//------------------------------//
// #ARareVignette 
// Story: A Vignette of Apples 
// by Draxonos135 
//------------------------------//

"I'd like you t' spend the day with Rarity today."

Vignette wasn't sure if that was among the worst things one could say to ruin her day, she'd been on the receiving end of so many terrible things, but this was, in her opinion, one of the worst ever.

"A.Y.C.: Are You Crazy?!" Vignette snapped. "You saw how Rarity was yesterday! She hated me with a passion, and she had every reason to! Why would you think spending time with her now is a good idea?!"

"Vignette, I'll be blunt with you: unless you and Rarity talk with each other 'bout what happened so long ago at Equestrialand, neither you, nor her, will ever be able t' move on. You have t' talk 'bout it eventually."

"But what if today isn't the day?" Vignette asked. "What if, in trying to apologize for what I did, I do something that makes Rarity angry again? Or she doesn't want to hear me out?"

"Vignette, I'm sure, a hundred percent, that Rarity's havin' the exact same worries as you are," Applejack put a hand on Vignette's shoulder. "And let me tell you somethin': she wants to put an end to this just as much as you do."

Vignette raised an eyebrow. "And you know that, how?"

"She told me just as much yesterday, when we were plannin' this thing."

"You planned a meet-together with Rarity, the one person I still have hang-ups with, behind my back?!" Vignette exclaimed, and upon getting a simple nod in response, she confessed, "If we had met earlier, I'd be impressed by your deviousness, but now I feel a sense of both respect, and dread, from you."

"What can I say?" Applejack put her arms behind her head. "Sometimes you gotta go the extra measure to help a friend."

"Friend... right..." Vignette rubbed her arm. "So, what do you expect me to do?"

Applejack checked her watch. "Rarity should be waitin' for you at the park entrance right now, all we gotta do is make yourself look presentable!"

Vignette raised an eyebrow, skeptical about whatever Applejack had planned for her being "presentable." Regardless, she had to give her a chance; she was right that she and Rarity needed to talk things out and get this over with.

The faster they sorted through the issue, the quicker they could move on.





Vignette wasn't sure what she was expecting, but she definitely should've expected what Applejack gave her for an outfit: a simple red shirt, black pants, brown shoes, and a cowboy hat with a star on the side. Her hair had been tied into a single braid that laid on her shoulder, as well.

Truthfully, she actually loved the look Applejack picked for her. She just hoped Rarity would like it too.

"Darling!"

And speaking of Rarity, there she was, standing right at the entrance to the park as Applejack had said. And judging by her expression, Vignette's outfit caught her by surprise.

"Hi, Rarity, Applejack dressed me up for the occassion," Vignette answered, scratching her head. "S.I.G.C.? Should I Go Change?"

"N-No, don't, Vignette, i-it's fine," Rarity scanned the young woman. "That outfit actually... looks really good on you. And is that muscle I see on your arms?"

Vignette flexed one of her arms, and saw a little muscle bulge from it. "Yeah, I guess. I've been going to the gym with Big Mac for a while now, trying to develop musculature in order to help with the farm work."

"That does require a lot of upper body strength," Rarity remarked. "I think some lower body strength is also needed, now that I think about it."

"Between you and me, though, I don't really go there to train," Vignette whispered. "I mean, it's a nice bonus and all, but I mostly go there so Big Mac can teach me how to be a better listener."

"And while you learn, you get to be surrounded by a bunch of muscular, sweaty men," Rarity pointed out with an amused smile. "You devious little you!"

"Big Mac got the idea, though."

"And we're getting off-track now," Rarity pointed at the park. "Should we head inside?"

"S-Sure..."

And so, the duo entered the park and sat down on a bench in the center of it all, Vignette taking a moment to head to the food store nearby and get herself and Rarity a pair of cupcakes.

"You're heading for a snack food without a second thought?" Rarity pointed out as she grabbed the cupcake. "I thought you were on a diet?"

"I live with the Apple family now, remember? I either eat what they serve me, or I don't eat at all," Vignette pointed out. "Speaking of which, did you know that apparently, farmers are known to eat their own stock at times?"

"Seriously?!"

"Yeah, my first day with the Apple family, they served me bacon and fried eggs made from the pigs and the eggs they owned!"

"Doesn't that hurt their sales, though?"

"That's what I thought as well, but the only thing Granny Smith said in response was, and I paraphrase, "Ya gotta eat what ya get."

"I see."

The girls began eating their cupcakes, and when they finished, they just... sat there, in silence, for a long while. Until eventually, Vignette spoke:

"You're just as nervous as I am about discussing this, aren't you?"

"I've been through so many tough things in my life, though those moments have recently have become more and more related to magic," Rarity sighed. "However, this is one of the toughest I have had to deal with, and it's a perfectly mundane thing, if you ignore the whole teleporting phone thing."

"Because the reason you're angry at me is a mundane one," Vignette interjected. "You're angry at me because I used you... abused you... treated you badly, and never really apologized for it."

"And yet, following Sunset's example," Rarity faced Vignette. "I forgave you."

"Now that you mention her, that Sunset's a bad example for you," Vignette commented, folding her arms as she added, "I mean, first she tries destroying your school, and then she convinces you and your friends to forgive people who've done so many terrible things, it might be better not to forgive them."

"Wow, yeah, when you put it like that," Rarity snickered. "Sunset really is a bad influence! How could you tell?"

"I was once a bad influence myself, remember?"

The girls shared a lighthearted laugh, which died down suddenly when Rarity spoke:

"Vignette?"

"Y-Yeah?"

"Can we... let this be water under the bridge, or however that metaphor is said?"

"I don't know, it's been a while since it happened, but it's still fresh on everybody's mind. Can you really find it in yourself to forgive me, after all I did?"

"You're making progress, Vignette. It's slow and gradual, but you're little by little becoming a better person. You're trying to be better, and I think that's enough for me to at least give you a chance."

Vignette's eyes gleamed with hope. "Rarity..."

The fashionista extended her hand forward, and understanding the meaning behind it, Vignette shook it cheerfully, before the duo engaged in a little hug. Once they separated, they stood up and dusted themselves.

"Whoa, that was... kinda awkward, but it made me feel good in the end!" Vignette said, pocketing her hands. "I kinda feel good about myself right now! Should we go do something fun?"

"Yeah, sure, Vignette, but I'd like to ask something first," Rarity said, standing up with her hands on her hips. "It's clear what you think about the Equestrialand Fiasco, but what I'm wondering is..."

Vignette tilted her head. "Yes, Rarity?"

"Well..." Rarity raised an eyebrow. "What's your opinion on magic?"

It was right then and there that Vignette felt an intense emotion she hadn't felt in several years, as well as showcasing said emotion right on her eyes, with an expression that Rarity had never seen her express before, nor ever expected her to.

She wasn't just expressing concern over the idea of magic. Vignette looked outright terrified.

"M-Magic?"