Chapter 4: In My Life
Leaving Sugarcube Corner, Rarity began to trot aimlessly around Ponyville. She had no destination in mind. In fact, her mind was too busy trying to piece together her frustrating emotions. The unicorn strolled throughout what seemed like the entire town of Ponyville to her hooves. When her mind finally gave up on trying to make sense of her feelings for Big Mac, Rarity noticed that she had spend the entire day trotting around Ponyville and that Celestia's sun was setting on the land. Hanging her head, Rarity began her walk back to the Carousel Boutique. Crossing the town square, Rarity smelt a familiar aroma in the air. It was the unmistakable smell of homemade apple fritters from Sweet Apple Acres. Raising her head, Rarity saw a face of her good friend Applejack working her family's apple cart.
"Hello, Applejack," Rarity greeted her friend.
"Howdy, Rarity. What brings you 'round these parts?" Applejack returned the salutation from behind the merchant cart.
"Just….doing some thinking. You wouldn't happen to have any apple juice, would you?" Rarity asked in a crestfallen tone, looking down.
"One apple juice, comin' right up. What's got ya so down?" Applejack asked as she was in the process of fulfilling the order.
"Promise not to hate me?" Rarity peered up at Applejack.
"Promise," the orange mare held out Rarity's refreshment for her.
Rarity sighed, using her magic to take the apple juice, "I think….that I might be in love with your brother." The unicorn's cheeks were a slight pink as she spoke.
Applejack blinked in silence before she started to burst out laughing. Rarity shouted at Applejack to be quiet. Finally regaining her composure, Applejack looked to see that Rarity's face was not amused. "Oh wait, yer serious," Applejack replied, "let me laugh even harder." While the earth pony resuming her laughing, Rarity's face burned a bright red as she tried to hide her face and sip some of her apple juice.
"Applejack! Honestly! I would expect this from Rainbow Dash, but not you!" Rarity's face became more flustered as she shouted at her friend.
Applejack finally calmed herself and spoke with a smile still on her face, "Ah'll tell ya, Rarity, never thought ah'd hear somethin' like that from you."
"To be honest, nor did I. There seems to be just something so….different about him," the unicorn said before enjoying more of her juice.
"Well," Applejack began, placing her front limbs on the cart and supporting her head with her hooves, "like what?"
"He seems more of a gentlecolt than anypony I've ever met before. Big Mac is just so caring, charming, and, to be quite frank, he's very attractive. I have never met somepony with such qualities in my life," Rarity spoke candidly. She never though she would ever talk so freely about her emotions with anypony, much less Applejack.
Applejack nodded, "And?"
This puzzled Rarity, "And what?"
"Are ya goin' ta do anything about how ya feel about him?"
Rarity didn't say a word. She took a sip of her juice.
Applejack continued, "Look, Rarity, it's obvious ya like my big brother. And for that matter, ya have my blessin'. But that's only if ya grow yerself a backbone."
"I beg your pardon, AJ?" the white mare asked.
"Ya heard me, pony up and tell him."
"But what if he refuses? I mean, it would be just the worst possible thin-"
Sitting up, Applejack cut the Rarity off, "So what? Yer a big pony, you'll be fine. Look, ah know it doesn't seem like ah'm bein' fair ta ya, but ah really want ya to be happy. An' sometimes ya need to be pushed and shoved, ya hear?"
Rarity smiled to her friend, "I hear."
Applejack smiled back, "Good. Now get home and relax, will ya? It ain't like ya ta be sweaty." The orange mare gave a joking wink to Rarity.
The unicorn chuckled a bit, "Well, you are right about that, dear. Oh, I need to pay for the juice."
Applejack raised a hoof up, "No worries, it's on the house, partner."
"Thank you, Applejack. For everything."
"Hey, that's what friends are for."
Rarity bid Applejack farewell as she continued her journey home. Taking a few more sips of juice, the unicorn was contemplating how exactly she was to admit her feelings for Big Mac.