The walk back to Sweet Apple Acres seemed a lot longer than it should’ve been. A few ponies were still out on the streets, but Applejack avoided them. She wouldn’t have been in the mood to talk even if her throat allowed it.
She stopped about halfway between Ponyville and Sweet Apple Acres and just stood there, letting thoughts and feelings wash over her. Sketchy would be moving to Canterlot tomorrow. She didn’t want to act like an angsty teen over it, but she didn’t think it was wrong to be sad either. And so she stood there, alone on the road, and let a few tears fall.
Then she wiped her eyes, took a deep breath, and kept walking.
Working on a farm her whole life had taught her one very important lesson: time didn’t stop just because you wanted it to. No matter how you felt, no matter how tired, or sick, or hurt, there would always be another day’s worth of chores to get done, and if you put them off, then it only meant you’d have to work twice as hard to catch back up. Better to pony up and do your job even if you weren’t feeling wonderful.
Applejack nodded to herself. She’d get up tomorrow and do her chores just like she always did. Besides, the hard work would keep her from dwelling on Sketchy.
She reached the farmhouse a few minutes later and slipped inside to find Big Mac sitting in the front room. His eyes widened when he saw her. “AJ?”
She managed a weak smile.
He got up and pulled her into a hug, wiping away the last few tears from her cheek. “What happened?”
“H-he’s,” Applejack croaked, “moving.” She winced and rubbed her throat.
“Still?” Big Mac asked.
She nodded, gently pulling out of his hug. “N-night.”
“Wait,” Mac said, grabbing her by the foreleg. “You okay?”
Another nod, though she didn’t meet his gaze.
“… Okay.” Mac hugged her again for just a second. “Love you, little Sis.”
Translation, ‘I’m always here if you need anything or just want to talk.’
She patted his leg and made her way upstairs to her bedroom. Maybe it was all the stress, but even though Applejack felt exhausted, she couldn’t seem to fall asleep.
( | )
“… Nope,” a voice said. Applejack’s mind slowly pieced together that it was her brother.
“Really?” a different voice asked. That one belonged to Sketchy. “Do you know where she is?”
Applejack curled up more tightly in her bed. The thought of seeing him now terrified her, but she was too tired to remember why. She covered her ears, for some reason thinking that he wouldn’t be able to find her if she couldn’t hear him.
She heard more talking, too muted to make out any words, then the door slammed, echoing through the house.
Why was Sketchy even here? Applejack struggled to get her mind to focus once more, but apparently it wasn’t in the mood. Sleep was too alluring …
( | )
Applejack stumbled downstairs much later. She glanced at the nearest clock. “Holy moley, is it really past noon?”
“Sure is,” Granny called from the kitchen. “Why don’t you come in here so we can talk?”
It looked like it was time to face the music. Applejack walked into the kitchen and found her grandmother at the table, sipping a cup of tea. “Where are Mac and Bloom?”
“Working the fields, and school,” Granny said. She gave a weak, sad smile. “Can I get you anything to eat?”
“I can make myself some cereal.” She took a deep breath. “But first, I’m sorry for not ‘sealing the deal’ with Sketchy like you wanted me to.”
“Wait,” Granny said, “you mean you didn’t?”
Applejack blushed. “No.”
“Then what the hay did you do?” Granny asked. “Here we thought you rocked that stallion’s world, begging him to stay, and he decided to leave you regardless. Big Mac was furious.”
“Well he shouldn’t be.” Applejack looked down. “In fact, I never even brought up Sketchy staying here. I couldn’t ask him to give up everything for me, not without hating myself forever because of it.”
Granny got up and gave her a hug. “Applejack, there ain’t nothing wrong with wanting something and telling others about it. The decision would still be his to make.”
Applejack kept looking at her hooves. “I think he already made his decision. He must be in Canterlot by now.”
“I reckon he is.” Granny gave her a sympathetic look. “Maybe you can go visit him sometime.”
“Maybe.” Applejack grabbed a box of cereal. “But not today. There’s a whole heap of chores I need to get done.”
Granny nodded. “If that’s what you think will help. Just remember, we’re all here for you.”
“Thanks, Granny.” Applejack sighed. “That means a lot.”
As soon as she finished her cereal, Applejack headed out and spent the rest of the day bucking apples, repairing farm equipment, cooking dinner, and trying not to think about Sketchy.
Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, and even Dash came by to see her at some point, and she had to explain to every single one of them that no, she didn’t want to talk about how she was feeling. If she did, then she’d already be talking about it.
Dash accepted this the most easily. Rarity followed her around for several hours, going on and on about the power of true love.
All told, she was glad when the time finally came to curl up in bed and drift back to sleep.
( | )
The next day was somehow even harder. She was stuck in the market for most of it, selling apples and the remainder of Sketchy’s pictures. During slow times, she found herself looking through them, remembering the story behind each one.
What new pictures was he drawing that she’d never hear the story behind?
Not that she could’ve abandoned the farm to go help him full time. Apple farming was in her blood, and she’d never be sorry for it. Still, she couldn’t stop looking to Canterlot and wondering what that lovable goof was up to without her around.
Applejack found herself sighing a lot that day.
( | )
Day three was mostly boring. She only left the farm to eat lunch at Sugarcube Corner with Dash. It had been too long since the last time they’d hung out, though the location reminded her a lot of Sketchy. She kept expecting to see him in the crowd or staring at her rear from one of the booths. Was it strange that she missed that?
Stupid question.
( | )
Applejack woke up feeling strange on the forth day. Not sick, mind you, just strange. A feeling she’d never thought she’d have was welling up in her, so powerful it felt like she’d burst. She wanted to talk to somepony about Sketchy.
This sort of thing had never happened to her before. What was she supposed to do, walk up to one of her friends and tell them that she needed to get some emotions off her chest?
…
Actually, that didn’t sound half bad, and Applejack knew just the friend to talk to.
“Rarity,” she called a while later, walking into Carousel Boutique, “can we talk?”
Rarity was in the front of the shop, putting new dresses out. She looked a bit worried for a second. “Of course, dear. Have I done something to upset you?”
“No, nothing like that,” Applejack said, a faint blush on her cheeks. “I was kinda hoping you wouldn’t mind if we sat down and talked about … You know, feelings, and Sketchy, and stuff.”
To say that Rarity grinned would be to undersell the magnitude of the smile that came to her friend’s lips. “Why, no, I don’t think I would mind if we talked about your destined love.”
“Destined love?” Applejack repeated. “He moved away, how can-”
“Wait, wait,” Rarity said. “This isn’t nearly the proper place to have a good Girl Talk. Follow me.” Which was a strange thing to say, considering she then grabbed Applejack by the hoof and practically dragged her into the kitchen. Several quarts of ice cream floated out of the freezer, and then they were on the move again.
Applejack found herself in Rarity’s bedroom, with a robe around her for some reason, eating ice cream right out of the container.
“Perfect,” Rarity said, armed with a robe and ice cream of her own. “Now then, tell me everything there is to know about that mysterious stallion who caught your eye and won your heart.”
Applejack almost said that Sketchy had never won her heart, except it had been four days since he left, and she still found herself thinking about him whenever she had a calm moment. That had to count as winning some part of her.
Besides, she’d come here to talk about him. May as well get on with it. “I miss him,” Applejack said at last. “More than that, I guess. I keep thinking I need to meet up with him for some appointment, or imagining what I’d say if he were here, or wishing he actually were here.” She sighed. “Never thought I’d turn into some weak damsel, pining after a stallion.”
“Dear,” Rarity said gently, “missing somepony doesn’t mean you’re weak; it means you care.” She ate a bite of her ice cream. It looked strawberry flavored. “I’ve always believed that it takes a stronger pony to care about others, to let them in even at the risk of being hurt.”
“I guess.” Applejack ate some of her own ice cream. Chocolate, always a favorite. “But what am I supposed to do? I can’t go around sighing and moping for the rest of my life.”
“I would recommend that you find him and tell him how you feel,” Rarity said.
“And then what?” Applejack ate more ice cream. “Ask him to move back to Ponyville? He makes ten times as much money in Canterlot.” She shook her head. “I ain’t that selfish.”
“You could move there,” Rarity said.
Applejack gave her an ‘Are you kidding me?’ look. “My family needs me here,” she said slowly and clearly. “My parents got married on that farm. They’re buried on that farm. My entire life has been about maintaining that farm and the legacy that goes with it. Not to mention, you girls all live here in town.” She shook her head. “I might have feelings for Sketchy, but I can’t, I won’t, give up all of that, and no pony who really cares about me would ask me to.”
Rarity lifted her hooves in surrender. “I only suggested it to help you think about what you would and wouldn’t give up to be with him.”
“Fine,” Applejack said, going back to her ice cream.
She was halfway through the tub when Rarity spoke again. “You still want to be with him.”
Applejack sighed. “Yeah.”
“Then go speak with him.” Rarity took Applejack’s hoof in hers. “You must tell him how you feel. Even if nothing changes, at least you’ll have some measure of closure.”
It wasn’t the worst advice Applejack had ever heard. “Fine.” She put the lid back on her ice cream and passed it to Rarity.
“Are you leaving so soon?” Rarity asked, disappointment in her voice. “We were just getting started.”
“I need to finish a bunch of chores today,” Applejack said, “so I’ll be free to head up to Canterlot tomorrow.”
Rarity went from disappointed to beaming in an instant. “Tell me everything that happened as soon as you get back.”
Applejack smiled. “I will on one condition.” She pointed at the ice cream. “Have a quart of Brownie Blast waiting for me.” Then she slipped out of her robe and headed back to the farm.