//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Moonlit Nights // by Dawn22Eagle //------------------------------// Since I had nothing else to do, and since the activity always had a healthy effect on my upset mind, I had flown above Ponyville and the Everfree Forest all day long. I had waited for the sun to slowly set before finally steering towards my target, one single thought leading my heart and wings. The air wasn't mild anymore, no wind blew and no cloud occupied the sight before me. Celestia's sun was jovially painting the sky with its bright and warm colors - even though the masterpiece would be lasting just a few minutes longer - as the only sound reaching my ears was the sporadic flap of my feathered limbs. I sighed heavily as the apple orchard came into view in the distance and a few lights in the main house suddenly disappeared, leaving the surrounding space in darkness. There was only one faint sparkle, up in the granary, where the family used to keep smaller hay bales, empty wooden chests and pretty much nothing else. I had been there only twice, but I still remembered the intense scent of hay that had welcomed me on my first visit. It was hard to forget how soft and tempting my lover's body felt as we embraced in the cozy straw... we had lain there all night long, thinking and talking about our future, stealing glances when we thought the other wouldn't notice, sharing sweet kisses and gentle caresses that made us believe we were alone in the world and nothing else mattered. It had been the sacred place where I had revealed my true feelings to the farm filly, where she had rejected me moments later and where we had made love for the first time three years after. And now, I was going to walk that cold wooden floor for a third time, ready to face the only creature I'd sacrifice my life for - in those minutes, though, I wasn't sure if the sentiment was equally shared. Applejack was lying next to a small hay pale and apparently staring at it, so I figured she wouldn't notice my arrival. Her blonde mane fell partly on her muzzle and on her strong shoulders; it was still tied in that red hairband she always refused to loosen. The white-socked frontleg I found particularly adorable was tucked under her weight, as was her left leg. She rarely rested like that because, she said, it gave her little freedom when she needed to stand up at once. She shifted position from time to time as her eyes lowered or closed slowly and her ears folded on her nape. Seeing her so seemingly disheartened and weary made me feel even worse as guilt tenaciously whispered angry words in my agitated mind and my heart cried for vengeance, ordering me to fly straight to her and kiss her right there and then. Of course, I had been thinking about it all day long and I was determined to win the fight this time, and get the reasons I had come to hear. Softly and quietly, I moved closer and closer to the large glass-less, wooden-framed window and silently put my forehooves on it. "You still remember that night?" I asked her, my voice just above a murmur. She didn't even turn to look at me, but I noticed her lips slightly curving into a tiny smile and her eyes briefly glancing in my direction. I smiled, too, but didn't approach her. I simply stayed there, in mid-air, my wings flapping; and she simply lay there, showing me her back. "How could Ah forget it?" My hearts stopped its beating as she spoke calmly, the sound of her voice enough to enchant my thoughts and make them run wildly through my already bewitched mind. I stared at her some more time, knowing she was fighting as hard as me to try to keep herself still. My eyes couldn't focus on anything but the green beauty of hers as I started to fly inside the barn without even realizing it. She slowly stood up, not facing me yet but now smirking to herself. I could already sense the warmth of her gentle breath as my wings carried me towards her, nearer and nearer until our heads were mere inches apart. It took me all my willpower to hold myself back and calm down, for I knew I'd be getting no answers if I let my flaring temper prevail once again. "Ah thought about it every night before fallin' asleep, so that Ah'd be dreaming sweet dreams of you..." Applejack slowly turned towards me, her gaze still low, as my wings began beating with more energy and force than before. I had to be just a bit more patient and wait for her to be ready - the last thing I wanted was scaring her to tears like I had done fourteen nights earlier. "Dash..." She closed her eyes and nuzzled my neck, inhaling my scent and making me shiver in pleasure at her bare contact. She whispered again, gently pushing her muzzle under my jawline and stroking her head on mine. "How could Ah be so stupid to even think of abandonin' ya? You mean the world to me..." I didn't react in any way to her gestures of affection and said nothing when she left her words hanging. Shifting her muzzle slowly, she finally placed her lips on mine. But I felt nothing. I didn't return the kiss, I didn't move or reject her. The fire burning in my heart suddenly extinguished, and I couldn't understand why. That was all I had wished for since I had seen her that night, to kiss her. And now that I had the chance - now that she was giving me the chance -, I realized how futile it was. I didn't want the sad happiness of the moment, I wanted answers. I wanted to know why she had thrown me away when she still loved me, why she was acting so foolishly when she perfectly knew I wouldn't be buying it. She must've read through my mind once again, because she backed a little and looked away, her ears folded and her tail between her legs. Adamant, I touched the ground and stepped forward, still staring at her. "I just want to know why." Those words escaped my mouth before I could stop them, but I didn't flinch nor did I pull back. I had to get to the bottom of this, and it was useless to keep on beating around the bush. "Why. Oh, Celestia... Why, you ask me?" Her voice trembling, her eyes starting to tear and her head turning towards me with a start, Applejack looked straight at me for the first time that night, a somber shade in her eyes. "Ah thought ya were the expert in relationships..." I gulped hard, remembering once again the words I had spat to her. I shivered a little, but tried to look as resolute as I hope I seemed anyway. "I know what I said. I know, and I regret it w-" "It's not that Ah'm talkin' 'bout, Dash." Her brows furrowed and her head lowered a bit as she stomped one of her hind hooves on the floor. She clenched her teeth and closed her eyes tightly before facing me again, this time with fire in her green irises. "Ya really can't understand, ya just can't." At that moment, I angrily pushed my muzzle forward and pressed it on hers, pointing a hoof in her chest as I growled: "Of course I can't, since you don't wanna talk about it." I backed away a step, surprised at my own ferocity. I feared she might have been still too weak for the fight I had apparently wanted to start, and as her eyes widened, a look of hurt and sorrow mirroring them, I added mildly: "Applejack, liste-" "Why should Ah tell ya?" She suddenly lashed out nervously, vengeance lacing her words. Astonished, I tried to process what she had just said and I opened my mouth to report equally abruptly, but I soon realized I couldn't find any suitable rebuttal. She spoke again, having gained enough confidence from my silent lack of assault. "So that ya could make yer callous speech and then dump me like ya did with everypony else?" "W-What are you talking about...?" I was sincerely taken aback from her sudden change, but what left me speechless was what she was referring to, which I still couldn't understand. I searched through my distraught mind for any possible response as I noticed her breath becoming heavier and heavier as my uncertainty grew. She coldly chuckled a bit, shaking her head and glowering at me darkly. "Ah knew ya were stupid, but Ah didn't imagine you could be this much of an idiot." I furrowed my brows angrily and was about to bite back, but she interrupted me before I could begin. A severe, hard straight line immediately replaced the mocking smile on her lips as she leered at me: "Now why don't ya go away and maybe find one of yer old lovers so that ya have sumthin' to do fer the night?" My eyes opened wide and my jaw fell as I simply stared at her, my breath stopping and my mind blank. Applejack stared back at me, her head held high and her body stiff, every muscle tensed in anticipation and agitation. Time seemed to freeze at that moment, for neither of us moved of an inch or said a word. Slowly, and making an extremely great effort, I lifted my muzzle towards the mare before me as realization hit me. She was talking about the pathetic relationships I had had in the past. About the many lovers I had spent a night or two with while I was engaged to another partner; about the infidelity that had featured me from my young teens to the day I had finally realized I loved her. That's what bothered her. That's what she was scared of - that I would abandon her carelessly as I had done so many times with others whom I once swore to cherish. What she didn't know was that I would never, ever repeat that stupid blunder to her if my life depended on it, because I truly, heartily loved her - I had promised to myself nopony would ever be able to substitute her spicy brightness and sincere empathy, and I never break a promise. "I will never do it." Her ears perked up and her eyes twinkled for an instant before her muzzle clouded again, bemused and hateful at the same time. I looked up at her, hope shining in my soul as she stayed silent, possibly pondering about whether believing me or kicking me out at once. I took a long, deep breath and spoke again: "I will never abandon you. I know that's what you fear, I understand it now-" "Ah bet mah right leg that's what y've been sayin' to all the others." She looked at me sideways, still choosing not to trust me. I furrowed my brows and stepped forward, stubborn and determined. "Let me finish." Her nostrils flared and her teeth clenched as she tilted her head towards me, commanding me wordlessly to go on despite her displeasure. "Applejack, I know you might be scared of our future because of my past, but you must have faith in me when I tell you I would never, ever even dare to make you suffer like that." Still distrustful, the farm mare shook her head again and sighed heavily, sitting down with a poisonous shade in her emerald eyes. Realizing that I had no more weapons left and that it would have been useless to keep on fighting over a lost battle like that, I opted for my very last ace in the hole. I might not be the best at persuading ponies, but I know I'm pretty good at surprising them. "Listen to me, Jacqueline." I noticed her eyes suddenly grow wide at my use of her most personal nickname (as well as effective, true name) as a hint of fear spread through them. "I'm one of the most foolish ponies you could ever meet; I'm probably the most reckless and careless and certainly not the brightest. I've made so many mistakes in my piteous, deplorable life, I couldn't even name half of them. “And I know that's what worries you. I know it makes you sick when you remember, even for the slightest of moments, that the pony standing right in front of you has committed uncountable impure, dishonest deeds. I know you shudder when you remember of the many stories I had, and of how abruptly I always ended them when they weren't fun anymore. What you don't realize is that - and I'm swearing it to all Gods and Goddesses -, that I'm never going to hurt you. Seeing you suffer would shatter me - I'll be damned evermore if you had to suffer heartache because of me. "You don't want to trust me, and I know that, for you are afraid the same anguish will happen to you. But you have to believe me when I say my mouth had never spoken words more sincere than these. I'd die for you if I had to, I'd move mountains to see you happy, even if it'd be for a brief, ephemeral moment." I could hear the strong beating of her heart as she grasped for breath any time her fleeting eyes met mine, firmly anchored in her shimmering emeralds. Confident and passionate, I let a small smile appear on my lips as I tilted my head towards that of my lover. "And one day the Heavens will sanctify our bound. One day, Applejack - I promise it to you and you only -, one day I'll kneel before you, and opening my heart to let you read my soul I'll wonder what good I'll have done to deserve your candid love..." A fresh breeze blew on us and stroked our coats as her eyes finally connected to mine, the gaze intensifying to the point I could swear words weren't needed anymore. "I believe I'll never find the answer." Silence reigned in the air for what appeared to be forever, and stillness embraced the two of us as our heads got closer and closer, the orange pony's lips already seeming to graze my own. A shiver ran down my spine as I finally met the warm body I had strived for. The undying flame in my soul suddenly ignited, inciting me to push further into the kiss as I splayed my ears back and let myself get lost in the sweet sensation of loving her. She slowly separated and opened her eyes to stargaze in mine, her soft muzzle still resting on my own as our foreheads soon touched. "I guess everything's fixed now, isn't it?" Giggling and shedding a single tear, she folded her ears as our lips touched again and she smiled in the tender kiss. My eyes slowly opened and I found myself studying her adorable, perfect facial features, from the blond lock falling down her forehead to the fair, white freckles adorning her cheeks. I thoughtlessly caressed them as the strong feeling of affection once again caught me. Too soon, Applejack disconnected from the kiss and smirked at me, her eyebrows raised. "Ya should make such speeches more often, this secret part of you amazes me and makes me love ya even more..." The farm pony hugged me tightly and kissed me again and again, her emerald irises shining in the darkness and revealing to me all of her love. I started to caress her neck and shoulders, earning a few murmured gasps and soft moans that were already arousing me. The traitors at my sides quivered fiercely as I simply proceeded what I could do best: loving her. Suddenly, she pulled away, a mischievous smile still present on her muzzle. "Just, promise me one thin'." My ears perked up and fear spread at once in my mind. My breath getting heavier and heavier, I nodded without saying anything, waiting for her to speak. Pointing a hoof in my chest, she looked at me straight in the eyes with a playful grin. "Don't ya dare appear on Playcolt's front cover ever again." I blushed at her comment but started laughing with her anyway, pushing my muzzle into her mane and savoring her sweet scent until I realized what she had just said. "Didn't know you bought it..." The farm mare froze and looked away, playing innocent. "Who, me?" I giggled and jumped on her as she stuck her tongue out in that joking manner of hers. "My, who knows how many times you've consulted that magazine, eh, AJ?" Still laughing merrily, she strongly pushed me off her, making me tumble beside her as she nuzzled my neck dearly. "Oh, shut up." She kissed my lips passionately and placed her hoof on mine. When we parted, our eyes seeing nothing but the other's colorful irises, we stroked our heads gently as her straw-yellow mane intertwined with my own. And in that moment, we had anything we could've ever needed: for us, time could've stopped and we wouldn't have minded it in the slightest. Our hearts becoming one, we glanced outside in the starry night, black and violet velvet enhanced by millions of glistening diamonds, as a shooting comet darted before us. I lay my head on her chest, feeling safe and beloved, knowing that was only a foretaste of what beautiful gifts life would grant me.