//------------------------------// // Your Star // Story: Unintended // by Vargras //------------------------------// "Spot for the meteor shower - check!" Twilight Sparkle's horn softly glowed as her magic held the list and pencil aloft, and she checked off the item upon the list. She had returned to her favorite stargazing spot for this night, and it was the very same hill she and her friends had stood upon when they had watched the same meteor shower many months ago. It was far from the lights of Ponyville, and was fairly tall as well - perfect for an occasion such as this. "Blanket to lay upon - check!" All it had taken was a brief stop by Rarity's, and the fashionista had managed to whip a new blanket together in just a few short minutes. It was fairly simple, consisting of nothing more than a white and purple checkerboard pattern, but all the lavender mare had wanted was something to keep her from laying upon the grass. The ground could get colder than most thought during the night, especially once dew had begun to form, and a mere blanket would be enough to keep her warm and comfortable. "Telescope and snacks - check and check!" It had been a bit of a hassle, but she had managed to drag her telescope, a basket full of snacks and drinks, and the blanket out to the hill. While it may have seemed like overkill to some, the unicorn had every intention of being out there for several hours, and that meant dragging along the necessary supplies. A blanket would keep her comfy, a telescope would help her watch, and the snacks and drinks would keep her belly full throughout the entire meteor shower. She had even remembered to pack some extras within the basket, in case any of her friends came along. Twilight proceeded towards the next item on the list, and her ears flattened slightly. "Applejack... not check." She had heeded Big Macintosh's advice, and had asked Applejack out in the most subtle way she could think of, but now that plan looked as if it would fail to bear any fruit. The orange earth pony had said she would attend if she could, but she made it sound as if she was going to be awfully busy, and it now seemed doubtful that she would even show up. Twilight closed her eyes briefly as she conjured forth a clock, and she frowned as she read it. "...10:46." With a sigh, she dispelled the magical clock and took a seat upon the blanket, setting both the list and pencil down beside herself. She knew not whether Applejack would even show up at this point, but all she could really do at this point was one thing. Wait. ----- She couldn't recall the last time she had ever run this hard, or this fast - not even the various hazards of the Trial of Earth had pushed her this much, and yet Applejack pressed onwards. The orange earth pony had thrown herself into a full gallop immediately after leaving the Sky High and Soarin' behind, and she hadn't slowed down since, nor did she intend to ever do so. That had been miles ago, though, and she should have been out of breath by now, yet no such thing ever happened. Her muscles neither ached nor burned, and her lungs never once strained for air. Something was driving her ever onwards, and she still wasn't sure if she had herself to thank, or if it were some unseen force. Applejack tossed the thought aside, and managed to increase her pace even further. It was a speed that surely would have left Rainbow Dash in the dust at the Running of the Leaves, but that was then. This was now. The earth pony's breakneck pace, in addition to her own steady and methodical galloping, had continually worked her braided mane and tail loose, but she didn't have the time to worry about things as trivial as her appearance - Applejack winced slightly as a bead of sweat made its way into her eye, and she quickly shook it off. At the very least, the night had been cool enough to greatly alleviate the strain of her running such a distance. Had she done this during the day, she had no doubt in her mind that she would have been sweating profusely, and likely would have been on the brink of dehydration. To feel the breeze running through her mane, however, had been a great relief, and it was enough to keep the sweat at bay as she galloped through the outskirts of Ponyville. Though much of the town had already gone dark for the night, some homes still remained lit up, partially lighting Applejack's path as she journeyed onward. It all felt a bit eerie, to say the least - a situation such as this greatly resembled the nightmares she once had about waking up alone in Ponyville, with not a soul in sight. Those days had long since passed, though, and it had all been because of Twilight. Twilight. The orange mare's thoughts drifted back to that night together in the tent, when she had revealed more about herself to a friend than she dared tell most of her family. Such a thing had been deeply personal, an old and bitter secret that she had kept buried for countless years, and yet she dug it up for the lavender mare and nopony else. The 'why' hadn't surprised her - she trusted Twilight implicitly, and she knew that the same was returned in kind. Around Twilight, she felt safe, comfortable, and at peace. No, what had surprised Applejack was what ensued immediately afterwards. In her time of need, when she openly wept, Twilight Sparkle had embraced her and held her close. She had loved her unconditionally, from one friend to another. As the earth pony made her way into Ponyville's square, she allowed herself to stop for the first time since leaving the bar, and she panted as she leaned against a lamp post. Her race across the countryside had completely torn the braids loose, and her mane and tail both gently billowed in the breeze. It had been far too long since she had felt the wind move through her hair so easily, and she let out a soft sigh as she slumped onto the ground. "Alright, jus' takin' a quick break, then we gotta get movin' agai-" The strum of a lyre broke the silence, and Applejack quickly looked up at the source of the sound. Sitting upon the steps of the town hall was a lone unicorn mare with a mint green coat, singing softly as she played along. I set my sail fly the wind it will take me back to my home, sweet home Applejack let out a quiet gasp, her eyes widening as she quickly realized that the song being played was the very same one from her dreams. The orange mare began to cautiously approach the steps, her eyes never leaving the musician. Lie on my back clouds are making way for me I'm coming home, sweet home I see your star you left it burning for me Mother, I'm here The lyre gently bobbed up and down, held aloft by the unicorn's magic as she continued to strum and sing, and her eyes never once opened - it was clear that she took great pride in her music, and was focusing every bit of her concentration upon it. Her hoof deftly moved across the strings of the lyre, playing out several somber notes as the song carried onwards. Eyes open wide feel your heart and it's glowing I'm welcome home, sweet home The earth pony had since taken a seat in front of the steps, her mane covering much of her face as she sat in silence. As curious as she was to know just where the unicorn had heard the song, such a performance was best left uninterrupted. I take your hoof now you'll never be lonely not when I'm home, sweet home I see your star, you left it burning for me Mother, I'm here The musician gave her lyre one last strum, gently setting her instrument down at her side - and quickly opening her eyes upon hearing the sound of hooves clapping together. The mint green unicorn blinked, momentarily surprised by the sudden show of praise, and replied in a manner rather befitting given the situation. "...thank you? I wasn't really planning on having an audience tonight." "Oh! Awful sorry. Didn' mean ta sneak up on ya." Applejack grinned sheepishly in return, and lowered her head slightly. "I jus'... heard th' song you were playin', an' I recognized it." "Did you now?" The unicorn's horn briefly glowed as she moved her instrument into a nearby saddlebag, and she was quick to turn her attention back to the earth pony. "It's not often heard around these parts. Rather simple to play and sing, but I enjoy it - I like the message behind it." "Ya mind if I ask where ya learned it?" The musician smiled faintly and pointed a hoof towards the west. "It was some sheet music from Apploosa, a gift from a fan. The song used to be pretty big amongst the settlers, from what I understand." Applejack leaned forwards slightly, her mane shifting as a breeze ran through the town. "An' now?" "Not so much. It isn't played that often anymore - 'too sad' is usually the excuse, but I simply think they're interpreting the song wrong." "So, uh... what do ya think it means?" The earth pony peered up at the musician, and a pair of orange eyes looked back in kind. "I think it's about returning home. Not to the mother the song refers to, but... somepony else. Friends, family, somepony you love. Even 'home' itself could mean any number of things. It's a fantastic piece, and it's a shame it isn't played more often." The musician leaned against one of the posts of the town hall, sprawling her legs out in front of herself as she sat on her haunches - as unnatural as it looked, she still appeared to be rather comfortable. "Though, I do have to ask... what are you doing out at this time of the night?" Applejack sighed and hesitated briefly as she searched for the best way she could phrase it. "I'm... chasin' mah dreams. What about you?" "Ahh, chasing your dreams. Aren't we all." The mint green mare grinned and slowly shook her head. "I'm still chasing after my own. One day, I'll be in Canterlot, playing in front of crowds and finishing my performances to thunderous applause as I get showered with roses. It's... taking longer than I'd like, but I'm getting there. And you?" "...well, uh... I jus' wanna have that storybook endin' that every filly gets told. Ya know, settle down somewhere nice with that somepony special. I've already got the somepony special sorted out... I think. I jus' hope I ain't too late." The unicorn smiled softly and nodded. "A noble goal. I wish you the best of luck." "Thanks, an'... you too. Ya never answered mah other question, though." The earth pony cocked her head slightly, her mane drifting away from her face ever so slightly. "A simple bout of insomnia. Nothing more. From the sounds of things, though, you already sound a bit in a hurry. I won't keep you any longer." Applejack nodded and got to her hooves, turning and beginning to walk away before stopping herself and turning around once more. "Ya know, I never caught yer name." The unicorn smiled as her saddlebag gently bobbed up and down at her side, her orange eyes affixed upon the earth pony. "Lyra." ----- The lavender mare flopped over onto her side, rolling onto her back and looking up at the night sky. The meteor shower had yet to start, but that didn't mean that she couldn't admire what was already there, and Twilight was already beginning to pick out the various constellations that dotted the heavens above. "There's Cassiopeia... Cepheus..." The unicorn held one of her hooves in the air, tracing the outline of each constellation as she found them. "Perseus and Andromeda... let's see, what else..." The sound of shifting grass caused her to quickly turn and sit up, a large smile upon her face as she went to greet what she assumed to be Applejack. Instead, there was nothing - the wind had merely rustled the blades of grass. Her ears flattened and she lay upon the blanket once more, her horn briefly glowing as she conjured forth the clock. "11:14." She sighed as she ceased the spell, rolling onto her back and gazing up at the sky once more, and her thoughts quickly began to roam as she picked out even more constellations. Twilight knew it was dangerous to make assumptions, especially considering how scientific she could be at times, but love was... different. All previous attempts at explaining it had failed - she knew that chemistry and pheromones were involved, but if that was all it took, then everypony would love everypony else. Such a thing simply did not happen. No, there was something more. Love was... a bond, both physical and spiritual. It was an unspoken connection, incredibly durable and also quite powerful. While friendship may have been magic, as her studies and own experiences had proven, love was something else entirely - the two simply could not begin to compare. As happy as she was when she saw her friends or spent time with them, nothing could compare to the elation she felt whenever she saw Applejack. Any afternoons the two spent with one another were some of the happiest days Twilight had ever experienced, and she wanted nothing more than to experience those same moments over and over. It wasn't infatuation, that much she knew. Infatuation was ephemeral and often purely physical, and though the unicorn certainly thought of Applejack as being attractive, there was more at work than just appearances. It was the earth pony's personality that made her so special in Twilight's eyes - she was extraordinarily hardworking, trusting, loyal, and honest. Not only that, but she cared deeply for her family and those closest to her. That much had certainly been evident while the two of them were on their journey for the fruit, and they both had a level of trust and understanding that the others still couldn't quite comprehend, even after all these months. That raised another question, however. Assuming Applejack showed up and was willing to give things a try... how would they even explain it to the others? Several of her friends all had their respective crushes, but none of them had yet to actually date anypony. Assuming the date worked out, she and Applejack would have to tell Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash sooner or later - a secret such as that couldn't be kept forever. To make matters even worse, she would also have to tell Spike. The baby dragon was intensely curious, and it was likely that Applejack would be coming over to the library much more often. And then there were her parents, Night Light and Twilight Velvet - they had always teased her when she was a foal, telling tales of how she would one day find her prince to sweep her off her hooves. She simply had to explain that the 'prince' was actually a 'princess', but they had always been deeply understanding, and their daughter's happiness had always been their primary concern. Those were assumptions, though. If Applejack didn't show up, or if she wasn't willing to try being more than friends, then all of it was moot. They would still be friends of course, but they wouldn't become anything more. As disappointing as that might be, it was still an acceptable outcome to her. With a sigh, she picked out another constellation and continued to wait. "Circinus..." ----- The orange earth pony had already left both Lyra and the town square far behind herself, and it didn't take long for her to reach the same gallop she carried herself with earlier. It seemed to be a recurring theme that evening for others to talk about their own hopes and dreams, and it did nothing but feed the fire within her. Spurred onwards, Applejack galloped off into the night, her mane whipping about in the wind as she headed towards the same hill she and the others had used the last time they all went stargazing together - if there was anywhere Twilight Sparkle would be, that was it. It had been rather surreal to both hear the song from her dreams and to find out that it was, in fact, quite real. This wasn't something she had simply conjured up. It actually existed, which meant that at some point or another within her life, she had heard it. She simply didn't know where. Even now, the song played within her head, a combination of both the dream's version and Lyra's version. It formed a duet of sorts, and as the lyrics and notes of the song played out, she drove herself onwards, the soft and somber melodies keeping her company as she pressed herself to go faster. I set my sail fly the wind it will take me back to my home, sweet home Lie on my back clouds are making way for me I'm coming home, sweet home I see your star you left it burning for me Mother, I'm here She knew full-well that she was racing against time itself at this point, and Applejack had every intention of being there in time for the meteor shower. She simply wanted to be there at Twilight's side, so the two of them could watch the spectacle together. After all, Applejack knew her friend quite well - if there was anything Twilight especially loved, it was astronomy. This event meant quite a lot to the lavender mare, and given how quiet it was bound to be, it would be the perfect opportunity for Applejack to tell the full truth about what had been going on as of late. Eyes open wide feel your heart and it's glowing I'm welcome home, sweet home Off in the distance, sitting atop the hill and illuminated by the pale light of Luna's moon, sat a lavender silhouette. A smile slowly began to creep across Applejack's face, and she gave her body one last push as she desperately tried to bring the figure closer to herself. "Jus' hold on, Twi. I'm comin' home." I take your hoof now you'll never be lonely not when I'm home, sweet home I see your star, you left it burning for me Mother, I'm here As the song slowly went silent within her mind, she steadily made her way to the top of the hill, and the crunching of grass beneath her hooves caused Twilight Sparkle to turn and face her, a wide grin upon her face. Applejack returned it in kind and she slowed her pace as she neared the blanket, walking slowly and panting as she caught her breath. "How... howdy, Twilight." The lavender mare was quick to wave a hoof, beckoning the earth pony to take a seat beside her. "You look completely exhausted, AJ... c'mere." Applejack eagerly did as told, walking onto the blanket and collapsing beside Twilight Sparkle. She let out a faint groan as she finally gave her legs a rest, and she tossed a wayward glance at the basket - now that she had actually stopped running, she began to realize just how dry and sore her throat was. "Any water in there, Twi?" "Mhm!" Twilight's horn glowed softly as she opened up the basket, pulling a bottle of water out for her companion and opening it for her. "You know, I'm glad you came, AJ. I wouldn't want you to miss this." The orange earth pony was already busy chugging out of the water bottle, but she nearly coughed and gagged upon hearing Twilight speak. The dream was almost beginning to seem prophetic at this point. First the song had ended up being real, and now this? Without even realizing what she was saying, Applejack set the bottle down and turned to face the unicorn. "I wouldn' miss this fer th' world, sugarcube." "We've got the perfect night for this too. Not too hot, not too cold, not a cloud in the sky... conditions are completely ideal for stargazing. And it's just the two of us." "Ya didn' invite anypony else ta come watch this with ya?" Applejack raised an eyebrow at Twilight, and a blush quickly showed up upon the unicorn's face as her ears flattened. "...well, no." "Why not?" "Because I..." Twilight hesitated for a moment and nervously gave her lip a bit before continuing. "...I wanted to talk to you about something. Just the two of us. Nopony else." Applejack brought a hoof up to her face to brush her mane aside, and she crossed her forelegs as she looked back at the unicorn. While she was distracted with her mane, Twilight had scooted over a bit closer to her, still leaving a bit of a gap between the two of them. "What's on yer mind, Twi?" "Well... an awful lot as of late, really. Your brother helped out quite a bit, though." "Macintosh helped ya? When?" "While we were um... on the date." The unicorn let out a soft sigh and tapped her front hooves together. "We spent the entire time talking, and he helped me figure out an awful lot about myself. Walked me through some things I've been feeling, and he... sorta gave me the push to do something I've been meaning to do for a while." The orange earth pony raised an eyebrow once more, peering at her companion. "So uh... what is it you've been meanin' ta do?" "I'm getting to that, AJ. Basically, he... told me a bit of a story, and explained some things. It turns out that some of the feelings I've been having are actually perfectly normal, and it happens all the time, which was a relief. It's... complicated, Applejack." "Well c'mon now. We've known each other fer a while, an' if there's anypony ya can talk to about it, it's me." Twilight Sparkle sighed once more, looking up and staring the earth pony in the eyes. "We've been through an awful lot, you and I. We journeyed to the ends of the earth, fought off bandits and met spirits, and saved one another, all for a piece of magical fruit. But... we did it, and we were there for each other throughout all of it. We became the best of friends, Applejack." "That we did, Twi... I get th' feelin' there's more ta this, though." "There is. It's just... well... you've done a lot for me. More than you probably realize. You were the first pony I truly met when I came to Ponyville, and ever since that day, you really have been the 'loyalest and most dependable pony'. You always seem to be the first pony willing to lend a helping hoof, and it was your own determination that kept me going a lot of times during our journey. But... ever since we've been back, I've been... different. I smile and laugh a lot more. I'm less stressed out. I'm... happy. I'm the happiest I've ever been in my entire life, and it's all because of... because of you." The lavender mare blushed furiously and quickly looked away from the earth pony at her side. Applejack leaned over slightly as she tried to get a peek at Twilight's face, but it was impossible to do so from this angle. Another breeze gently moved across the hill, causing her mane to billow once more. "...Twi?" "You've probably never realized it, but... you have no idea just how much I look forward to spending time with you each day. I'm always happiest whenever I'm with you. It doesn't matter what we're doing, I just... like to be around you. You actually make me feel appreciated, and I... I just can't get you out of my head. I'm almost always thinking about you, and... I don't want it to end. Ever. I want every day to feel like this." The unicorn turned back towards the earth pony, the blush still present upon her face. "There. I said it. That's everything." The earth pony had one hoof placed over her mouth, not out of disgust, but out of shock - as eerie as it was, her dream about the field was coming true. Applejack cocked her head and stared over at the blushing unicorn. "Twi, are... are you sayin' what I think yer sayin'?" "...yes. Yes I am." Twilight quickly turned to face Applejack, and in spite of her blush, she put on the most determined face she could manage. "I... I love you. I know you probably think I'm an idiot for saying it, but... there you go." To admit such a thing took a tremendous amount of courage, and yet, Twilight Sparkle actually seemed a bit hurt by her own words. She had already shifted her focus away from Applejack, and was currently staring at the blanket, her ears flattened and her blush more visible than it had been before. The earth pony reached a hoof over to the lavender mare, a faint smile upon her face as she gently pulled Twilight's face back towards herself. "Twilight... I don' think yer an idiot. That was actually really brave of ya." Even after having her muzzle pulled so she directly faced Applejack, the unicorn did her very best to avoid eye contact. "But I am an idiot... I just told you right to your face that I loved you." "Twi, look at me." Applejack moved herself towards Twilight, leaving mere inches between the two of them, and though the unicorn was initially hesitant to do as told, she soon brought her violet eyes up towards the earth pony. "Yer a lot more brave than ya think. You did somethin' I haven' been able ta do. You fessed up about yer feelings, an' you've been honest. I... haven' been. Not ta you, or mahself." The lavender mare raised an eyebrow, the blush slowly beginning to fade from her face. "...What do you mean?" "Well, when ya asked Big Mac out, I... I got jealous. I was already feelin' kinda iffy on things, but when ya went an' asked him out on th' date, it... kinda hurt, so I had Rainbow set me up with Soarin' ta try an' get back at ya. That's... sorta why I told ya that I wasn' sure if I'd be here tonight - the date with him was th' same night as this." "But... shouldn't you still be on the date?" Applejack answered simply enough, a faint grin upon her face. "I left." "You... you left a date with a Wonderbolt, to come to this? Why?" "Because I saw how wrong I was, an' I finally figured it all out. Mah dreams, mah emotions... all of it. It all comes down ta th' same thing, time an' time again - it all comes down ta you. You've been there fer me, no matter what. You didn' hesitate ta help when Granny Smith got sick, an' ya kept me company during some of th' hardest times of mah life. An' then when we got back here... well, you weren' th' only one that looked forward to our lil' get-togethers. Twi, fer once in mah life, I feel wanted. I feel like somepony actually cares about me. I've spent so much of mah life runnin' an' bein' alone - I'm tired of it." "S-so... um..." Twilight inched towards Applejack, closing the gap and causing their bodies to lightly press against one another. "Does that mean...?" The orange mare brought her muzzle closer to her companion's, a faint smile upon her face. "Twilight... I want you. I need you." "...so are we... dating now?" The unicorn blushed furiously, causing Applejack to snicker and give her a teasing grin in return. "I dunno, sugarcube... ya might have ta ask me out first." "Oh. Um..." Twilight softly coughed to clear her throat, and then locked eyes with the earth pony. "...Applejack, will you go out with me?" Applejack leaned forward and gave the unicorn's cheek a nuzzle. "Gladly. Gotta seal the deal now, darlin'." "...darling?" "If we're gonna be datin', I think ya deserve a special nickname. You don' mind, do ya?" "Oh, no! Not at all! I... I kinda like it, actually. It's cute." Twilight grinned sheepishly in return, her heart already sent aflutter from this latest turn of events. "But... how am I supposed to 'seal the deal'?" "We both do somethin' we've been meanin' ta do fer an awful long time." Applejack grinned slyly, and it didn't take long at all for Twilight Sparkle to realize just what it was she was hinting at. The first meteor streaked overhead, but at this moment, it was pointless for either to wish upon a falling star - their wishes had already been granted. From their spot upon the hill, and underneath a cascade of fire and rock, the newly-formed couple leaned towards one another and shared their first true kiss.