//------------------------------// // Advice and Correspondance // Story: Star-Crossed // by Enter Madness //------------------------------//         Applejack sat at a writing desk situated in the corner of her room. The sun was setting outside, casting Sweet Apple Acres alight with fiery red and orange hues. There was commotion downstairs as Apple Bloom came home, but Applejack barely noticed. She glanced out the window, the world blurred by the tears in her eyes. She blinked and the salty droplets fell from her face and stained the parchment sitting in front of her. In her mouth she gripped a quill, and there were five words scribbled on the paper.          Dear Rainbow Dash,         I’m sorry.          Applejack crumpled the paper in disgust and threw it onto the ever-growing pile of discarded letters. Why was it so hard to write this letter? Every time Applejack thought of her sky-blue pegasus, her heart started to race and a warm feeling blossomed in her chest. Then, inevitably, she would remember that Rainbow Dash was royalty, and her feelings would go plummeting back down.          Still, Applejack had made a promise, and she kept her promises. She rolled out another piece of parchment, wet her quill with ink, and started writing.          Dear Rainbow Dash,         I’m sorry.          Her quill stopped, refusing to budge any further no matter how hard she glared at it. Applejack flung the quill down and cried out in frustration, sweeping the desk clean with one swift motion of her hooves. The inkwell shattered on the ground, staining the floorboards with the midnight liquid, but Applejack didn’t care. Her head was buried in her hooves and hot tears were starting to flow.          There was a soft knock at her door.          “Go away,” Applejack said. “I don’t wanna see nopony.”          She heard the door creak open and looked to see Granny Smith standing in the threshold.          “Apple Bloom said she heard you cryin,’” the old mare said. “You wanna tell me what’s wrong?”          Applejack wiped the tears from her eyes and adorned a plastic smile. “Nothing’s wrong, Granny. I’m fine.”          “You are the worst liar I ever did see, Applejack. Now come on, come sit down and tell Granny Smith what’s got my grandchild so upset.” The old mare carefully started to make her way to Applejack’s bed at a snail’s pace. Applejack shook her head and helped her grandmother to the bed, sitting down beside her. “Now,” Granny Smith continued. “What’s got my little Jackie so glum?”          “Granny, do you remember how you and Pappy Smith met?” Applejack asked, squeezing her brow with her hoof.          “Your grandpa? Haven’t I told you this story before?”          “Can ah hear it one more time, please?”          “Well, alright. I remember that it was a Tuesday, because I was goin’ into town to buy groceries for the ever-expanding Apple family. It was a number of years after my grandpappy had founded Ponyville, and it had become a right nice little town. Your pappy was new in town, and I’ll never forget the first time I saw him. He was chasin’ after a pig that he had just bought, racin’ this way and that, always one step behind this feisty little hog. Then, when it seemed like he was catchin’ up, the pig took off right as he dove after it.  He landed right smack dab in the biggest mud puddle in town!” Granny Smith animated this action wildly, making Applejack giggle despite herself. “I walked right up to him and when he caught sight of me he said, ‘my first day in a new town and I embarrass myself in front of the prettiest mare in the place.’ We was wed not two months later.”          “Two months? Don’t that seem a little, ah dunno, fast?” Applejack asked.          “Child, when you’re in love, ain’t no such thing as too fast. Why the sudden interest in love, Jackie? You met somepony?”          “Yes. No. I don’t know, maybe,” Applejack responded.          “It ain’t that salespony from town, is it? Daven-somethin’-or-other?”          “No Granny, it ain’t Davenport. It’s, uh, a m…” She trailed off.          “What was that? Yer gonna have to speak up, dearie.”          Applejack took a deep breath. “I met a mare,” she said, avoiding Granny Smith’s gaze. She was certain that her elder would frown upon such things, no matter how common it was.          “Jackie, I didn’t know your barn door swung that way,” Granny Smith said.          “Granny!” Applejack could feel her face grow hot.          Granny Smith laughed. “Don’t worry child, I had my fair share of flings with mares when I was your age. Love don’t care what parts ya got; that’s what makes it love.” She paused. “It ain’t that tailor, is it?”          “Rarity!? No, trust me Granny, it ain’t Rarity. I met a mare when ah went to Canterlot fer the Summer Sun Celebration. I promised ah’d write her letters, but when ah try, ah just can’t seem to make myself. She’s royalty, a duke’s daughter, and we just can’t be together.” Applejack cast her eyes down to the ground.          “Do you love her?”          The question caught Applejack off guard, and she thought for a long while. Did she love Rainbow Dash? Or did she feel this way because it was exciting and new and fresh? Did all relationships feel this way, or just the first one? How was she supposed to know what to feel, how to act? Thoughts of the pegasus still made Applejack feel warm and fuzzy and made her heart beat faster. Was that all love was?          “I don’t know,” she answered truthfully. “But ah’ll be darned if ah’m not gonna find out.”          Granny Smith smiled. “I’ll get some more ink,” she said. “You’ve got a letter to write.” (*)          “It’s not fair, Twilight! Can you believe that monster did that to me in the middle of the festival? And in front of Applejack!? How could he be so cruel?”          Rainbow Dash was sitting on a cushion in front of her vanity, not paying attention to her reflection. Twilight Sparkle sat behind her, levitating a brush with her magic and running it through her friend’s messy, chromatic mane.          Twilight rolled her eyes. The Lady Dash had been talking non-stop of how much of a monster her father was, and how cruel he had been, and about Applejack, whoever that was. Twilight had listened patiently, nodding and agreeing when appropriate, but enough was enough.          “Lady,” she said, “I want to help you, I really do, but it would help if you actually told me what happened instead of just complaining about it.”          Lady Dash sighed. “You’re right, Twilight.” She took a deep breath and told Twilight what had happened at the Summer Sun Celebration, about how she met Applejack, and the talks they shared, and how the earth pony made her feel like she had never felt before, like she could do anything she wanted with Applejack at her side. Whenever she was with Applejack, her father and the castle all seemed so far away, and she could just forget about her troubles, if only for a little while. Then her thoughts turned dark as she recounted how her father had split them apart and threatened Applejack, how he probably scared her off and now Rainbow Dash would never see her again.          “Wow, Lady, I didn’t know. I mean, I’ve never been in love before, but I have read several books on the subject, and what you’re describing does sound identical to the phenomena that most ponies claim to feel when they’re in love.”          “Oh Twilight, you have no idea. Whenever I was with her, everything just seemed brighter. I want desperately to see her again, but ever since the Celebration, my father has kept me under lock and key in my room. He even barred the window,” she said, gesturing toward the iron caging covering her previous escape route. She slammed her forehead down on her vanity. “Now I’ll never see her again.” Rainbow Dash started sobbing softly to herself.          Twilight started rubbing the Lady’s back with her hoof. “Shhhh, it’ll be alright, Lady. I’m sure you’ll get to see her again. Maybe you can write her a letter,” she suggested.          “My father would never allow it,” Rainbow responded, head still on the vanity. “He checks all of my mail, incoming and outgoing. Even if Applejack kept her promise and wrote me a letter a week, I would never get them. Celestia damn him! Why can’t he just keep himself out of my life?”          “I could take the letter to her,” Twilight said suddenly, hoping to cut off another rant about the tyranny of the Lady’s father.          Rainbow Dash perked up. “You would do that for me?”          “Of course I would, Lady. You’re my best friend, and I’ll do anything I can to help this love along.”          Rainbow Dash swept Twilight into a big hug, tears of sadness transforming into tears of joy. “Oh, thank you thank you thank you! You have no idea how much this means to me!”          “Can’t… breathe…”          “Sorry,” Rainbow Dash said, releasing her tutor from her iron grip. Twilight took in a big gulp of air, but she was smiling.          “I’ll get some quills,” she said. “You’ve got a letter to write.” (*)          “Fer the last time, Rarity, I told ya’ll I don’t wanna go to the spa.”          Applejack was sitting in a small café in Ponyville called The Cup. She didn’t particularly like the place, but the mare sitting across from her loved it, and  Applejack usually ended up doing what Rarity wanted. It was a small restaurant run by a friendly enough couple, and it only seated about twenty ponies. The stark-white mare flipped her impeccable purple mane to the side with a wave of her head and looked at Applejack with big doe eyes.          “Applejack, darling, I simply don’t understand why you won’t come to the spa with Fluttershy and me every so often. It would do wonders for your complexion, and it’s tremendously therapeutic. I find it impossible to worry about anything when in Aloe and Lotus’s company.”          Applejack sighed. She hated to admit it, but maybe a day at the spa was what she needed to get her mind off of her troubles. She had sent her letter to Rainbow Dash almost two weeks ago, but had gotten no reply. Every day she checked her mailbox, and every day was another bitter disappointment.          “Alright,” she consented. “I’ll go to the spa with ya’ll, but just this once. And no girly-talk, ya hear?”          Rarity squealed with delight. “I can promise no such thing,” she said.          “Fine,” Applejack said. She narrowed her eyes at her friend. “By the way, what’s wrong with my complexion?”          Rarity put on a fake smile and glanced around nervously. She held her hoof up to her face as if checking a watch. “Oh, would you look at my hoof, I’m late for picking up Fluttershy! Meet us at the spa in one hour, dearie, and please don’t be late!” With that, Rarity dashed out of The Cup, leaving a very confused Applejack in her wake.          Exactly one hour later, Applejack was waiting outside Ponyville Spa, tapping her hoof on the ground, when she saw Rarity approaching with their pegasus friend Fluttershy. She was a butter-yellow color, with a pink mane that hung over her face. The two mares were conversing as they approached.          “Well it’s about time. I thought you said one hour,” Applejack said.          Rarity glanced up at the clock tower, which had just started to chime for one o’clock. “And we’re right on time,” she said. “Shall we?”          Rarity used her magic to hold the door open for her friends and the trio stepped into the spa.          “The usual please, ladies, thank you,” Rarity said to the two mares waiting behind the counter. Applejack reached into her satchel for some bits, but Rarity stopped her. “I ah ah,” she said. “I insist that I pay. After all, I’m the one who invited you.”          “Gee, thanks Rarity. That’s mighty generous of you.” Applejack smiled a genuine smile.          “Think nothing of it dear,” Rarity respoded, returning the expression. “Same for you, Fluttershy.”          “Oh, you don’t have to do that Rarity, I—”          Rarity cut the pegasus off. “No, I insist.”          Fluttershy didn’t protest. Soon the mares were led from the lobby to the steam room, where they each received two towels.          “What’re these for?” Applejack asked.          Rarity looked at her like she was dumb. “Why, for covering yourself, of course.”          “Why?” Applejack responded.          “Somepony has to remain modest.”          “But we don’t even wear clothes.”          “Oh Applejack, you have so much to learn about the ways of the spa.” Rarity wrapped a towel around her waist and around her head before entering the sauna. Fluttershy followed her example and Applejack muttered something about “girly nonsense” before going in herself.          Whatever doubts Applejack had about the spa were shattered the moment she sat down in the steam room. She could feel the tension melting off her muscles and bones, and relaxation seeping into every pore on her body. A goofy grin formed on her face as she slouched against the wall, all of her cares disappearing in a puff of steam.          Her thoughts drifted to Rainbow Dash. Normally when she had thought of the pegasus over the last week her thoughts turned sour, but now, in the relaxing atmosphere of the sauna, all she could seem to think about was the things she liked about the mare. Fluttershy and Rarity were carrying on a conversation about something, but Applejack wasn’t paying attention. Then she heard her name.          “Huh, uh, what?” she said, shaking herself from her stupor.          “I was simply asking Fluttershy here if she was interested in anypony around Ponyville when I noticed you were looking a bit flushed. Is everything alright, dear?”          “Yeah Rarity, I’m fine. Everything’s fine.”          “Applejack, you are a terrible liar. I noticed that something was on your mind at the café and decided not to push it, but I am your friend and it is my duty to help my friends in any way I can. Tell me what’s wrong.” It was a command, albeit a gentle one.          Applejack thought for a moment. Maybe advice was what she needed, and who better to give it than Rarity? At the very least, talking about it might help her feel better.          “I, well, I met somepony.”          What followed was the second squeal Applejack had heard from Rarity that day. “Oh, Applejack, that’s nothing to be upset over! Who is it? Is it Davenport?”          “Why does everypony think I’m in love with Davenport?”          “Okay, not Davenport. Well, spill it! Who is it? Do I know him?”          “Uh, her actually. She’s a mare, and no, you don’t know her. I met her up in Canterlot when I went to the Summer Sun Celebration a few weeks back.”          “Applejack, that’s wonderful! It’s about time you met somepony. But why the long face over it, dear?”          “Well, we got separated. Her dad’s a duke, and—”          “You fell in love with royalty!? That’s... that’s so... romantic...” Rarity swooned, trailing off and staring at nothing with an awed look in her eyes.          Applejack waved a hoof in front of her eyes. “Uh, Rarity? You okay?”          “Oh no, not again,” Fluttershy said.          “This’s happened before?” Applejack asked.          Fluttershy nodded. “Whenever something is too romantic, sometimes Rarity just can’t take it and she shuts down. Don’t worry, though, I can usually snap her out of it if I yell loud enough.”          Fluttershy leaned down to Rarity’s ear and let out the most pitiful excuse for a yell that Applejack had ever heard. She’d heard mice yell louder.          “Sorry Applejack, I guess we’ll just have to wait for her to come around on her own,” Fluttershy said.          “How long will that take?”          “Usually about an hour or so.”          Applejack sighed. She couldn’t wait an hour for Rarity to wake up from her romance-induced coma. “I hope this works,” she said before slapping Rarity across the face with her hoof.          “Applejack!” Fluttershy gasped, but nopony heard her, because at that moment Rarity snapped out of her stupor and tackled Applejack, nearly knocking the farmpony over.          “Tell me everything!” she demanded.          Applejack did. Throughout the rest of their spa visit, as the ponies moved to hooficures to mud baths and face masks, the orange pony recounted everything that had occurred while she was in Canterlot. Rarity was mostly silent, Fluttershy completely so, as they listened to the story.          “…and I haven’t heard back from her yet. I’m startin’ to think that she just don’t want no part of me.” Applejack finished her story as the trio was leaving the spa.          “Nonsense,” Rarity said. “You said her father forbid you from coming to see her?”          “That’s right.”          “And that her father is controlling of every aspect of her life.”          “That’s what she told me. Where’r you goin’ with this?”          “Well, it seems obvious to me that dreadful stallion kept your letter from Rainbow Dash, not wishing you to have any contact with her whatsoever.”          Applejack kicked herself. Of course that’s what happened; it made so much sense when Rarity laid it out in front of her like that. But that presented a new problem.          “But if her dad won’t let her see my letters, then how do I talk to her?”          Rarity opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by the approach of a purple unicorn.          “Are you Applejack?” the unicorn asked.          “Yes I am. And you are?”          “Oh thank goodness, I thought I would never find you. I’m Twilight Sparkle, and I’m here on behalf of Lady Rainbow Dash of the Royal Canterlot household. I have a letter for you.”          Applejack’s heart stopped. She thought she saw Rarity faint out of the corner of her eye, but she didn’t care. This mare had a letter from the Rainbow Dash, and that was all that mattered. The world seemed to slow down as Twilight levitated the opened letter over to Applejack for her to read.          Dearest Applejack,         I miss you. I want to see you again. My heart aches and yearns for your company as it never has for any other pony, but my father keeps me trapped in my tower at all hours of the day. He reads all of my mail, so I do not even know if you sent any letters or not, but I retain hope that you did. I have instructed my good friend Twilight Sparkle to bring you this letter in hopes that you will respond in kind, so that I may know if you have moved on from me or not. Please give your response to Twilight. Love, Rainbow          Applejack’s heart was pounding. Now she knew. Rainbow Dash did still want to see her, and even thought that it was Applejack that might’ve lost interest, but nothing could be further from the truth.          Applejack had a letter to write. (*)          Lady Rainbow Dash glanced at her clock. It was 3:42 p.m.          She returned to pacing in her room in Canterlot Tower, wearing a groove in the floor. She had been pacing like this nearly all day since Twilight had gone to Ponyville to deliver her letter. She had been so sure that Applejack’s love for her was as strong as her love for Applejack, but over the last hours doubt had wormed its way into her mind. What if Applejack had moved on? What if she had written letters and, when Rainbow Dash didn’t respond, thought that Rainbow didn’t want to see her anymore? Twilight was supposed to return from Ponyville any time now, and Rainbow Dash’s anxiety grew with each passing second.          She glanced at the clock again. It was 3:43 p.m.          She cried out in frustration. Where was Twilight? Then, Rainbow heard the approach of a pony and the sound of the guard unlocking the door.          “Finally, Twilight. What did she—” The words died in the Lady’s mouth when the door opened. “Oh,” she said. “It’s you.”          Duchess Persephone Dash walked into her daughter’s room. She was skinny as a rail, to the point of almost looking sickly. She had her hair done up in a bun, strands similar in color to her daughters save for the grey streaks running through it. Her face had more wrinkles than it should’ve at her age.          “Yes, it’s me,” she said with a slight glare.          “What do you want?” Rainbow asked.          “Your father is busy, so I came to check on you,” the Duchess said.          “Well, mission accomplished. I’m fine, thanks, bye.” Rainbow Dash sat down at her vanity, pointedly ignoring her mother.          “You don’t seem fine.”          “Oh, very perceptive, mother. Where should we start?” She tapped her chin with her hoof. “I’m in a prison, for one. My father apparently despises me almost as much as I despise him, else he wouldn’t keep me in this cage. He took me away from the mare I love and threatened her against ever seeing me again. Oh, and now I have somepony who pretends to care about me asking me why I’m so miserable even though it was her husband that made me so. Satisfied?”          “You know your father is only trying to protect you,” Duchess Persephone recited. “He knows what’s best.”          Rainbow Dash scoffed. “How many times are ponies going to tell me that father is trying to help me? What is he trying to protect me from? Love? Friendship? Does he intend to keep me locked away in this Celestia-forsaken Tartarus pit for the rest of my life? How is that good for me?”          The Duchess’s nostrils flared. “You have no idea the suffering that goes on outside these walls, young lady, and I will not have you slander your father for what he does to protect you from it! Your father travels all over Equestria for his work, and he has seen what those peasants have to endure every single day of their lives. Starvation, disease, poverty, and you don’t have to worry about any of it. You should count yourself lucky.”          “Well, forgive me if I don’t feel like I’ve won a lottery.”          “Why can’t you just see reason, Rainbow Dash?”          “I was about to ask you the same thing.”          Duchess Persephone sighed. Talking to her daughter was getting her nowhere, fast. “I don’t like yelling at you, you know. Sometimes I just wish you would come around to our way of thinking for once and see that we keep you here for your own good. I’m sorry you feel this way about your situation.”          “That makes two of us.”          Persephone sighed again and went to leave, but she lingered at the door. Rainbow Dash was still scowling at her reflection in the vanity.          “I love you, Rainbow, I just want you to know that. And although you may not think so, your father loves you too,” The Duchess said.          Rainbow Dash just snorted, not seeing the pained look that flashed across her mother’s face as she left. The Lady glared at her reflection, but her gaze soon softened. She knew her mother had good intentions, but it was difficult to focus on the good when she was surrounded by the bad at all hours of the day.          It was five minutes later when Rainbow Dash heard the door being unlocked again, no doubt her mother returning to exchange more words.          “I’m sorry, mother,” she said turning to the opening door. “I just—Twilight!”          It wasn’t the Duchess, but Twilight Sparkle who was in the doorway. She was levitating a book behind her. Rainbow Dash gave her friend a hug.          “How are you?” she asked.          “I’m doing well, Lady, thank you.” The two mares went and sat on the Lady’s bed.          Rainbow Dash dropped her voice to a whisper. “Well?” she asked.          Twilight didn’t respond, instead levitating the book over to Lady Dash and opening it. An envelope fell out, unmarked save for an ink drawing of a red rose. Rainbow tore it open in a frenzy and started reading.          Dear Rainbow,         I’m not so good with words, but I’ll do my best. I just want to say that I miss you, and I want to see you again more than anything in the world. I think I’m in love with you, and I don’t want to miss the chance to find out for sure. While your friend Twilight was here, we devised a little system so that you and I can keep sending letters to each other. Please get back to me as soon as you can. Love, Applejack          Tears of joy started to form in Rainbow Dash’s eyes. The letter was everything she hadn’t dared hope it would be. She pulled Twilight into a big hug and sobbed into her friend’s shoulder.          “Are you okay Lady?” Twilight asked.          Rainbow Dash sniffed. “Never better,” she said.          Now that she knew how things between her and Applejack were, Rainbow Dash had a letter to write. (*)          Over the next few weeks, the two mares exchanged letters frequently. In order to avoid suspicion, Applejack would have Rarity send letters to Twilight, always unmarked except for the rose. Twilight would then take the letter to Rainbow Dash, and also take Rainbow’s response and mail it back to Rarity.          For weeks the mares sent letters to one another, detailing their lives and their families. Applejack told of her work on the farm, her siblings, and small-town happenings around Ponyville, while Rainbow Dash told of Canterlot high society, and any news that she could get from Twilight. They came to know each other through these letters, know each other’s hopes and dreams, their fears and weaknesses, until one day Applejack received a letter that changed everything.          Dear Applejack,         This isn’t Rainbow Dash, but Twilight Sparkle. I have a surprise for you! A new servant position has opened in the East Wing of Canterlot Castle, near where Lady Rainbow Dash lives. If you come to Canterlot, I believe I can get you the position. You would act as a maid, cleaning up messes and doing laundry and other such chores. You would earn a wage and room and board in the castle would be provided, as would your meals. Duke Ellington will be out of Canterlot on business for the next several weeks, and this would be the perfect opportunity for you and the Lady to reunite. I have not spoken to Lady Dash about it, as I didn’t want to get her hopes up. Please put your response in the envelope with your next letter. Sincerely, Twilight Sparkle          It was almost too good to be true. They would get to see each other again after all this time. Then reality struck. Applejack couldn’t just up and leave the farm; her family depended on her. Big Macintosh couldn’t buck the entire fields by himself, and Apple Bloom was too young to start working yet. But how could Applejack pass up an opportunity to see the mare she so loved? She was torn. She had been talking to Granny Smith about Rainbow Dash ever since they started sending the letters, but there was no way the old mare would let her go to Canterlot and leave the farm behind.          Applejack sat in her bed, staring at the letter like it was a snake. She sat up and took a deep breath. What would she do? Should she ask Granny Smith for permission to go to Canterlot? Applejack was certain that she loved Rainbow Dash now, but how much would that love mean to Granny? There was only one way to find out.          “Granny Smith?” Applejack called, knocking softly on the old mare’s bedroom door.          “Come in, child,” was the reply.          Applejack went in. The room was slightly larger than Applejack’s, and it had a fireplace which was currently set ablaze. Granny Smith was sitting in an old, creaky rocking chair, staring into the fire and rocking slowly back and forth          “What’s on yer mind?” she asked.          “Granny, you know how yer always tellin’ me how love’s the most important thing a pony can have? If we have a shot at love we should take it, no matter what?”          “I recall sayin’ somethin of the sort, yes.”          “Well, I got this letter from Canterlot, and Twilight Sparkle said that a servant position just opened up. She could get me the position, but I would have to live there in the castle. I know I shouldn’t leave Sweet Apple Acres, but this might be the only chance to see Rainbow Dash that I get. It’ll only be fer a few weeks, and I’ll be earnin’ a wage that ah can send back to help with expenses, so can I go? Please Granny?”          Granny Smith stopped rocking. “You really love this mare?” she asked.          “With all my heart, Granny, I swear it,” Applejack responded.          “Then of course you can go.”          Applejack was stunned for only a second before enveloping her grandmother in an enormous hug.          “Thank you,” she said through joyful tears.          “Thank me after the wedding, Jackie. You’ve still got a mare to woo.”          Applejack started packing that night. The next day, she told the rest of her family and her friends that she was leaving, but that it would only be for a few weeks. Then she wrote her response to Twilight’s letter and got a message telling her to come see the unicorn at the castle.          Before the week was out, Applejack was on her way to Canterlot.