” the filly ran towards the entrance of the Boutique, expelling a loud burp half way out.
“Silver Streak! Manners!” Rarity shouted behind the distancing filly.
“She sure is an Apple,” Applejack snickered as she wrapped her hooves around Rarity.
“Mmmm. I’ve forgotten how a week off feels. Maybe we should have one of those more often?”
“Nah. There’s too much to do.”
“You’re right,” Rarity smiled as she turned towards her wife, stealing a kiss from the mare in front of her. “So let’s make the best of it.”
~*~*~
“Rarity? Are you okay?” Applejack asked the mare that was still lying on the floor.
Rarity nodded slightly as Applejack helped her back onto her hooves. “Mom? Dad? I have to tell you something...”
“But we already know everything Rarity,” her mom interjected. “You would like to get married to a great-granddaughter of the founders of Ponyville. And we have nothing against that.”
“But miss Rarity—,” one of the servants bowed and took two steps back from the mare.
“That’s lady Rarity to you,” she snorted looking down at the embarrassed stallion.
“I- I’m sorry, lady Rarity, but this is the best room in Canterlot,” the servant stuttered. “This quality matches the one of the rooms in Canterlot castle.”
Rarity blinked. “Canterlot castle?” She took a step towards the stallion. “Canterlot castle?!? Have you ever been there?” Another step. “The drapes aren’t symmetrical, the lamp is crooked, the candles aren’t new, and the wine you’re serving is nothing more than old juice.”
“But I—”
“I am expecting some important company soon. I hope that you’re going to be nicer to them than you are to me.”
“Y-yes, ma’am,” the stallion stuttered as he retreated through the door.
“Canterlot castle my flank,” she muttered as she looked around. “This looks like it hasn’t been dusted in days...”
~*~*~
“Excuse me, ma’am. Are you lost?” the receptionist asked with obviously fake kindness in his voice, looking at the orange mare with three apples painted on her flank.
“Hay, no. This is Canterlot Hotel, no?”
“Ah, yes. You must be the new hire for the boiler room. The servant access is in the back, miss.”
Applejack blinked and tilted her head a little. “Servant...? I came to see Rarity.”
The stallion laughed. “Lady Rarity? She’s expecting important guests, and not—” he looked closely at Applejack. Her hooves were dirty and her mane looked like it wasn’t washed in few days. Her hat looked like something from a bad cowcolt movie. “walking dirt.”
“Now wait just a darn minute—”
“Run along now, before I call the security.”
“Security?” Applejack furrowed her brow. “Hey, Rares!” she shouted.
~*~*~
Rarity turned to the called servant. “What was that?”
“Ah, it was just some madpony. She claimed that she came to visit you.”
“She?”
“Yes, ma’am. A very dirty orange pony saying that she knows you...”
Rarity looked quizzically at the stallion. “With three apples on her flank?”
“Yes, ma’am. Our security took care of it. We are sorry that she bothered you.”
Rarity blinked. “Security...”
“Yes, ma’am. One of the things this hotel prides of. We take care of everything swiftly and discre—”
“WHERE IS APPLEJACK?!?”
The stallion jumped back, his back now firm against the wall. “B- but...” he squeaked.
“I swear by Celestia! If something happens to her, you’ll be cleaning trash for the rest of your life!”
“B-but y-you’ve said—” the stallion stuttered meekly.
“She is one of the most important mares in Equestria!” Rarity fumed onwards. “Why are you still here?”
The stallion fumbled through the door and quickly disappeared behind the wall.
~*~*~
“Howdy, Rarity!” Applejack chirped upon entering her room.
“That’s lady—” the stallion abruptly stopped as the two mares shot a dark stare towards him. “I—” he bowed hastily and ran out the door.
Rarity gave Applejack a tight hug. “I missed you so much,” she breathed. “I thought—”
Applejack smiled. “Don’t ya worry none ‘bout me... Lady...”
Rarity hung her head.
“I don’t like this place. It makes you act like somepony else. We want the old Rarity back.” Lowering her head, Applejack muttered: “I want her back.”
“B— but why?”
Applejack leaned forward with her eyes closed, stealing a short kiss from the mare in front of her.
Rarity blinked and stared at Applejack.
“Ponyville is empty without you,” Applejack muttered, searching for any kind of reaction from the still-shocked Rarity. Upon seeing none, she sluggishly stood up, turning her back, slowly walking towards the door.
“I’m not going anywhere, Applejack,” Rarity said in determined voice. “Not until you take a shower...”
A cloud of the light grey smoke crept up the wooden stairs of the Carousel Boutique, its essence engulfing everything on its path. There was no possible escape from it, as it already engulfed all the lower chambers, leaving nothing intact. Not even Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom nor the fearless Scootaloo.
But the smoke didn’t stop with the helpless fillies. The heat of the source propelled it up the stairs, eagerly wrapping and licking everything in its path, seeking for even more unsuspecting victims.
Ground on the first floor was already engulfed in the treacherous mist, as it sought to spread its tendrils as far and wide as possible. Four empty rooms were already giving in, as everything in them being absolutely saturated with its scent.
The fifth door was just slightly ajar, enabling the mist to make no exceptions. This room was filled with various types of high-quality decorations, and a luxurious double-bed stationed directly in the middle of it. Along with the finest set of sheets, at this very moment the bed also contained an snowy-white unicorn with curly indigo mane, mumbling to herself something in her sleep.
It didn’t take long for the sleeping pony to be completely engulfed in the mist, either. It crept higher and higher until it reached the mare's nostrils and sneak inside. The mare paid no attention to the invader as she just muttered something unintelligible and changed her sleeping position.
It was too late. The mist already achieved its goal. A sugary-sweet mixture of cinnamon and apples woke up the sleeping mare, making her eyes open in disappointment, that a soft orange pony that she was used to wake up with every morning, was gone.
But the sweet fragrance that now saturated the entire Boutique almost instantly forced a grin onto her lips.
Kitchen.
She stretched her hooves and gracefully jumped off the bed with a sly grin on her face. She had a plan. Every step that she made was carefully planned and calculated to prevent the floor from squeaking. She had to admit to herself: If not for the Cutie Mark Crusaders, she would not even deem this possible. Cutie Mark Crusaders Ninjas wasn’t really their call, but they showed her (sometimes in big frustration), that is possible to sneak around the house in complete silence.
She slowly and very carefully opened the kitchen door, unsuccessfully trying to ignore the wave of flavor that washed over her. Opening the door just a little bit more, she couldn’t help herself but chuckle at the scene.
Sweetie Belle and her two friends were having eating contest. With her having some freshly-made pie smeared around her lips and lying from exhaustion, meant only one single thing: Cutie Mark Crusader Pie Eater wasn’t her destiny either. Even Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were quite close to raising a white flag.
But that was a good thing. The fillies being preoccupied with gnawing on the sweet apple pie was one more reason, why Rarity’s plan could actually work. With kitchen door now opened fully, she proceeded with her endeavours. One hoof in front of another, sneaking slowly and in almost perfect silence she crept towards her target: An orange pony with a playfully swaying golden tail.
Rarity gulped. So close. Just few more steps.
One more. And...
“Howdy there, Sugarcube!” Applejack turned around and shove a spoonful of delicious pie in Rarity’s mouth, startling her.
But instead of cheerful reply from Rarity, Applejack was greeted by a grimace from her marefriend. “Eugh.”
“But, what is wrong, Rarity?”
“I don’t know. It feels like there’s something missing.”
Applejack was confused. “But what? This recipe is from Granny Smith. And I’ve made it like thousand times so far without a hitch.”
Rarity tapped her hoof to her chin. “Hm. Let’s see, if this is it,” she added as in deep thought, leaning towards the orange pony in order to steal a kiss. “Yes, yes. That was it.”
“It was the night before Hearths Warming, below crisp winter skies, everypony was sleeping except two lovely mar—”
“Your Lord and Master requires bagels!” squealed a certain squirrel. “And you’re supposed to take me seriously!”
Rarity coughed, looking darkly at the annoying guest.
“Bagelsssssss. And cream cheeeeseeee.”
“It was the night before—”
“Hey! Bagels! Now!” the squirrel demanded. “And cream cheese!”
Rarity snorted. “Can you please be quiet, Flurby? I’m trying to enjoy some time with my marefriend.”
“Foamy!”
“Yes, yes. If I make you a bagel, will you go away?”
“With cream cheese.”
Rarity blinked. “What’s ‘cream cheese’?”
“What kind of world is this? No cream cheese!” Foamy shot his hands into the air and fumed out of the door. “Seriously! No cream cheese! That’s it! There’s no point of taking over this universe if there is no cream cheese!”
“What a strange creature,” Rarity murmured, turning to her marefriend and gave her a soft nuzzle. “Trying to take over the universe. Seriously.”
“I don’t know, Sugarcube. Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad idea,” Applejack tapped her hoof on her chin. “I wouldn’t mind that.”
“Really?” Rarity asked with untainted sweetness in her voice. “Why would you want to do that?”
“Sweet, delicious and crunchy apple pies, of course. With some cream on top. There is never enough of those.”
“Aw,” Rarity sounded disappointed. “No jewels?”
“Nah. ‘Sides. The only jewel I’d like is already between my hooves,” Applejack mused. “I’d even give up on the apple pies for that.”
“Would you really?”
“Hm. How much time do I have to think about— oof!” A soft pillow, wrapped in the glow of Rarity’s magic collided with Applejack’s muzzle, leaving both mares laughing just a moment later.
Applejack tightened her hug around still chuckling mare, losing herself in the hypnotic crackles of the warming fires. “Rarity?”
“Hm?”
“Ah have something for you.” Applejack produced a small package from behind her and hand it to the unicorn. “Happy hearts warming Rarity,” she breathed nervously.
As Rarity was unwrapping her present, Applejack watched in dead silence, releasing her embrace just a little bit. It took just few more seconds for a surprise gasp to sound from the mare in Applejack’s grasp.
“Applejack, are you—”
“Rarity, would you like to marry me?”
“I-” Rarity turned her head, her lips crashing into the ones of the earth pony. “Yes,” she finally breathed as their lips broke apart.
~*~*~
It was the night before Hearths Warming, below crisp winter skies, everypony was sleeping except two lovely mares.
Foamy grinned. “Well, my work here is done. And I know why they won’t be sleeping. And I can’t believe there’s no cream cheese! That’s it! I’m gone!”
“So; this is it, isn’t it, Applejack?” Rarity spoke with a weaver in her voice, turning her head away from the orange pony. “Just like that.”
“Oh, c’mon, Rares. Don’t be like this.”
Rarity snorted, turning her head back to Applejack. “You took everything I had, Applejack. All my money. Everything. I even had to sell Carousel Boutique just to pay off my debt. How do you think I should feel? Happy?”
“But I had no choice, Rarity. I—”
“You had no choice? You had no choice. None. You could look away here and there, you know.”
“But I—”
“I thought you loved me, Applejack,” Rarity pouted. “I thought we were friends. Don’t you care about me?”
Applejack blinked. “Rarity...”
“And now you’re just taking away everything I ever had. How can you be so cruel? Of all the ponies... If I knew that you’re so cruel, I’d never, ever marry you. What did I do to deserve this?”
“Rarity...”
“It’s like I don’t even know who you are anymore... Where is the adorable, loving mare I’ve—”
“Rarity!”
“W-what?” startled Rarity looked at Applejack in confusion.
“Are you done yet?” Applejack asked in a deadpanned voice.
“Hrmph,” Rarity snorted as she crossed her hooves and looked away from Applejack yet again. “I can’t believe that you’re even considering asking me something like that after everything you’ve done to me.”
“Rarity...”
“And furthermore, I refuse to stoop so low for the ponies that are so—”
“Ahem. I don’t know how to tell you this, Rares,” Applejack said with a faint smile on her lips. “But you’re really bad at this...”
Rarity turned her head back to Applejack, her facial expressions indicating shock. “I beg your pardon?”
“Well,” Applejack tapped her hoof onto her snout, pausing for a moment to think about what she’ll say. “Everytime we play Monopoly and you’re losing, you say the same thing... It gets a little... um...”
“Repetitive?”
“Just a little.”
With a sigh, Rarity looked to the ground, deflating a little, her ears drooped.
“Ain’t gonna work, Rares.”
“Aw, ponyfeathers,” Rarity pouted. “Not even a little?”
Applejack shook her head determinately.
“Well, fine then.” Rarity lit her horn, carefully removing her wife’s hat. “You took away everything I had, and for that,” she added with a playful smile “I’m going to take your hat!”
“Hey! Give that back!”
Rarity nudged Applejack’s muzzle a little, jumping away a moment later. “You’ll have to catch me first!”
“Thank ya very much again for the amazin’ party, Pinkie!” Applejack chirped towards the organizer. “But I have to go an’ get some sleep.”
“But it’s only one in the morning. The party just started! Your party just started.”
“Ah know, Pinkie, but, but chores wait for nopony. Last year Big Mac was mighty ticked ‘cause I slept in. He said nothing, but Ah just knew it.”
“Aw,” Pinkie responded with a disappointed voice. “Oh I know! I could organize post-birthday-party party and we’ll wrap this up!”
“That’s okay Sugarcube,” Applejack hugged Pinkie. “But Ah don’t think Ah can manage it. It’s the apple-bucking season after all, and we’re all very busy.”
Pinkie’s head approached even closer to Applejack, carefully eyeing her. “Are you planning something? Because last year you all did—”
“Ah’m just tired, Pinkie. And we really have tons of work to do.”
“Okie dokie lokie!” Pinkie bounced cheerfully. “See you tomorrow, Applejack!”
Applejack waved her hoof and bid her friends goodbye with a smile.
~*~*~
"Aw, ponyfeathers,” Rarity groaned when she saw her birthday present for the orange mare under the table. ‘It must have fallen down,’ she thought. ‘Does not matter... I’ll just take it to her personally.’
“Aw, not you too, Rarity!” Pinkie sounded disappointed when the galloping mare passed by her. “I’m starting to take this personally,” she said with a groan, lifting her front hoof to take a whiff of her armpit. “I should used better deodorant.”
“Applejack just forgot something. I’ll come back to the party. Pinkie promise!” Rarity half-shouted back.
“Okai!” PInkie bounced and raised her hoof again. “I really should do something about that deodorant.”
~*~*~
“A- Applejack?” Rarity asked the silent forest that now bathed in the faint glow or her horn, consisting of nothing but well-groomed apple trees. Not even a cricket dared to disturb the silence. And yet, her ears flicked to the sounds of soft sobs not far away from her. She took a deep breath, asking the same question again, but this time in almost a whisper. “A- Applejack? Is that you?”
But the sobs didn’t stop. Rarity gulped as she turned towards the origin of the sound in a slow and careful pace. It didn’t take long to see a golden mane connected to the orange body of her friend. “Applejack?”
Applejack jumped onto her hooves in one swift move, losing her beloved hat in the process. Her dirty mane was in mess and the fur under her eyes was wet, yielding the telltale signs of her sobbing. Her voice switched back to her casual speech, hiding any kind of distress. “Oh, howdy there, Rarity!” Subtly eyeing around for her hat, she continued. “What brings ya around?”
Rarity blinked. “What is going on?”
“What’d ya mean?” Applejack turned her eyes towards the tree branches just above Rarity. Maybe the hat managed to escape there.
“You are still a bad liar, Applejack.” Rarity lit her horn, lifting the hat behind the tree and putting it carefully onto the farmer’s head. “Now, please tell me what’s going on.” A comb floated from Rarity’s saddlebags and starting to brush Applejack’s mane meticulously. “And I’m not leaving before that.”
Applejack glimpsed at Rarity briefly before looking at the ground with a sigh. “Ah hate birthdays.”
The brush stopped caressing the golden mane for a few seconds before continuing. “Is it because of Pinkie? Her parties had became a little... um...” she looked up, tapping her hoof onto her chin, searching for a fitting word “...odd. Up until today I didn’t even knew that ponies could eat fire...”
Applejack raised her brow. “What? Oh, no, no. It’s not because of Pinkie... it’s because of me.”
Rarity tilted her head. “What do you mean?”
Silence. One could hear nothing but a waft of warm air rustling the leaves above the pair.
“Applejack...”
Applejack sighed. “Fine then.” She looked around as searching for any other pony that may be lurking around the orchard in the dead of the night. “Ah hate birthdays, because they remind me that Ah’m still alone.” She closed her eyes as she continued, “Even with all the friends and family, Ah still feel like Ah’m the loneliest pony in Ponyville.”
The comb stopped again, a bitter smile crept on Rarity’s lips as she realized her friend’s problem. “I see.” The comb now moved to the dirty and messy golden tail. “You’ll find a wonderful stallion soon. Don’t worry about it too much. I just wanted to—”
“Yeah. Stallion,” Applejack muttered in a low voice, hoping that Rarity didn’t hear it. She was wrong.
The comb stopped its motioning again as Rarity’s heart skipped a beat and resumed shortly after. ‘Nah. I’m hearing things.’
“Rarity?”
“Sorry Applejack. I- I’ve got kind of lost in my thoughts. It’s already late and...”
“...you wanted to give me a goodnight kiss, right?”
“Yes. Wait, no. What?” Rarity shook her head in hopes to clear up the confusion in her mind, but without any luck. “Anyways; you forgot my present. Happy birthday again, Applejack. I hope you’ll like it.”
Applejack sighed as she opened the box which contained a necklace made out of baby blue sapphire and a golden string. “Thank ya kindly,” she said in a dull and uninterested voice.
“But... What’s the matter? Don’t you like it?”
“Ah do. But it’s... it’s just not what Ah was hoping for,” Applejack closed her eyes and hung her head. A warm hoof caressed her cheek as she unintentionally leaned onto it. Another warm, radiating body approached her snout, planting a soft kiss on her lips.
Applejack jumped back, her eyes now opened wide in a confusion, staring at the white mare in front of her. “What just—”
Rarity looked at Applejack for few seconds before hanging her head. “Ever since that storm, I wanted to do that. I just—” She sighed.
“But- but that was years ago... Why didn’t ya say something?”
“I didn’t want to lose your friendship. But when you’ve complained about stallions earlier, I thought I could...” Rarity sighed again. “I’m sorry, Applejack. I just hope we can still be friends.”
A smile crept on Applejack’s lips. “Rarity?”
“Hm?”
“Would you like to go out with me? On... you know... a date?”
“You’d still...” Rarity replied cautiously. “I would love to, Miss Applejack.”
Applejack nuzzled the white mare in front of her, causing her to blush. ”This is the best birthday I’ve had so far!”
“Let’s see if we can make it even better,” Rarity replied with a sly grin on her face.
~*~*~
“YOU BROKE A PINKIE PROMISE!” Pinkie shouted to the pair of intertwined sleeping mares. “You! Broke! A! Pinkie! Promise!”
The knot of orange and white shot up to the fuming Pinkie Pie, their faces both flush red.
“Pinkie Pie?” Applejack was the first to ask, still confused.
“You PROMISED!” Pinkie yelled again.
“Pinkie, dear. No need to be upset,” Rarity replied calmly. “I did plan on coming back, but things got a little... complicated...”
Pinkie looked at Applejack quizzically, “Well, duh. I’ve been trying to get you two together for past few months.”
“You knew?” Rarity and Applejack both asked in a single voice.
“Of course I knew, silly. You two have been acting awkwardly around each other since that sleepover at Twilight’s.”
“Then why didn’t you mention anything to any of us?” Rarity replied.
“Planning, duh,” Pinkie bounced. “But now you two RUINED months of planning!”
“Er.... sorry?” Applejack replied lamely, lightly squeezing the mare in her hooves.
“It‘s okay,” Pinkie chirped. “I should leave you two alone now,” she added and disappeared behind one of the bigger trees.
“How about some breakfast, sugarcube?” Applejack murmured to the mare in her hooves.
“Just a few more minutes, Applejack. It’s warm in here.”
Rarity was sitting, her fluffy scarf fluttering in the gentle breeze of fall wind. A new school year has began again and with that another opportunity to meet her friends she didn’t see for past two months.
Usually this was a happy time as she was able to see her schoolmates again. Especially a specific orange filly that she had grew fond of throughout the years. During the vacation, she was forced to tag along with her parents to explore the country, so she couldn’t see any of her friends.
But, instead of being happy to see her friends yet again, she was alone, away from other fillies, away from her schoolmates. She was looking at the ground, her hooves caressing a small, green patch of grass. A corner of her eye managed to catch a glimpse of the trotting orange filly.
“Howdy there, Rarity!” Applejack gasped, trying to catch her breath. “Ah have been lookin’ all over fer ya. Have ya seen mah new hat? Um... Rarity?”
But rather than a sweet and cheerful reply she usually got from Rarity, she only got a faint ‘Hello, Applejack.’
“Rarity? What’s wrong?”
Rarity sighed. “I’m grounded.”
“What did ya do?”
“My mom asked me to fix a button on her dress, and I—”
“Ya broke the button? Lost it? What happened?”
“Neither.” Rarity hung her head even lower, trying to find even more appeal in the now pretty flat and muddy patch of grass under her hoof. “I just wanted to make my mom really happy, so I—”
“Wanted to make it prettier?”
Rarity nodded with a moisture starting to condense underneath her eyes. “I had this golden fabric that I hoped to sew in,” she sniffled. “After I was done, I showed it to my mom, but she wasn’t too happy about it. Now I can’t even stay after school!” Rarity sniffled again.
“Ya should be happy, Rarity,” Applejack said in a low voice. “Ya still have parents.”
Rarity’s ears drooped and her eyes widened, completely forgetting about her own misery about being grounded. “Your parents...”
Applejack noded subtly. “Three days after school ended the barn collapsed and—”
The rest of her answer was smothered with a tight hug from her classmate. “I’m so sorry, Applejack. I- I didn’t know,” Rarity sniffled. “A- are you okay?”
“I miss my mom and dad.” The hug tightened.
“If there’s something I can help you with,” Rarity breathed, looking into moist green eyes.
“Ah don’t think that there’s anything ya can do, Rarity, but...”
“But?”
“Can ya stay here for few more minutes?”
Rarity subtly nodded, leaning her muzzle forward to dry her friend’s falling tear. “I’m so sorry,” she repeated herself.
~*~*~
“SILVER STREAAAAAAKKKK!” Rarity shrieked, her voice piercing the silence of the Carousel Boutique, startling two ponies in the process: Sweetie Belle and Applejack.
Applejack groaned. “What did she do this time?”
Rarity lit her horn, lifting the dress off the ponyquin. “See what your daughter did? She ruined the entire dress!”
Applejack smirked. “Last time Ah checked, she was yer daughter, too. Besides, Ah remember ya telling me a story like that when we were fillies.”
“But that was not the same. I—”
“Silver Streak isn’t interested in fashion, Rarity. And neither she’s interested in bucking apples.” Applejack hung her head a little. “She might be a part of both of us, but she’s nothing like us. What did Twilight called it? Generics or something?”
“Genetics,” Rarity replied with a sigh. “I know, but I just wanted—”
Orange hooves wrapped around Rarity. “Ya can’t have everything, Rarity.”
“I know. I’m just lucky enough to have y—”
A filly’s cough echoed from behind the mares backs, making them both blush and turn their heads. “Hey, moms.”
“Howdy, Silver Streak.” Applejack turned towards Rarity and kissed her on forehead. “Ah have something Ah have to do. Ah’ll be back shortly.”
The door of Boutique closed with a soft click, leaving two ponies alone.
“Silver Streak?”
“Yeah, mom?”
“I saw your... dress.” The eyes of the filly started gazing into the ground. “I’m not being mad, Silver. I only want to know, why didn’t you tell me you were making it.”
“Because... I wanted it to make it special... As a gift. Mom knew.”
“Applejack knew?”
The filly nodded. “She promised she wouldn’t tell anypony.”
“Well, that explains many things,” Rarity muttered to herself. “Who was the gift for?”
Silver Streak looked at the floor, her face bathing in plethora of different shades of red. “Star Thunder. I- I—”
“Really like her?” Rarity added with a smile on her face. A sheepish nod and even deeper shades of red from the filly confirmed that. “There’s nothing wrong with that. But you should still ask me for a helping hoof. Especially if you’re trying to make a dress.”
“But that wouldn’t make the dress special!”
“Of course it will, my little pony. Getting a little bit of help doesn’t make anypony worse or anything less special. It has taken your mom quite a long time to realize that.”
Silver Streak’s ears drooped and her head sank lower. “Oh.”
Rarity planted a gentle kiss on the filly’s muzzle with a smile. “Now homework. I’ll help you later with the dress.”
A quick nod from the filly was quickly accompanied by the ascending trot.
“Mom knew,” Rarity sighed. “Oh, Applejack. What am I going to do with you?”
“Well,” a familiar voice echoed from the kitchen, now slowly moving towards Rarity. “Ye could marry me.”
“I think once is more than enough, Applejack,” Rarity mused.
Dear Rarity. It had been a long time since you moved to Canterlot, and Ponyville hadn’t be the same since. Twilight had rebuild the Library in Ponyville, since there was a dire need for it. But she moved away. Rainbow also moved away, since Twilight asked her to be her defence consultant. Pinkie managed to build amusement park near Ponyville to attract even more crowd. I swear that by now she knows at least half of Equestria. Even Fluttershy moved closer to Everfree Forest, since there are more creatures she can help.
And I swear that Apple Bloom is going for a science degree... I don’t know what she mixed, but she made a big crater near our farmhouse, and she’s lucky that none of the trees were damaged. She’s still grounded and will most likely be until she graduates.
How have you been? When you left Ponyville, you promised that you'll write everyday, but it's been almost a year since your last letter. What happened?
~Applejack.
~
Dear Applejack. I know it has been a while since the last time I written a letter to you. But that a year has passed since the last one? I honestly didn't know. I had been drowning in my work for so long, that it must have completely slipped my mind. I am starting the work before the sun arises and come home late at night. But it still satisfying, even though the long, tiring nights. In short, even after a year nothing much have had happened.
I haven’t seen my family for quite some time, either. Sometimes I might be able to catch my parents on lunch, but that’s about it. I haven’t even seen Sweetie Belle for over a year as well. My parents told me that she was accepted to the School for Gifted Unicorns, so she might end up like Twilight. I hope not.
I miss her. And I miss all of you as well. I wish I could take some vacation and visit all of you, but I can't. There is too much work, and I'm one of the few ponies that can do everything needed...
Hopefully that can change soon. ~Rarity
~
Dear Rarity. I'm really sorry to hear that. At least I hope that you're doing much better than you did here in Ponyville, and that it is all worth while.
I need to leave to the family reunion now, and I hope to mail this letter before I go. I'm also sending some of my freshly baked apple pie. Let me know what you think about it.
~Applejack
~
Dear Applejack. Thank you for the pie. It was delicious.
~Rarity
~
Dear Rarity. Is something the matter? In all the time we talked, this is the shortest letter you’ve ever written. Can I help?
~Applejack
~*~*~
“Ah’m worried, Bloom,” Applejack said. “It’s been a week since I’ve sent that letter and still no reply.”
“Don’t ya worry none, sis. Ya can always go to Canterlot and visit her just to make sure. And while yer at it, ya could—”
“Yer still grounded, Bloom. Ah don’t want to be responsible for ya blowing up the barn. Again.”
“Ah said Ah was sorry!”
But Applejack didn’t listen. Her eyes were focused on Rarity’s last letter, scrambling to find hidden meaning behind the hoofful of words, but failing to find any.
“Sis?”
“Hm?”
“Why don’t cha tell her?”
Applejack turned her head in confusion. “Tell who what?”
Apple Bloom smirked. “Ah’m not a li’l filly no more, sis. Yer face was redder than our barn when she replied to ya.”
“But Ah’m not—”
“Train leaves in ‘bout an hour. Don’t cha worry. It ain’t much of work to do here, anyways. Ah’ll cover for ya.”
“... Thank ya, Bloom.”
~*~*~
Rarity's room in Canterlot wasn't much to look at. Applejack expected glamour and prestige, but instead she found casualty. It was just a little fancier than her own room back at Sweet Apple Acres,. but nowhere near anything she was used to in Carousel Boutique. On top of it all, floor was littered with crumpled pages of paper. From what she managed to see in the faint light, there were only a couple of words written on them.
And yet, in the middle of it all, a long time friend was sitting in the pretty average-looking futon.
“Rarity?” Applejack asked softly.
“A- Applejack? What are you doing here? How did you get into the room?”
“Ah asked the cleaner to let me in, since ya didn't answer the door. Are ya okay? What happened in here?”:
Rarity sighed. “I tried to answer your question, but couldn’t.” She smiled. “I guess that if I can’t answer one simple question, then it’s not really worth it, is it?”
Applejack was confused. “What question?”
“The one you asked in your letter, remember? Is all worth while?”
Applejack took a few steps forward, stopping just before Rarity. “What happened?”
Rarity lowered her head. “Nothing, actually,” she sighed. “I have been trying to figure out what to do for this past week. So far, there is nothing for me here anymore. I thought I was doing something that would help me as well. But, your letter reminded me that that’s not really true.” Another sigh. “There is nothing for me here anymore. I don’t know what to do or where to go from here...”
“What about back to Ponyville?”
“Unfortunately, there is nothing for me there either, Applejack. As you said, most friends departed from there as well.”
“Would ya go back to Ponyville just for one of them? Would ya go back for me?”
Rarity looked the mare in front in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“Ah been trying to tell you something for a long time, but Ah didn’t know, how... And Ah can’t run from it anymore...”
Stage. Rarity wasn’t prepared for something like this. It was one of her worst nightmares. Making dresses for wide variety of ponies was not a problem, since she was usually in the background, but to pull out something like this? Why did she agreed to all of this in the first place?
~*~*~
“Rarity?”
“Absolutely not, Applejack.”
“Aw, come on, Rares. It can’t be that bad. Ah heard ya singing to the ponyquins and with us on our way to the galla, and ya were magnificent. Sides, you adore being in the spotlight...”
Rarity noded. “But not for this. Sweetie Belle is the singer of the family, even if she might not know it...”
“Rarity, please... This is a charity event and we all volunteered. Rainbow Dash will show a sonic rainboom and her and Twi are going to show some air tricks. Me and Pinkie are going to show few tricks as well. Even Fluttershy’s animals agreed to help out...”
“But I can make dresses for everypony! I’ll—”
Applejack cleared her throat. “Ya know that won’t cut it. Please, Rarity.”
Rarity sighed. “Very well, then.”
Applejack smiled gleefully and kissed Rarity on forehead. “Ya’ll be amazing, Rares. Don’t ya worry none about that!”
Rarity whimpered as Applejack left Carousel Boutique. What have I gotten myself into?
~*~*~
Take a deep breath, Rarity. Everything will be fine. With a spotlight on her and her beautiful pink dress, she tried to step forward.
No luck.
She tried again, but again her hooves didn’t obey. Her mind was in overdrive; her audience waited for some sort of action, but there was none.
Rarity could feel the heat in her head rise up and moment after her vision became dark. She tried to make a sound one last time, but it was too late. She could only feel herself fall to the ground, hearing nothing more than whispers from the staring crowd. Then nothing.
~*~*~
“Rarity? Are ya okay?” Applejack’s voice was low and soft.
“Mmm?” Rarity murmured. “W- what happened?”
“Ya passed out. Yer behind the stage now. Others are still entertaining ponies. It’s just ya and me.”
“C-can I get some water, please?” Rarity muttered. “And how long was I... You know...”
“Ten minutes. Ya gave as quite a scare there.”
Rarity hung her head. “I’m sorry. I should have told you... It happened once in school, and I wanted to keep this a secret.”
“Ahm, sorry, Rares. I should’ve—”
“It’s not your fault, Applejack. But I cannot sing just for the audience. I can only sing for me,but sometimes I can sing for a pony.”
“Can you sing for me?”
Rarity shook her head. “W- what? I wish it would that simple, Applejack. It’s—”
Her response was silenced by a kiss from the orange lips. “Please, Rares?”
Rarity looked at the mare in front of her. “H- how did you know?”
“I didn’t. But at least half of the Ponyville told me that ya thought that Ah’m cute. So...”
Rarity’s face reddened. “I never knew how to get you out on a date, so I...”
“Ya think ya’ll be able to sing? We want to raise as much as much money as possible.”
“I will, Applejack. But I don’t want to sing for you.”
“Huh?”
“I want to sing with you.” Rarity leant forward and returned the kiss.
She only moaned, and Applejack nudged her again, and again, there were no other reaction. She wanted to try for the the third time, but instead of a soft nudge, she brushed her muzzle against Rarity's, gently pushing it forward and a moment later, changing it to a kiss.
Applejack smiled as she saw Rarity open her eyes for a mere moment, just to close them in expectancy of something more.
But the continuation never came. In disappointment, she opened her eyes again and muttered in groggy voice: "You're no fun, Applejack."
"And yer still sleeping," Applejack replied in a sugar-coated voice. "Ya should be helping me buck apples. remember?"
Rarity wrapped herself in the blankets even more. "But it's cold out there, Applejack. And you know what cold does to my coat and my mane..."
Applejack sighed. "Ah should have known," Applejack muttered. "After all this time Ah expected ya'd come with something a bit more original."
"What do you mean, Applejack?" Rarity asked in a sweet and innocent voice. "It really is cold outside." She scrunched her muzzle and forced out a cough. "And I think I'm coming down with something, too." Another cough. "See? I think it's getting worse..."
"Rarity..."
"I wish it was a little warmer in here. Maybe then the coughing would go away?" She coughed yet again.
"Ah ain't biting this time, Rares," Applejack replied with a deadpan voice.
Rarity pouted. "Aw. Not even for a couple of minutes? You've been up and running around for a couple of hours now, and I know you wouldn't mind a little break, would you?"
"Rares, no."
"Then what seems to be a problem?" Rarity asked sweetly and batted her eyebrows.
Applejack groaned. "Yer doing this on purpose aren't ya? Ah swear Ah'll get ya for this one of this days..."
"Me doing something to you, Applejack? Moi? Why in Equestria would I want to do anything to you?" Her muzzle got closer to Applejack's, close enough that could feel her breath. "Aside of the obvious, of course." She pushed her muzzle even further and kissed Applejack.
"Ah just can't win, can Ah?" Applejack replied after muzzles parted. "Few minutes, ya said?"
"You won't be missed, if you're gone only for a few minutes," Rarity breathed and smiled.
Applejack stepped on luxurious bed and slipped under the soft silk sheets. She smiled when her hooves wrapped around the warm body in front of her. "Ah knew ya were lying..."
"If a little lie is all I need to get you back for a little while—"
"Mom, are you going to—" Silver Streak paused for a moment after seeing two ponies cuddle in the bed.
"Aren't ya supposed to be on the field with others, Silver Streak?" Applejack asked in a deadpan voice.
The filly nodded. "I was, mom, but it's really cold outside. Can I snuggle up with you for a while?"
After a nod, Applejack turned her head towards Rarity and cleared her throat.
"Don't look at me. She is just as much of your daughter as she is mine, Applejack," Rarity replied with a smile. "Not to mention that you told me you were exactly like her."
Applejack smiled, but said nothing. She clenched her hooves around Rarity and their foal and drifted to sleep that took few hours instead of mere minutes. But none of them mind it.
Winter. Cold. Ponyville was covered with a thick cover of snow, so there was no real work for threading filly. Morning chores have already been completed, the beds have been made and the animals cleaned and fed. You could barely see anything in the fields that wasn't white. Applejack was bored. For a hard-working pony, that was ultimate bane. The only thing that she could do is study, and today was her least favorite subject: math.
She looked at the book in front of her for no more than a few seconds before deciding to change her priorities. Her thoughts were now lost in the white coat that engulfed the entire Ponyville. Her thoughts weren’t just lost in the games of dozens of fillies and colts that were playing in snow and making snowponies.
She just looked away from the window for no more than a few seconds, but long enough that she missed a snow-white pony approaching the farmhouse. Ever since Applejack’s parents died, Rarity spent much more time with her schoolfriend, offering a helping hoof, even though Applejack consistently refused to accept, which sometimes ended up with Rarity’s frustration. But still; Rarity understood. Even with the occasional quarrel between her and her parents, she didn’t know what would she do without them.
The sound of the gong snapped Applejack from her reverie. She perked her ears and turn her head towards the door of her room, trying to catch the chatter below. Instead of chatter, Applejack heard a set of hooves approach her room.
Soft knocks on the wooden door echoed around the small room, making Applejack turn back to the boring books.
“It’s really cold outside!” Rarity shuddered, sinking her head even lower into her now wet scarf.
Applejack didn't hesitate. She grabbed a warm and fuzzy blanket from her bed, and in swift motion wrapped it around shivering Rarity, quickly followed by a still-steaming cup of hot chocolate. “What in tarnation happened to ya?”
“One of the weather ponies accidently dropped snow on me when I was coming here," Rarity said in a trembling voice.
Applejack snickered. “Ah think that they do that intentionally. Ah forgot how many times they did it to me.”
“So uncouth,” Rarity breathed and sipped the tasty beverage.
Applejack nodded. “Fortunately, this only happens in the winter. Ya feeling any better?”
“Thank you very much,” Rarity breathed and pecked Applejack on the cheek, making her blush wildly. “Now; have you studied?”
“M- maybe?” Applejack replied with a stutter.
“...”
“Ah was... really busy.”
“Applejack?” Rarity replied in a deadpan voice.
“Hm?”
“You really aren’t a good liar.”
“Sorry.”
An empty cup floated in the air, fueled by Rarity’s magic. “Do you have any more of this? Because this is going to be a long night.”
Applejack nodded wildly. “Best chocolate in Ponyville! Brought here by—”
Rarity groaned. “Very long night.”
~*~*~
“And that’s how ya came around,” Applejack said cheerfully.
Silver Streak looked at her still-full mug in disbelief, tilting her head towards her mother. “I came from chocolate?” she cringed.
“Well, yes. I mean no. I mean...” Now sweating and blushing Applejack looked around the kitchen for a better representation of what she wanted to convey. “Look. It’s like—”
Rarity cleared her throat, startling both ponies in the process. But that was her intent, anyway. “Silver Streak,” she spoke softly. “Hurry up or you’ll miss your school.”
“But mom...”
“We’ll talk after school, okay?” Rarity mused. “You don’t want to keep Star Thunder waiting, do you?”
“Oh, right.” Silver Streak’s saddlebags started to bask in the glow of her magic and lifting off the ground as she started her trot toward the door of the Boutique. “Bye, moms!”
Rarity couldn’t help but snicker at the confused filly. “She reminds me of her mom.”
Applejack looked to the ground. “She asked me where foals come from. So Ah just... um...”
“...told her that they come from hot chocolate...”
“Well... It’s true.”
“Partially. You stopped at what comes afterwards.”
Applejack nodded. “Ah still have some of it. Want it?”
