//------------------------------//
// Torn 
// Story: The Rustic and The Romantic 
// by TheLastBrunnenG 
//------------------------------//

In the skies over Canterlot, fireworks still added their glory to Princess Luna’s already-impressive night sky long after the Royal carriage bearing Shining Armor and Princess Cadance departed for their hard-earned honeymoon.  Among the myriad blossoms of Celestia’s personal garden a snow-furred unicorn wandered slowly, aimlessly, eyes nearly closed as she inhaled a hundred floral scents in the gentle midnight breeze. Stopping to sample one of Luna’s moonflowers, the sight of golden-braid trim glinting in the moonlight caught her eye and she rounded a tall hedge to investigate.

“Applejack, what brings you to the gardens?” Rarity’s singsong voice tinkled like a bell choir as she continued, “Why aren’t you back at the party with the rest of the girls?”

The earth pony was staring up at the near-cloudless sky, away from the lights of the castle. “Well,” she drawled, “Twi an’ Fluttershy went to talk to the Princesses, Pinkie was hangin’ out with her friend DJ Three-Pone or whoever she was, an’ Dash was off flyin’ circles around them fireworks, last I saw. I think Spike ran off with them flowergirls. I been to this here garden before, an’ it’s the closest to Sweet Apple Acres I can get here in Canterlot. Smell o’ growin’ greens on the breeze, fresh soil under my hooves, clear view o’ the sky without all them bright lights blindin’ me…”

Rarity stood transfixed by the moonlight bathing Applejack. “Why, Applejack that… that’s actually quite poetic. It is indeed quite peaceful down here.” It took a few long moments before she noticed the orange mare’s signature hat had reappeared.

Applejack shook her head a bit, as if just waking, and turned to face the unicorn. “That’s my story. What brings you all the way down here? Didn’t I see you trottin’ around with that Fancypants feller? I thought you was, well... sweet on him.”

“Oh, that was just a photo opportunity. Fancypants is quite the dapper stallion, I admit, but he is quite devoted to his young Fleur. They may not be married but they may as well be - they’re positively inseparable. He was just doing me a favor - being seen with a high society gentlecolt like himself can do wonders for my Boutique, you know.” She craned her neck a bit and stared intently at the weatherworn Stetson hat. “My dear, I don’t mind that you left your garland behind, but did you know your hat is torn?”

Removing her hat in a hoof with practiced ease, the earth mare stared down at her ripped headgear with wistful eyes. “Yeah, I saw it. One o’ them changelin’ critters got a fang in it. I bucked him clear into next week but he tore my hat up in the process. Shame, this’n was a hand-me-down.”

“Bring it by the Boutique when we return to Ponyville and I’ll see what I can do.” Anticipating the response with a raised hoof, she offered, “No need to thank me, it’s the least I can do.” She put a hoof of her own on the hat and paused for a pregnant minute.  Quietly she said, “Applejack, do you think… ” For a moment words seemed to fail her when suddenly her eyes twinkled and she levitated the hat in a glowing magical grip. “Applejack, dear, I do believe I know how your hat can be greatly improved this very night, and no need to wait for a return trip to Ponyville.” With a spark from her horn and a girlish giggle she flipped the hat upwards, timing its end-over-end tumble to land perfectly atop her head, the beaten hat canted jauntily to one side. She smiled from under the brim, “Does this not look better already?”

This got a chuckle from the orange pony, “Sure does, Rares! Now, you know as sure as sugar, that there’s a special hat, so if you’d kindly return it, I’d be much obliged.” She reached out a hoof and stood back, bewildered a little, as the grinning white unicorn took a step backwards. “Playin’ keepaway? I’d expect that out a’ Rainbow Dash, but from you, Rarity?”

Her face half covered by the Stetson, the purple-maned mare smiled. “Then perhaps, dear Applejack, you weren’t expecting this either.”

Applejack’s eyes grow wide and time froze for a moment as white lips met her own, briefly, firmly, warmly, and departed just as quickly. Rarity took several steps backward and whispered, smiling, “Want your hat back? Well… come and get it!” Turning quickly on her hooves she bounded into the maze of flowers, bouncing and prancing and giggling her silver-bell laugh.

Through camellias and around terraced moonflowers Rarity hopped, sweet verbena and precious carnations narrowly avoiding being trampled under dainty white hooves.  Realizing she had not been followed, she lost her smile and looked around, silence and absence greeting her. “Applejack? ” Nopony answered, and she called again, louder, “Applejack?” Worry creased her brow as she cantered in place, muttering, “Too forward, Rarity! You could have talked to her, wooed her, asked her out like any other pony, but no, you had to steal her beloved hat and kiss her, bold as you please, unannounced and -“

Her thoughts were lost in a jumble of blossoms and gold-braid trim as a great orange thunderbolt shot out of a nearby rhododendron and tackled her. She saw the fateful hat spiraling up into the starlit sky, and she saw scraps of pink and aqua from her dress floating on the breeze, mixed with shreds of red and green. Then she saw nothing, her eyes closed as a powerful embrace and a burning kiss sank her into a floral bed.

~~~~~

Applejack stroked the purple mane draped across her chest as the two mares stared up at Luna’s celestial artwork. “Sorry about our dresses, Rares. They, uh, mighta’ gotten a little torn up here.”

Rarity sighed contentedly, her hoof caressing the blonde mane ticking her muzzle. “Fixing a few rips and cuts is simple work, love. Even if my masterwork dresses cannot be salvaged, this,” and she planted a gentle kiss on the earth mare’s neck, “this was worth a few tears.”