With a sigh of contentment, Rarity laid her head back against her friend's leg, enjoying the feeling of the mud mask on her face and the sounds of laughter from her other friends.
She shifted against Fluttershy, trying not to disturb her reading.
Tonight was Rarity and her group of friend's monthly sleepover, the host being Rainbow Dash this time, and it was a grateful luxury she always looked forward to. It was a good time to converse and just exist together, in a safe and happy environment.
"A makeover is just the type of thing that can relax the soul!" Rarity said dreamily, smiling to herself.
The sleepover had honestly been a godsend. Rarity had been having trouble sleeping for a couple weeks, struggling with wanting to sleep but not wanting to reenact the same dream each night.
A relaxing night with her friends was just what she needed.
"You know I've got to say," she heard Twilight speak up, "this face mask does feel quite nice."
Rarity lifted the cucumber slices from her eyes and smiled. "It really does, doesn't it?"
Sitting up, she turned towards Twilight.
"I believe, though, it's time to take them off."
Both Rarity and Twilight headed to the bathroom to take their mud masks off. She helped her friend and afterward, began cleaning her own face. The mundane routine was one she was used to and it allowed her thoughts to wander.
Rarity’s recurring dream wasn't the average, ‘your entire fall line has been sabotaged’ kind of stress dream. It was very romantic in nature and was almost always the exact same scene.
It was herself in bed with a mysterious lover and, while she enjoyed herself during the dream, it was more frustrating than anything when she awoke, warm and confused.
The person she was with never showed their face and her mind could never conjure up any specific imagery that could help her pinpoint who it was her subconsciousness was drawn to. Rarity had tried to slot in several different people, wanting to see who this fantastic person was that kept invading her dreams.
Even trying to change who the person in her dream was, they never seemed to quite fit. She tried her most recent crush at school, a cute boy in her economics class. He was smart and handsome and everything she knew she wanted in a partner but when she imagined him in the place of her dream, it wasn't right. Rarity knew it was silly but it made her start to doubt her interest in him.
Whoever the dream was about, Rarity was sure it was the same person each time. She had tried to collect information about them during her dream and it was something she had been figuring out for weeks.
When Twilight and Rarity finished in the bathroom, they made their way towards the living room, where everyone had started setting up their sleeping bags.
“Pinkie Pie, I told you we were staying in the living room this time, not my bedroom.” Rainbow Dash said, putting her hands on her hips. “Why didn’t you bring your sleeping bag?”
Pinkie smiled sheepishly and sat down on the couch. “Sorry!” she said, “I was too busy planning out all of the party favors I wanted to bring.”
“For the last time,” Applejack said, “Ya don’t need to go and do all that. That’s up to the person who’s house we’re stayin' at.”
“I know, but I just can’t imagine a party without party favors!!”
Rarity laughed. They were all so supportive of one another and even the smallest thing like bringing gifts for everyone was so important to Pinkie that most of them didn’t say anything about it anymore.
Rainbow just rolled her eyes and had Pinkie follow her, walking off to find a blanket she could borrow.
Walking over to her rolled up sleeping bag, Rarity began spreading it out on the ground, nestled between Applejack and Fluttershy.
It was getting late and Rarity still hadn’t decided if she was going to tell any of her friends about her dreams. She didn’t want to tell them all the details but it was happening so often that she wasn’t sure if she could mentally handle the mystery on her own. Perhaps her friends had a different view that they could share on the situation, or maybe they could help her figure out who the mysterious person was.
Rarity sighed and continued setting up a place to sleep.
While fluffing up her pillows, there was suddenly a loud squeal from down the hall. Pinkie Pie ran into the living room and skidded to a stop, hands full of fluffy pillows.
“PILLOW FIGHT!”
Soon there were several pillows being thrown at her friends and Rarity put her hands up in defense.
“Oh no,” she said, “I am not going to ruin my new manicure that both Twilight and I worked so hard on.”
Rarity held up her manicured finger, demonstrating it’s perfection.
She heard a low chuckle beside her and suddenly there was a pillow being slammed into her face. Rarity flailed her arms around, very unladylike, despite the situation, and made a sound of annoyance.
There was only one person who would defy her like that. Rarity turned her head slowly, her perfect eyebrows raised in question to the tan girl beside her.
There were only two ways this could go. Rarity could get so angry at the fact anyone would have thought to throw something at her and she would then stomp off in a huff, or she could fight back.
Applejack seemed to always love getting a rise out of her and Rarity did enjoy the challenge. It was something of a game that only the two of them liked to play with one another.
Rarity spoke slowly but determined.
“Oh, IT. IS. ON.”
She quickly picked up the pillow that had fallen and threw it in Applejack’s laughing face, making her friend fall to the ground.
It was the best kind of challenge, Applejack always knew when the situation wasn’t all that serious and she was grateful for the excuse to break her composed demeanor.
Rarity grabbed another pillow and shoved it in Applejack’s face only to have it snatched from her hands as Applejack got up.
Applejack’s strong arms shoved the soft pillow in Rarity’s face, forcing her onto the floor as she giggled and squirmed around.
Finally able to remove the pillow from her face, it was only then that she was able to see Applejack above her, flushed in the face from laughing.
It was so softly beautiful and strangely reminiscent of her dream she gasped, shoving the pillow back into her friend’s face.
Rarity had the same warm feeling as when she awoke from her dreams and it was so off-putting from the moment that she lost the will to fight back, letting her arms fall to the sides of her face.
Her cheeks burned.
Applejack was still laughing but she stopped, putting the pillow down and chuckled softly as she looked down at her.
“Is somethin’ the matter, sugarcube?”
With an unladylike gape, she found it hard to speak. It wasn't like Applejack wasn't beautiful, all of her friends were quite attractive in their own way but placing one of her oldest friends in such a romantic mindset hadn't been anything Rarity was prepared for.
She shook her head and smiled. “No. No, I’m fine darling.”
It was such a weird combination of emotions. For some reason looking at Applejack hovering above her had triggered the memories of her dreams and her brain had thought it best to put Applejack in the situation. Perhaps she was just tired or the facial mask had been a little too relaxing.
Either way she needed sleep and she pushed herself up, looking at her friend with a smile.
“I’m just not up for a pillow fight right now.”
Applejack looked at her with a little concern but could tell her response was sincere. She nodded and picked up the pillow, turning to her other friends who were still fighting with their own pillows.
Rarity stayed on the ground, her knees pulled to her chest, willing the heat on her face to go away. After a moment, she was content just watching her friends. The fight itself was entertaining and most of the girls began to run out of energy quickly, all besides Pinkie.
When the fight was over, they all made their way into their sleeping bags. Rarity tucked herself in, facing the ceiling, and pulled her silk eye mask over her face, hoping for a dreamless sleep that night.
Rarity sighed in ecstasy. She was vaguely aware she was dreaming but while in the dream, she was always content. The sensory detail was in full force, having the feeling of her no named lover against her skin.
The body that touched her was smooth, but with deliciously calloused hands. So she couldn't necessarily pinpoint the gender. She was determined to find out who her mind was constantly drawn to in the night.
Their hands ran along her sides and gripped her dainty waist. Rarity could feel their strong legs around her, holding her tightly in place.
She always had a thing for the strong muscular type. That would most likely mean it was a male. This made Rarity smile to herself, her mind supplying her with the only female who would ever be strong enough to pin her down so delectably.
Suddenly, Rarity's consciousness was filled with the scent of apples and fresh grass and before she could blink, hovering above her was her tan blonde friend, her delicate freckles highlighted by the flush of her skin. In a mixture of relief and pleasure she moaned, raising her hands up to grip the strong arms that held her.
Rarity tried to speak her name, now having a face to make love to. Unlike the other times she had tried to put a face to the body that was above her, her consciousness held tight to the image of her friend. Rarity drank in the sight of messy blonde hair and feminine curves, never before having seen something so beautiful. So enticing. And so wonderfully right.
Rarity’s body warmed at the sensation of lips on her neck, tender and inviting. Not in any of her dreams had she felt this vivid passion. It was intense and she moved to meet the girl in her dreams.
There was breathing in her ear and then the wet feeling of lips against her skin. Rarity’s body ricocheted and an intense heat filled her from head to toe. Her dreams had never before felt so perfect. The only thing she could think about was, finally. Finally she knew who it was.
Rarity struggled to find her voice and she yelled the name of her now known lover that had plagued her dreams for so long.
“Applejack!”
Suddenly she was awake and breathing heavily.
Rarity felt a strong hand on her arm. Her eyes were wide as she looked up and saw Applejack. It was jarring for a moment, thinking that maybe she hadn’t woken up yet but she realized her friend was clothed and concerned. She had most certainly awoken from her dream.
“Rarity,” the soft voice of her friend hit her ears.
Applejack hovered over her and the proximity of their bodies mixed with the lingering emotions of her dreams left Rarity in a shivering warm state. She tried to gently push her away as she sat up.
“Rarity, sugarcube, what's wrong?”
Applejack’s hand was firm and didn't budge from her arm. She instead wrapped her free arm closely around Rarity and stroked her back gently. Several shivers made their way through Rarity at the touch and, holding back a moan, she turned to face away from her friend, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks.
“I’m-” trying to find her voice she shook her head. “I'm fine, darling.”
“Ya sounded like you were whimperin’ or somethin’, and then I heard ya yell my name. What were ya dreamin’ about that had you so worked up?”
Rarity let out a breath and shook herself from Applejack’s grasp as her senses began to clear and her mind awoke.
Fluttershy was now awake as well beside her, looking just as concerned and when Rarity looked at Applejack she saw Pinkie Pie crawling up to them.
For the amount of time she had been having the same dream, night after night, she wondered why her subconscious chose now to reveal who the mysterious lover was.
Rarity rubbed her eyes, pulling the eye mask off her head, and gave a frustrated huff.
“Really, girls, I'm fine.”
Pinkie spoke up. “Was your dream something scary?? Was Applejack saving you? Ohh, or were you saving Applejack??”
“Listen. I'm alright- I”
She hesitated. Earlier she would have seen this as a sign to tell her friends about her dreams, maybe get their help on the matter but now that her romantic dream involved Applejack, and the fact that her friends knew she had been dreaming about Applejack, she couldn’t tell them.
Rarity knew she had to say something at least or her friends would investigate further.
“I've, um… I've been having these dreams. Quite frequently, really,”
Rarity could see the concern on their faces. It was wonderful to have such caring friends but that also came with the intrusive side of friendship, which at the moment was something she didn't need. “But it's ok. They don't, they don't really mean anything.”
She wasn't sure if she believed that herself but she didn't want them prying any more.
“It's alright, sugarcube.”
Rarity felt Applejack wrap her arm around her shoulder again and she closed her eyes. More so to help keep her concentration on anything but the warmth and touch of her friend.
“The dream is over.”
Rarity let out a bittersweet laugh.
“Dreams usually mean something.” She opened her eyes to see Sunset scooting over next to the ever growing group of concerned friends. “Especially if they’re happening so frequently.”
“And if you ever need to talk to us about it, I'm sure we'd all be willing to help.” Fluttershy gave her a small smile.
“Thank you, girls, really.”
Applejack must have sensed her uncertainty of the situation and turned to the other girls.
“I think we should all get back to sleep.” She looked at Rarity and gave her a small smile.
The girls all gave Rarity a small squeeze on the hand and went back to their respective sleeping areas, but Applejack lingered, keeping her own hand on the small of Rarity’s back.
“Hey,”
Rarity looked at Applejack and felt herself blushing at the attention. She dearly hoped the darkness of the room concealed her coloring cheeks.
“Are ya sure you’re alright?”
With the others turned away, Rarity could feel the magnetism that Applejack had on her when they were alone. She stared at her for a moment through the dim light, looking at her freckle dusted cheeks and honest emotion in her vivid green eyes.
Rarity was struck by the fact she had never realized this before. This girl was a vision. She felt herself almost drawn closer as her hand came up between them, wanting to touch her beautiful face. With one breath she was brought back to reality and put her hand against her chest, smiling.
“Yes, darling.” She felt the hand on her back pull away. “Thank you.”
With a nod of her head, and what Rarity thought could have been a blush, Applejack removed herself and headed back to her sleeping bag. Rarity watched her retreat, but before she turned away, Applejack looked back, paused briefly, then smiled.
She smiled back, still blushing and moved to lay down.
With the mystery of her unknown dream lover now over, it opened the door to more questions. Rarity wondered if she could really feel that way about one of her closest friends and if her dream was her subconscious telling her what she wanted in reality. She wasn’t sure what that meant for the future.