//------------------------------//
// Chapter 30: Prench Twist 
// Story: Harmonic Gift From The Stars 
// by DTavs exe 
//------------------------------//

It’s been a few weeks after winter wrap up and the town of Ponyville prepared for the next big festival on their countless celebrations throughout the year, the town adorned with pink hearts and white hooves made out of paper, the young couples planning their outings, the married couples enjoying their company and you could even see younglings playing and some of them trying to impress their crushes. In  the market two mares walked side by side, a white unicorn and a yellow earth pony. Rarity was buying groceries while Applejack accompanied her after mending her stand all day.

“Oh Applejack. Another year, another Hearts and Hooves day without a special somepony, I swear that if it continues like that, Pinkie will be right and I will become a crazy cat lady.”

“Nonsense sugarcube, you're one o’ the most caring, generous, smart, gorgeous ponies Ah’ve ever met and anypony would be really lucky t’have you as a special somepony.”

“Oh Applejack you are such a charmer, if you were a stallion I’m most certain that you would be Ponyville's most eligible bachelor, all the mares in town would fall for you, darling.”

“Even you?” 

“But of course darling, anywho if I’m that good, how come I don’t have a special somepony.”

“Well sugarcube, you can’t blame the fellas, they’ve tried, how ‘bout Hayseed Turnip Ah reckon you met him in Canterlot?”

“Isn’t he like your cousin or something?”

“First cousin once removed.”

“I-I-I don’t think I like him that much.”

“Then how ‘bout that Prince Blueblood? Didn’t he apologized for pretendin’ t’be a jerk and even invited you to the christenin’ of his flyin’ ship?”

“Mmm nah, after talking with him, it turns out he is quite boring besides,” Rarity watched everywhere and when she was confident nopony could hear her, she whispered on Applejack's ear, “I think he is in a secret relationship with his maid, Rosa… let me see, I think I have a picture of them right here…”

Applejack looked at the picture, “a donkey? No way, really?”

“Shhhh! I’m pretty sure there was something between them, he kept her with him all the time and when he thought nopony was watching, they kept bumping into each other and sharing intimate looks, and when the party was over she whispered on his ear and I think I could see him blushing a little bit and just after that, they went upstairs even with some of the guests still in the mansion.”

“Oh boy… that sounds like one of your drama books.”

“Such a romantic end, you don’t see that many pony and donkey marriages, even nowadays that’s probably why they have been keeping it hidden from everypony.”

“Well Rares, have you ever thought that you might be kickin’ for the wrong team?”

“Whatever do you mean, darling?”

“You know…” 

“HIYA RARIJACK!”

“Pinkie my goodness! You startled us!”

“It’s Madame Pinkie right now, I’m practicing for my love divinations for the Hearts and Hooves festival, wanna help me practice?” the pink mare said while dressed in her turban and scarf. 

“Ah can’t sugarcube, Ah need t’go pick somethin’ at the postal office besides, y'all already know my love life is as dead as a bunny fallin’ into a wolf’s den,” the apple farmer started walking but then stopped and turned around, “oh and by the way, Starlight asked me to tell you that Twilight wants to have a music box session just after the gift swap at the castle tomorrow,” with that she left the two of them alone.

“I guess I’ll help you Pink- oh Madame Pinkie,” Rarity corrected herself with a smile on her face. She sat on the pillow while the pink mare hovered her hooves all around a snowball.

“I see... I see… I see a red door and I want to paint it pink… mmmm, oh wait... wrong side of the ball heh heh,” she turned the snowball and hovered her hooves around it again, “I see… yes, I see the other part of your soul, the one you will share the rest of your life in happiness.”

“Really? What does he look like?”

“Can’t see it clearly, but I see a shadow the shadow will confess its love without confessing, because the shadow loves you even if the shadow doesn’t know it, a mirror shows that you are in the same position, but with a sweet meaningful demonstration a spark will lit a fire that will show the way, but beware  that if you don’t act on it, you will doom both of you to a life of loneliness.”

“Wow Pinkie, that was… interestingly eerie … thanks.”

“I don’t live on thanks sister, cross my hoof with bits.”

Rarity put on a serious face but then rolled her eyes and got some bits from her purse.


~♥~♦~♣~♠~


At the postal office there was a long line as usual, in front of Applejack there was none other than the married couple Lyra and Bon Bon, they were side by side with their tails intertwined, it’s been a few moons since they were married, in fact it was a bit before Twilight’s coronation and after that they traveled in a cruise for their honeymoon. Applejack didn’t consider them friends but she was on good terms with them. 

The couple of mares picked her package and stepped to the side to open it so finally it was applejack’s turn and the bubbly wall eyed mare greeted her with the purest smile on her face, “Oh hello Applejack, long time no see.”

“Yeah, Ah don’t usually order stuff.”

“So, um… how can I help you?”

“Mah package, should’ve arrived yesterday but Ah haven’t received it.”

“Oh, well then it should be here…”

“Yeah, that’s why Ah came to pick it up.”

“Ah, why didn’t you say so, I’ll be glad to help,” she picked some papers from a box, “So… let’s check… name?”

“Huh? Applejack…”

“Ok, reason for visiting?”

“Are you serious?”

“No, I’m Derpy, you are so silly.”

“*sigh*, mah package.”

The pegasus made a mess with some boxes on the counter looking for the right one, “ok… um… no....  nope… not this one…”

“Um, do you need help with that sugarcube?”

“Nope, here, this is the one, directly from Prance, oooh fancy, please sign here...”

“Thanks Derpy, please tell your family I say hi.”

“Ok,” just as Applejack moved away Pokey Pierce approached the counter but before he could say anything, Derpy said, “break time♪,” and went under the counter.

Applejack put her package on the table next to Lyra and Bon Bon who were checking what seemed to be imported oats. Applejack unwrapped her package revealing a golden box shaped like a heart, adorned with a ribbon and branded in the front, “um… jeh… jah… jath… jathume? Ah can’t pronounce this fancy stuff.”

A gasp startled Applejack, she turned and saw that Bon Bon was looking straight at her, “are those really Je t’aime chocolate?”

“Oh mexitli candy, my favorite,” said Lyra while packing Bon Bon’s oats on the saddlebags.

“Bon Bon, you almost made mah hat fly, but yeah thanks, Ah always have a mighty hard time reading this fancy stuff, the only thang Ah can say properly is mah cousin’s name Pomme Au Chotolat”

“Oh well, those are pretty fancy Applejack, it must have cost a fortune to import them from Prance.”

“It would’ve, but mah cousin works for Rub.. Rabin...”

“Ruban Bleu? One of the most influential chocolatiers in Prance? Creator of the Je t’aime line of candies and chocolates?” Bon Bon asked, her face showed astonishment and maybe a bit of jealousy.

“The same one, she is just an assistant but she was kind enough t’send me a box. Well Ah gotta go, nice talkin’ to y’all.” 

“Applejack wait!” said the green unicorn, Applejack stopped and turned to see her, “by any chance are those chocolates for a gift?”

“Yeah...”

“Ok, I’ll make a wild guess, are those for Rarity?”

“Holy smokes, sugarcube, how did ya’ know that?” 

“Just a hunch, well, we won’t rob more of your time and Applejack, I want to say I’m so happy for you,” Lyra waved goodbye to a confused Applejack who left the building leaving a smug Lyra and a serious Bon Bon behind, “I knew it, now pay up Bonnie.”

“No way, those chocolates could mean anything.”

“Really?” Lyra said, her face a smug that could rival Rainbow Dash’s, “a fancy Hearts and Hooves gift of mexitli candy-”

“It’s prench not mexitli!”

“Even better and you think this doesn’t mean they are a couple or at least that they won’t become a couple? Come on, I’ve been watching them since I moved in with you and every time I see them they behave more like a married couple than us, I swear they got it worse than Ross and Rachel.” 

“Who?”

“Seriously? Two of the characters in the book series I’m reading!”


~♥~♦~♣~♠~


The next day, Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Applejack were waiting for the rest of their friends in the castle studio, when the door opened so they stared at Rainbow Dash carrying a box.

“Hey girls, Fluttershy says sorry she couldn’t make it, she went with Discord to Celestia knows where, luckily she waited so I could give her, her gift and to get the gift for the presents interchange.” 

Twilight raised an eyebrow, “Discord? What could they possibly be doing?”

“Oh darling, you are so innocent, I have been watching them lately and it is now plain obvious that there is something between those two.”

“No way, really?”

Rainbow Dash sat on one of the pillows and replied to her friend, “yeah Twilight, as weird as it seems I must admit that they might be closer than we think.”

“D’awww our little Fluttershy is all grown up *sniff* I can’t believe it.”

“Pinkie, Ah reckon she is a year older than you.”

“Wow, to think that from all of us, Fluttershy would be the first one to get a boyfriend…” Twilight shook her head trying to clear her head of the thoughts of Discord and Fluttershy making out 

“Hey, where are the rest of our friends?”

“Oh well, Tube is on the roof making some tests on a prototype that should copy the way the music box is energized by the sun, Tinker is on a different party with some students from the school, Sunburst and Moondancer had plans already so we didn’t include them on the swap, Starlight and Trixie went to Las Pegasus for the weekend which works fine since they got each other on the raffle and Spike took his no-girlfriend to a no-date.”

“I can’t believe they are still denying it, they make such a lovely couple, darling. Anywho shall we start with the Hearts and Hooves gifts swap, we should start with Fluttershy’s, what does the note say Rainbow Dash?”

“It says… is Twilight’s, here you go.”

Twilight opened the yellow box with pink ribbon, it was a badly made sweater with Twilight’s cutiemark, “Oh… well she is getting better, I remember on Hearth's Warming last year she gave Applejack one that barely looked wearable,” Applejack smiled awkwardly scratching the back of her head, “speaking of which, here Applejack, this is for you.”

“Thank you kindly,” Applejack removed the top of the box showing a full set of new farming tools, her eyes and mouth went wide open and then smiled like she was just have been giving her worth in gold, “Yee-haw, Twilight you hit the spot with this one, how did ya’ know Ah wanted new tools?”

“Well, you know, just a hunch,” she said while thinking: ‘thank you Spike’

“ME NEXT! ME NEXT!” Pinkie said while jumping with a pony sized box on top of her head, “Please open it Dashie, open it now.”

“Where did you get this… nevermind,” the blue pegasus opened the huge box revealing a pie just as big, “Um… I thought we were over this, I don’t like… pie? Pinkie where are you?” 

The party pony was nowhere to be seen when suddenly the humongous pie started moving and out of nowhere it exploded revealing Pinkie Pike dressed as a heart with a smaller box on her hooves, “just kidding, this is your real present.”

Everypony laughed at Pinkie’s antics, Dash opened the smaller box and found a pair of sunglasses, “Wow Pinkie I love them,” she put them on and posed for her friends.

Rarity grabbed a box from her saddlebags and gave it to Pinkie, “I hope you like them Pinkie Pie.”

Pinkie opened the box and found spheres with a sticks attached, “Ooooh Lollipops,” she threw them in the air to catch them with her mouth.

“WAIT!” Rarity levitated them with her magic, “these just LOOK like lollipops, but they are for your tail, let me put them on for you, darling,” she moved the items and showed a clip on the other side, she put them on Pinkie’s tail.

Pinkie’s eyes went wide open, “Oh Rarity I love them,” she jumped and hugged the alabaster mare.

“Ah guess that leaves mine for last, here you go sugarcube, happy Hearts and Hooves day.”

Rarity picked the box, she wasn’t expecting something big, she opened the big box revealing a smaller box in the shape of a heart, she read the box, “Je t'aime,” she recognized the brand, “oh darling, you shouldn’t have… wait a…” she then made a double take from the box to her friend, to the box again.

“Ah thought that since you like this fancy stuff, you would like this chocolates.”

Rarity was in complete shock, since all she could think was what Pinkie told her earlier.


“I see a shadow the shadow will confess its love without confessing… hey look rarity, I’m a spoopy floating head around you WEEEEEE”


“No way, Applejack has never shown any interest for me or for any mare even...” she thought. 

The Madame Pinkie floating head returned.


“The shadow loves you even if the shadow doesn’t know it… feels weird being just a head hahaha.”


“No, it would work, besides I don’t have feelings for her myself… do I?” She kept monologuing in her head.


“A mirror shows that you are in the same position… but seriously, have you seen my body, I can’t find it.”


“Rarity… Rarity are you ok?” Applejack kept on calling her friend’s name while grabbing her by the cheeks with her hooves.

Rarity snapped out of her trance and recoiled from Applejack’s touch like it burned, “oh Applejack, I’m sorry, I-I-I love it, I-I have no words,” she held the box delicately and pushed it softly against her chest, “no words whatsoever.”

“Well enough mushy stuff, let’s hear some songs from our friends from other worlds.”

“Dashie is right, let’s turn that music box on!”

The group made a circle around the music box pedestal and Applejack pressed the button, a soft piano started playing.



“Oh Piano, I like it, oh no I forgot my notepad, oh whatever I can listen to the recording later.”

“This dude’s voice is something different, I dunno if I like it,” Rainbow Dash fixed her new shades, “the lyrics are kinda corny too, he is just making compliments to his mate.”

“It’s probably somethin’ we wouldn't understand, sugarcube, Ah think this is more of Rares’ type, ain’t it Rares? Um… Rares?” 

Applejack moved her hoof in front of rarity, “oh yeah, sorry darling, it’s pretty...” Rarity wasn’t paying attention to the song, she was recalling some memories from her past, from the moment she met Applejack on kindergarten, she realized that on those times they were really close, but then grew apart until they met Twilight, after their first slumber party where they shared the bed for the first time, they have become the best of friends, every time the map has called them to adventure just the two of them or whenever she asked her if she could help her in any way, Applejack always said yes without hesitation, like that one time they went to Manehatten and they had to share the bed once again, unfortunately it was a smaller bed than the one they had in the slumber party, they went to sleep and on the morning they woke up, legs intertwined and their lips locked on each other, both of them were embarrassed and agreed never to talk about it again… Rarity just realized now that it was her first kiss.

She also remembered all the times the farm mare has saved her hide from dangers, how Applejack has forgiven every time she has wronged her or the Apple family. She also realized how attractive her friend was, how the work at the farm has made Applejack’s body toned but at the same time so inviting, her long shining blonde mane flowed with grace, even without any treatment, her eyes filled with honesty and life and those freckles, those lovely freckles, those beautiful and kissable freckles on her face.

“Is there something on mah face, sugarcube?”

“Freckles,” Rarity said without realizing it.

“What? Well yeah, Ah had them for quite a while, you hadn’t noticed?” 

“No I mean… oh… nevermind, uh… what happened to the song?”

“It just finished, sugarcube, don’t tell me you didn’t hear it.”

“Oh yeah, it was… nice…”

The group had time for another song so Applejack approached the music box and pressed the button, a sensual tune began playing.



Just the first notes made a tingling sensation run from the back of Rarity’s head to the dock on her tail, it was like an electric shock stimulating every part of her body.

Apparently she wasn’t the only one, all of her friends except Pinkie had their mouths shut, eyes wide open and a blush on their faces, “hihihi that sounds funny… girls? You ok?” asked Pinkie.

“Yeah, just that the tone of the song felt… I don’t know how to explain it, it felt good in a weird way.”

Rainbow looked down and snickered, “that’s a lame way to say that we’ll need to wash these pillows later.”

Twilight, Rarity and Applejack shrugged at rainbow Dash’s lack of delicacy.

“What does the alien mean by get it in on, Dashie?” 

The rest of them felt a lump in the throat at Pinkie’s question, she was indeed the youngest of them all, but it was impossible that she didn’t know about this.

“Woa woa woa, I don’t think that I’m the right one to talk about it, Rarity, you sleep around, tell her about it.”

“I beg your pardon!?! That is false and is plain rude, not that is of your business but I have yet to… you know… get it on…”

Everyone turned to Applejack, “Don’t look at me y’all, Ah’m on the same boat, no time for rolls in the hay when you tend the farm and save the world, Twilight, you’re a smart mare, can you explain it?” 

“Oh yes, yes I can,” all of the other mares stared at Twilight, Pinkie in curiosity and the others in astonishment, “NOT THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED IT! Besides you don’t have to experience it, to know about it, I have read about it… a lot,” Pinkie looked confused and the others disappointed, “alright, getting in on is an euphemism of well… sexual intercourse...”

Pinkie closed her eyes, “Oooooh, I hadn’t heard that one, it’s funny that a race of aliens would make a song about bumping uglies.” 

“Oh so you know about it.”

“Of course I know about dancing in the sheets, struggle snuggling, mattress-dancing, pogo in the shrub, horizontal refreshments, bfbfb” Applejack shoved an apple on Pinkies muzzle.

Luckily the effects of the song had passed on them except for Rarity, now that she was carefully listening to it, she felt like a fire had been lit inside her and the song was fuel thrown into it, without realizing it she moved her head to face Applejack, she was right next to her, her lips moving apparently talking with her other friends but Rarity couldn’t hear anything besides the song and her own thoughts, it was like the fire inside her was making her look at one of her oldest friends and it was when she remembered the other part of Pinkie’s divination.


“but with a sweet meaningful demonstration a spark will lit a fire that will show the way… you know I think I could get used to be a floating head, if it weren’t for this itchy nose.”  


There was a storm inside Rarity’s head, “No way, she can’t be the shadow, I’ve never liked mares, wait I don’t like mares but do I like Applejack? Well I do find her attractive, but is that enough? I trust her, she is one of the most dependable ponies around, her smile always fills me with joy, her big green eyes the window of the soul, I wish I could drown on those pools and roll around with her in satin sheets while I nibble my way down her powerful back and… oh no...” her face was now full blush mode.

“- and that’s why a race might find enough reason to make a song about, em… getting it on,” Twilight finished her statement which Rarity heard just the last part right when the song ended.

Rainbow Dash stood up and stretched out, “well, it was fun, but I need to go home and take a cold shower, see yass,” she put on her new shades and flew out of the window.

“I have to return as well, I have to review some proposals at Canterlot, bye girls,” Twilight ignited her horn and teleported away with the dirty plates.

“I gotta go too, bye bye.”

“Ah guess that leaves us, Ah should go back now are you comin’ with me, sugarcube?”

“Why yes, Applejack,” this was probably just forced feelings induced by the songs we listened to, there is no way she would like me that way, I mean there is no way I would like her that way, “let’s go”


~♥~♦~♣~♠~


It was getting dark when both mares reached Rarity’s place, the unicorn opened the door, “well I guess that’s it, another Hearts and Hooves day is over.”

“Ah guess so, sugarcube, don’t you worry none, Ah’m sure you’ll find the stallion of your dreams,” Applejack began walking home, while Rarity stared at her back.

A final thought came to her “but beware  that if you don’t act on it, you will doom both of you to a life of loneliness… WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR GIRL, GO GET HER!!” the ghostly pinkie head pushed Rarity.

“Applejack!” the earth pony stopped and turned back, “I… I… I need to tell you something…”

“What is it, Rares?”

“I… I lov… I loved your gift, I really did, you know me really well,” Rarity mentally kicked herself for the cowardice.

“Oh Rares, you don’t have to thank me again, you already did, well it’s getting late, see you.”

Rarity went back home and closed the door, “It was pointless, it wouldn’t work.”


~♥~♦~♣~♠~


Outside, Applejack walked home alone, few ponies were on the streets, most of them already home with their families or with their special someponies making a family, she wouldn’t admit it but she felt lonely once in a while when she saw the couples sharing moments, she was lost in her thoughts when she could hear somepony calling her name, she turned back and she saw Rarity running at full gallop right to her.

“APPLEJACK!”

“Whoa, nelly, hold your horses sugarcube, you are goin’ t’blow a vein like that.”

“Applejack, I love you.”

“Aw shucks Rares, Ah love you too.”

“No I mean like more than a friend.”

“Of course, sugarcube, we’re best friends after all.”

“Ok, how about this, besides everything that everypony knows and love about about you like you are honest and you love your family, I love that you touch your hat whenever you are confused about something, I love that you really like wearing dresses even if you don't admit it,  I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a daisy sandwich, I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts and I love that you are the last pony I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it's not because I'm lonely, and it's not because it's Hearts and Hooves day, HAY it’s not even because of that ridiculous divination. I came running tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somepony, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”

“Wait, what are you tryin’ to say, Rarity?” 

“YOU… DENSE… MARE! Ok, if everything else fails,” Rarity grabbed Applejack’s face with both hooves, and pulled directly to her, connecting their lips on a kiss.

Applejack eyes went wide, "why is she doin' this, Rarity doesn't like mares, no way she feels the same way, she smells so good, please don't be a dream, please don't be a dream" The smell of Rarity’s perfume was intoxicating, the sensation of her lips against hers was magical, she could feel that Rarity was asking for access, so she relaxed her face letting Rarity do what she wanted. Rarity’s hooves caressed Applejack’s face while Applejack’s reached Rarity's back and neck, pulling and deepening the kiss. There they stood for a few more seconds until they had to pull out for air, both panting.

“Woa…*pant* Ah reckon *pant* Ah get it now… since when?”

“I think for a while now *pant* but realized it just today, I’m sorry Applejack, maybe I overstepped my limits by kissing you, I’d understand if you think I’m weird now.”

Applejack lifted Rarity’s face with a hoof, “sugarcube, you talk too much,” without another thought she kissed Rarity, it was a shorter and with less passion, but it was sweet, “Ah reckon, Ah might had felt the same for a while, but Ah treasured our friendship too much t’risk it, but you were brave enough t’confess first, Ah’m so happy right now,” Rarity’s eyes were filled with tears of joy, she hugged her new girlfriend tightly, like if she let go she would disappear, “so… do you wanna start the rest of your life?” Rarity blushed and nodded, they walked back to her boutique with their tails intertwined, while the unicorn lifted Applejack’s tools with her magic.

The new couple didn’t even care that there were still ponies that watched the entire thing and some of them clapped their hooves cheering for the new couple, among them there was Lyra and Bon Bon, “HAH! What did I tell you, those imported oats are now ALL MINE!”

“Lyyraaa, that kills the mood, can’t you be happy for them first and then demand payment?”

“Fine, I’m happy for them,” Bon Bon softly nuzzled her wife.

From the bushes two binoculars watched the entire thing, behind the bush a clip-clop could be heard.

“So your plan worked.”

“Yeah and I couldn’t have done it without you, thanks Derpy.”

With her kind face and a pure smile the wall eyed mare replied, “a mare doesn’t live of thanks, my supervisor would have my wings if he realized that I held the delivery of two packages on purpose, time to pay Pinkie.”

“Would you look at that job well done, here you go,” the pink mare came out of the bushes and put an envelope on the pegasus hoof.

Derpy opened it and read the content, “wow, you must be pretty sure they belong together to agree to finally give me your super secret happiness compressed muffin recipe, I promise only you and me will ever know this recipe Pinkie. But I must ask, are you sure they will last?”

Pinkie sighed, and said with an honest smile, “Derpy, I don't know what's going to happen in the future but right now, I know their feelings are one hundred percent true.”


To be continued