//------------------------------//
// Chapter four 
// Story: Southern style love 
// by Gentle-Breeze 
//------------------------------//

	Applejack lay silently crying on her bed as the harsh unforgiving sun shone outside her window. "Why cain't it just rain?" she wondered aloud, totally unaware of the white unicorn that had walked in. Rarity stared at her friend in utter shock.
"Applejack darling what ever is the matter?" she walked over to the orange earth pony and sat down by her side. She began to stroke Applejack's mane in comfort, "Tell Rarity all about it." Applejack tried to turn away but Rarity had somehow known her weak spot, and was exploiting it fully, and to her own benefit. 
"Aw Rarity the pony that I love more than anythin' in the world loves somepony else." Rarity faked a look of shock, she even added a gasp for effect.
"Oh you poor dear, I know what will cheer you up, the girls and I are putting together a picnic you should come." her cheery voice had an undertone of mischief to it, but it was left unnoticed by the orange mare.
"I don' know Rarity I'm not really...." she was cut off by the white unicorns hoof over her mouth.
"Oh nonsense you're going, I'm not taking no for an answer." Applejack sighed and sat up, hoping that the disarray that her mane was in would change Rarity's mind, but no such luck. "Oh here darling let me fix that for you." she levitated a hairbrush off of the dresser on the other side of the room and got to work, despite Applejack's protests. "Darling this will be over much quicker if you'll just stop struggling." the white unicorn chided.
"It'd be over even sooner if y'alled just take no as my answer." Applejack muttered, and gained a harsh pull on her mane for her trouble. 



"Um, Twilight are you in there?" Fluttershy asked from the doorway of the library. She wasn't answered by the unicorn in question, instead Spike walked down the stairs the baby dragons face wore an expression of sadness.
"Oh hey Fluttershy, Twilight's up in her room. Could you come help me? She's been up there for a while and won't come down, I don't even think she's studied for the past three days." the yellow Pegasus's eyes widened, it was quite unlike Twilight not to study. 
"O-okay, I'll do what I c-can." she fallowed the baby dragon up the stairs and into Twilight's room, only to be faced with a crying unicorn, and a very large pile of used tissues. "Oh Twilight what's the matter?" she rushed to her friend's side and began to stroke her mane like she would with an upset animal. 
"I  don't t-think that the p-pony I like l-likes me b-back." Twilight sobbed out as she turned towards the shy Pegasus and sobbed into her shoulder. 
"Oh? And um, not to pry Twilight, but um, who is that you like?" Fluttershy asked being very careful not to upset the crying unicorn even further. 
"Applejack." she mumbled as she tried to hide her face.
"Oh, um I'm sorry Twilight but I couldn't hear you. Who did you say?" she leaned in closer to try and catch the name so she wouldn't have to have Twilight repeat it again.
"Applejack!" Twilight screamed, pulling away from her friend her face as red as the streaks in Rainbow Dash's mane and tail. Fluttershy stared at her in shock.
"Oh, oh my." she looked down at her hooves. "Um Twilight please don't be mad at me." Twilight opened her mouth to ask a question, but it never got farther than that. At that very moment Fluttershy nodded to somepony out the window and Rainbow Dash flew in, scooped up Twilight and zoomed out again.
Spike smirked from his spot beside Fluttershy, the girls had gotten him in on the plan earlier that day. "Nice one 'Shy, good luck." the shy yellow Pegasus nodded and fallowed her friends out the window. 



Applejack stared down at the picnic blanket that Rarity had set out before she'd run off. "Forgot somethin' at 'er place did she? Forgot somethin' my flank!" she was still muttering to herself when a shadow centered over top of her. "What in tarnashon?" was all she managed to ask before Twilight was plopped down beside her.